ON THE RANGE

For me, the drills I run are chosen to hone hard skills for repeatable on-demand performance that I can implement in any context I need. So go in with a plan, and don’t waste time just throwing rounds down range.

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  • Progress is nonlinear
    • 6/9/25

    Progress is nonlinear

    If you're not pressure testing your skill set either by competing or taking classes, then you have no skill set under pressure, regardless of context.

  • Pistol under pressure
    • 6/3/25

    Pistol under pressure

    Work drills that test and develop specific skills, isolate certain components, dry and live, and then apply the learnings as a whole under a time constraint to a mini stage.

  • Foundational skill at speed
    • 4/25/25

    Foundational skill at speed

    Combining various hard skills to test foundational pistol skills at a high level and at speed.

  • SG timer overlay
    • 4/23/25

    SG timer overlay

    Allows me to track and measure progress and compare each iteration. The overlay will be great to use with clients so they can actually see and understand how and where they are progressing in their pistol and carbine shooting.

  • Mini Stage
    • 3/19/25

    Mini Stage

    I set up a 19-round mini-stage utilizing a variety of targets, steel and agility poles to test on demand skills.

  • Strive for consistency
    • 3/12/25

    Strive for consistency

    Promote accountable aggressive shooting that is CONSISTENT. Promote OWNED skills.
    Not one-time circus trick shooting masquerading as a skill set.

    On demand, consistent, and repeatable means just that.

    Just released my updated 2025 EDC Assessment. Sub 4 seconds is where the proficiency marker starts for this skill block. I'm doing it 3X unedited to promote consistent skill and competency. Everything is run from concealment, and maximum accountability is required since it's EDC, meaning only A zone hits are acceptable. These are not "challenge" drills meant to try and burn it down. It's a way to put a check on yourself and see where your skills really are and give you a path to new benchmarks.

    Download the free EDC Assessment here:

    https://www.1stinasset.com/posts/prove-your-abilities

  • Training vs. Going shooting
    • 2/26/25

    Training vs. Going shooting

    Paper at 5-7-10-15 yds (2 open, 2 hard cover) Mini popper at 12
    There's a huge difference between going shooting–what most people do–and what real training/practice should look like. Having a plan for the day and understanding which specific skills you're trying to develop and how to develop them.

    The out of your comfort zone training pace, the exploratory nature, the deeper level of understanding of what's happening with you and the gun, the many mistakes, the difference between focus and awareness, the incremental improvements, the frustrations, how to measure progress, and when things are clicking how to make them consistent. This is just to name a few.

    This is training/practice. And where consistency, repeatability, and true proficiency come from. If you're not improving and don't know why, it may be because you're on the wrong road, just going shooting. Listening to influencers masquerading as coaches instead of people putting in the work passing on how to succeed and how not to fail.

    Learn how to train, and the improvements will come.

  • Transitions - Visual discipline
    • 2/4/25

    Transitions - Visual discipline

    Spent some time on transitions isolating the vision component with this 13 rd setup I put together. Targets staggered with short and wide transitions at 7, 10, 15, and 20 yds. Focus was on confirming some things from dry fire. Keeping my eyes moving very aggressively from target to target while trying to omit any tension and have the sight land where I'm looking with no correction or over confirmation. This was a good test of shooting my vision and playing with different levels of confirmation on the fly.

    The longer COF also tests grip durability. Does my grip feel the same at the end as it did on the beep? There's a difference between going shooting at the range and actual practice. You should understand what that difference looks like.

  • Cold can affect execution
    • 1/17/25

    Cold can affect execution

    Do you know how well you execute cold with no warmup and in the cold weather?
    These factors below can have a serious effect on your on demand execution and be a wake up call that you don’t want. These details should be tested out on the range for any deficiencies to set you up for success in your everyday carry.

    29°
    Accessibility, flexibility with multiple layers.
    Hand and finger Dexterity
    Grip, connection to the gun

    25 yds - T1 (2 rds) T2 (2 rds)
    15 yds - T1 (2 rds) T2 (2 rds) T1 (2 rds)
    7 yds - T1&T2 (2 rds each) T1&T2 Head ( 1 rd each)

    Time: 17.02
    14 Alphas
    2 Charlies
    HF : 4.46

    See you on the range!

