Let’s face an uncomfortable fact about handguns. Though they’re great for concealment, they’re pretty bad, objectively, for accuracy.
Not that the machine is inaccurate. Some handguns are tack drivers. But the ergonomics of a handgun, and the lack of ability to brace it against your shoulder, make it very difficult to become proficient, especially at extended ranges.
There is not much you can do about it, beyond picking a gun in a caliber that works well for your unique circumstances.
Past that, you can drill. This is the ticket to mastering handling and becoming a more accurate handgunner.
With that said, here are 3 handgun drills that can help you become more confident while encouraging greater accuracy as well.
When you’re done reading, stock up on 9mm full metal jacket and hit the range. We have what you need.
Phase 5 Drill
The Phase 5 Drill is both complicated and humbling. It is a great drill to improve muscle memory, show where your current weaknesses lie, and of course help you hone your accuracy.
The essence of a Phase 5 Drill is this: you’ll need 5 targets, 50 rounds of ammo, a pistol and holster, and a shot timer.
You can easily print the target templates on 8.5”x11” sheets of paper, and templates are available for free online. You can get a Phase 5 Drill template for free at the previous link.
As you can see, the template consists of targets of 5 different sizes that get progressively smaller and harder to hit.
This drill, as the name suggests, consists of 5 phases. In the first phase, you will start at 3 yards, draw at the timer, and fire ten shots within the first circle. Line breaks are not allowed and you should complete firing within 2.5 seconds.
For phase 2 and 3, you repeat the process with the smaller targets. For phase 4, you draw and fire ten in the smallest of the three circles; in this phase, line breaks are permitted.
The last phase, phase 5, is the hardest. You must place one shot in each of the 10 squares, though line breaks are allowed.
For beginners, it’s admissible not to complete each phase within 2.5 seconds, though that is the ultimate goal. You should at first focus just on safety and accuracy.
This drill will coach you on muscle memory, safety, and help you develop greater accuracy.
Dot Torture Drill
The Dot Torture drill will school you on handling, accuracy, presentation, and trigger control, and is a great drill for shooters of all skill levels.
This drill will force you to focus on trigger control, and requires you to fire 50 shots. If you miss one, you fail the drill and need to start over.
To start this drill, set up the target at 3 yards. Templates are available for free online, just as they are for the Phase 5 Drill.
There are ten rounds to this drill. In the first round, draw from the holster and fire 5 shots into the first dot.
In the second, draw from the holster and fire one round on dot 2, then re-holster, and repeat until you have fired 5 shots.
In the 3rd and 4th rounds, draw from the holster and fire one round on dot 3 and one on dot 4, then re-holster. Repeat until you have fired 8 rounds.
For the 5th round, draw from the holster and fire 5 shots on dot 5 using only the strong hand.
For the 6th and 7th rounds, draw from the holster and then fire 2 shots at dot 6 and 2 shots and dot 7, then re-holster. Repeat until you have fired 16 rounds.
For the 8th round, fire 5 shots from ready with the support hand only. Remember, if you miss one, you fail the drill. Take your time; this isn’t about speed.
For the 9th and 10th rounds, draw from the holster and fire one round on dot 9, then speed reload and fire one round on dot 10, then re-holster. Repeat until you have fired 6 rounds, for a total of 50.
This drill is involved, and you can guess the torture; missing one of the shots towards the end, forcing you to start over completely.
Nonetheless, it is an excellent drill for coaching trigger control, handling, and accuracy.
The Bill Drill
Last but not least, we have the Bill Drill, which is relatively straightforward and easier to explain in writing than the other drills mentioned here.
For this drill, set up a target at 7 yards, load 12 rounds, and start with the handgun either holstered or at a low-ready position (holstered is better because part of this drill coaches grip acquisition and stance).
At the shot timer, draw, aim, and fire 6 shots at the center of the target, quickly, but not so quickly that you miss the center of the target; that would be a failure.
After 6 shots re-holster, then repeat the drill a second time. The goal is to be able to complete both rounds of the drill within 5 seconds each without missing any shots.
Why We Drill
All of these drills can help make you a more accurate handgun shooter, and they can also coach good habits with respect to:
- Drawing
- Adopting a proper grip/grip acquisition
- Trigger discipline
- Support-hand shooting
- Target and sight picture acquisition
- Aligning point of aim and point of impact
All in all, they are some of the most effective handgun drills out there for encouraging more confident handling and greater overall proficiency and accuracy.
Load Up on 9mm Full Metal Jacket: You’re Going to Need It
The last step before you hit the range is making sure you have target templates, a holster (for those drills that require one) and plenty of 9mm full metal jacket ammo (or whatever other caliber you need).
We can help you on the latter part. As for the drilling, that’s on you. Get to the range, put the work in, and be safe. Better handling, confidence, and accuracy will follow.