Get some .223 bulk ammo and get ready to hit the range. We’re back with another AR drill that can help you coach yourself on proficiency and accuracy at intermediate ranges.
This drill will help you train with respect to target acquisition of targets at varying intermediate ranges and will help you become a better practical shooter at those ranges - hence the name.
Here’s what you need to know.
How to Master the Practical Prone Precision Drill
Setting up this drill is simple. You’ll need three standard 5.5” circle rifle targets; Birchwood Casey’s Shoot-N-C targets are good because they are reactive and make it easier to see through your rifle scope if you’re hitting the target or not.
Set these targets up at 100, 200 and 300 yards. If you are shooting over an unscoped AR and will be using iron sights, set them up at 50, 100 and 150.
Get into the prone position; it is acceptable if you use a bipod or a sandbag or a pack as a front rest. You may start this drill with the rifle loaded and the safety on, as mechanical manipulation of the rifle’s controls (though important) is not the focus of this drill.
This drill will require you to fire 10 shots in fairly rapid succession; at the start of the drill, or when signalled by your range mate (it helps to have one) fire one shot at the 100-yard target, 2 at the 200-yard target, 3 at the 300-yard target, and then fire the remaining 4 back at the first, 100-yard target.
This is a scored drill, with a maximum achievable score of 100 points. What you want to be able to do is to complete all shots within 30 seconds, with no misses.
For every second over 30 seconds, subtract 10 points; you’ll also lose 10 points for every missed shot.
It’s simple enough and you don’t need any specialized equipment for this drill. That said, it will eat up a lot of ammo, so make sure you are well prepared with plenty of .223 bulk ammo before you hit the range.
So now, what reason would you have for doing this drill in the first place?
Why to Do This Drill
Naturally, any drilling is better than no drilling, but this particular AR drill offers some unique value to shooters with respect to target acquisition as well as accuracy in general.
For one thing, you will need to rapidly acquire targets at differential ranges at increasing distances before switching rapidly back to a comparatively close-range target to complete the drill.
That alone - firing a series of shots rapidly on targets at different ranges - is difficult enough and plenty of reason to practice this drill.
But there’s something unique about acquiring targets at 100, 200 and 300 yards, and making a shot on target that connects.
This is because no matter how your rifle is sighted-in (at what range, that is) you will have to make dynamic adjustments on the fly because the rifle’s point of impact will vary from point of aim at those distances.
That is, if your rifle is zeroed at 100 yards, it will shoot low of its point of aim at 200 and 300 yards, which means you will need to account for bullet trajectory by holding over the target - and practicing a different hold-over at both ranges.
There are some scopes that will do this for you as a result of the reticle’s markings; our advice is either to do this drill with iron sights, or without one of these scopes.
That way, you can accomplish refining the skill of holding over a target (at variable ranges, not just at a fixed range) and still connecting.
This drill naturally has real-world implications should you ever have to make a series of rapid shots on targets at varying intermediate ranges; say, for instance, if you are hog hunting and need to dispatch more than one irritated animal.
Granted, you could let them close the distance, but what tactical advantage does that offer a shooter with a range weapon?
All in all, this is one of the best AR drills you can use to hone your skills at intermediate ranges.
Here for .223 Bulk Ammo?
Besides a rifle and targets, you’ll need plenty of ammo for this one. If your rifle is chambered in .223, that means you’ll want to buy .223 bulk ammo.
Practice this drill just twice and you’ll eat through a standard box of 20 cartridges, which makes it somewhat expensive as drills go. Even though it isn’t really a high-volume drill, as we might call it, the price of ammo is still enough to justify buying in bulk.
Check out our .223 bulk ammo deals (and all of our bulk ammo specials) then check our other deals and police trade-in specials before you buy. There are some deals waiting there for you that can help you save on shooting.