  • Confirming dry fire
    • 11/20/24

    Confirming dry fire

    Small easy setup with a huge return on skill development. Focused dry fire is paying dividends building on demand skills.
    - Improvement on draw speed from the .80s to the .70s with a consistent index.
    - More awareness in picking small spots on the transitions, keeping the gun up, and holding consistent grip pressure. Resulting in better performance with higher accountability. Faster and more accurate is a total win regardless of context.
    - Vision barrier for added challenge and fun on transitions.
    - Reloads on the move are smoother and becoming faster, more efficient, and consistent.

    Keep putting in the work.

  • Transitions/Movement
    • 9/26/24

    Transitions/Movement

    Personal practice day working transitions and movement from concealment.
    4 targets (2 hardcover)
    6-inch knockdown plate
    Vision barrier
    Distances at 7-10-15 yds

    Added some doubles and a transition awareness drill to round out the focused day.

  • Berserker Bill - Pistol
    • 8/28/24

    Berserker Bill - Pistol

    Personal cold drill before class starts. Berserker Bill (pistol version)
    Time: 25.65
    27 Alphas
    3 Charlies
    HF: 5.61
    Train and practice until your cold run skill set mirrors what you're doing after you're warmed up.
    Be capable of aggressive shooting with accountability if the context warrants it.

  • Designated target
    • 8/16/24

    Designated target

    Designated target. The focus is on confirming some dry fire work. Aggressive vision, hard target focus, eyes ahead of the gun, having the dot land on my focal point without having to over correct. I'm looking for where the minimal level of confirmation I need for repeatability and accountability lives. Next is maintaining a consistent connection throughout the COF. A grip pressure that allows me consistent return and predictable behavior.

    Pushing the pace in speed without entirely disrespecting the more challenging setup of targets.
    - Mini ADAP steel at 15 yds
    - Open and hardcover target at 10 yds
    - Partial, No Shoot target at 5 yds

    Time - 5.78

    10 Alphas
    HF - 8.65

    Your skill set must be accessible on demand and under stress, or it is not a skill set you own.

  • Training pace for results
    • 8/8/24

    Training pace for results

    Two main skills that I'm focusing on:

    1. I'm working at a training pace pushing the speed to develop a faster, higher level of visual processing. To know what I can see and where the wheels come off. At this pace, mistakes will and do happen. That's the point. Two things that immediately reveal deficiencies in your shooting – speed and distance. Most things work when you're shooting slow and are close.

    I want to see what mistakes I'm making at speed and then correct them at that same speed. Then, if and when, it's necessary to come off the gas to an engagement pace it will seem dramatically slower and more controlled while still being very fast and aggressive on the timer. This translates to a much higher level on demand skill set.

    2. With the aggressive movement, aggressive times, vision barrier, and transitions, staying consistently connected to the gun is challenging. This is something I know can be a weak spot for me during longer courses of fire. Therefore, it is a focus during practice.

    The only way to get better and develop a higher default skill set is to stay out of your comfort zone and push the pace to where you are uncomfortable throughout your practice.

  • On demand execution
    • 7/31/24

    On demand execution

    Refining skills: Vision and movement
    - What level of confirmation is needed for available target
    - Eyes ahead of the gun on transitions
    - Initiating movement while shooting exiting target 2
    - 100% sprint between positions
    - During deceleration, eyes and gun up on focal point waiting for acceptable confirmation to shoot target 3 while entering into position
    - Not overconfirming any sight pictures

    Execution of foundational hard skills at the highest level possible is the goal.

  • Nuevo El Presidente
    • 7/31/24

    Nuevo El Presidente

    Working with 3 targets at 10 yds ,12 rds total with a 180° turn, one hard cover, two no shoots, and a reload. My focus was on being aggressive and accountable. Aggressive vision, keeping my eyes hard target focused, not dot focused, and ahead of the gun on the transitions along with consistent grip pressure. Times were pretty consistent in the low to mid 7's. Lost some time on the reloads that I can definitely tighten up.

    For me, working these classifiers is like anything I else I practice on the range. It's about being process oriented and working and developing specific skills. Understanding the path I took to get there and all the details within that. Skills that can then be consistent and repeatable in any context I need. It's not outcome oriented shooting that is merely chasing a time or standard and missing everything along the way. This strategy is in no way repeatable because you have no idea how you got there.

    Practice with purpose.

  • • 7/31/23

    Retreating Bill drill

    Like the standard drill, this is a great addition to hard skill development as well as having real world defensive utility. Adding layers of complexity like movement, 90°/180° turns, reloads, and malfunctions to tried, and true drills are a great way to improve your overall skill set and keep challenging yourself. Give these a try!

  • • 7/14/23

    Bill drill – Crossover utility

    One of my go-to drills for practicing pistol hard skills that also has realistic crossover defensive utility.

    Hard skill components worked:
    - Concealed draw, consistent index
    - Vision, finding focal point, maintaining target focus
    - Grip durability, structure, and pressure
    - Trigger speed
    - Recoil management
    - Build confidence in aggressive shooting

    Defensive utility:
    - Immediate threat
    - Severely limited reaction time
    - Maintaining threat focus
    - Fast, safe, and efficient draw and index
    - Urgency, not wasting time overconfirming sight picture
    - Accuracy and accountability
    - Unknown amount of rounds to stop a threat, confidence in your aggressive shooting skill set because it was established during range practice.

  • • 6/15/23

    Pistol transitions

    Working close to wide transitions from concealment in my practice session.

    My distance to USPSA targets - 10 yds
    My distance to 6 inch knockdown plate - 17 yds
    Close targets spaced - 1 yd apart
    Wide transition spaced - 12 yds

    While I was trying to keep the COF under 3 seconds, the speed wasn't my main focus. The higher priority was keeping my eyes out ahead and in front of the gun, being able to visually process everything with the minimum level of confirmation needed and staying relaxed and tension free.

  • • 6/15/23

    Urgent 1st shot at distance

    Working from concealment at 30 yds on a 6 inch knockdown plate. Identifying the threat, drawing from concealment, building your grip, finding a focal point, and indexing on the target. Then, pressing rounds off accurately and with urgency while paying attention to your background. To say nothing of the stress of the moment. This is a skill that needs to be practiced because these distances are a reality. Grocery store aisles, churches, atriums, parking lots, big box stores, etc. Build confidence in the capabilities you do have and recognize the skills that need work.

  • • 6/3/23

    Strong hand Bill @ 25 yds

    I'm trying to push the speed to see what's possible and where the wheels come off. I want a clean, single hand draw with solid purchase on the gun. Consistency in indexing on the target and only the acceptable level of confirmation needed. This drill was not just about raw speed or precise accuracy. This is not a suggestion to shoot single-handed unnecessarily. It was with a forced (my arm is injured) defensive utility in mind, so urgency and speed with an acceptable level of confirmation and accuracy as the goal. Don't be afraid to push yourself and see where it starts to unravel so you know what's possible and you understand what your actual capabilities are. Then you know where to put in work. Confidence in your skill set comes from work and proven data and performance on the range.

  • • 6/1/23

    Shooting on the move

    Cold drill – Shooting on the move. What does your on demand pistol skill set really look like? Are you basing your answer on actual data and performance or is it just theory and what you've convinced yourself you can do? If you're carrying concealed every day, this is something you want to be able to answer with confidence. Adding movement to your shooting adds a layer of complexity. Some things that are affected are vision and your perception of the target, importance of a focal point, dot/sights behavior, grip structure and pressure and points of impact. This is a skill that must be practiced and has real world application.

  • • 5/20/23

    MXAD Pistol drill

    Aggressive and very challenging drill. Skills that are highlighted are visual processing, draw, grip, trigger control, recoil management at speed and trying to remain tension free. One of the most important goals for me is consistency and repeatability. Consistency of gun handling overall, draw speed, Bill drill time, overall time and accuracy of hits. Consistency equates to on demand performance which benefits not only hard skills but the crossover utility for self defense.

  • • 5/10/23

    Aggressive pistol – Distance

    A significant amount of our time is spent performing everyday tasks in areas where distance is a factor such as grocery store aisles, big box stores, churches etc. Learning to shoot aggressively at these distances should be an on demand skill set you own. Adding in some complexity to your draws in the form of 90°/180° turns is a great way to enhance not only your technical skill set but also add a bit of realism.

  • Pistol throttle control
    • 4/15/23

    Pistol throttle control

    Working at three different distances, 10, 25 and 50 yards. My focus is primarily grip structure and pressure, focal points on targets, and adjusting how fast I shoot based on target distance and the level of aiming confirmation I need from each target.

MAKE CONTACT.

Questions about classes, achieving goals and direction for where to begin? Call me to have a discussion about your training.

gino@1stinasset.com
(267) 312-3416

Philadelphia, PA