I have a strong desire to become good at things that I am historically not naturally very good at. I was once told that “no one can shoot a pistol worth a shit,” and for the most part, I’ve found that to be true for most of us regular guys – especially when it comes to combining both speed and accuracy.
Part of the problem, I think, lies in most of us just not having the proper coaching, falling back on old habits, or simply not focusing our training regimen to actually build skills that will make us better pistol shooters. My aim with this new mini-series of short and quick articles is to help, at least, give you guys some drills you can work on at the range.
If you have any suggestions for drills that you’d like demonstrated in this series, I’ll do my best to accommodate. For now, let’s get into our first Drill of the Week (DOTW)
This one is a favorite I like to finish my range sessions with. It’s a solid way to double down on the fundamentals: proper sight picture, consistent trigger press, and staying connected to a firm grip not just during the draw but throughout the shot cycle. Because this is an untimed drill, there’s no pressure to rush; take your time, focus on technique, and get quality repetitions.
Before you start, you’ll need a handgun, some ammo, a shot timer or friend to time for you, and of course, a target. I tried to look up my old downloadable target that actually featured squares, but this new one from pistol-training.com will work in almost the exact same way. Download and print a handful of these so you can practice.
https://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/6x2in-circles.pdf
Drill Setup and Round Count
- Round Count: 16 rounds
- Reload Required: No
- Par Time: Untimed (make every shot deliberate)
- Targets: Six 2-inch squares, arranged in two rows of three
- Range:
- First 8 shots from 5 yards (top row)
- Final 8 shots from 7 yards (bottom row)
If you don’t have a dedicated target sheet, print or mark six 2-inch squares spaced evenly on paper or cardboard, arranged in two rows of three for the drill’s flow.
Drill Instructions
Start from a position of your choice—whether low ready or from the holster—but keep it consistent to standardize your training.
Shoot the top row from the 5-yard line:
- Engage the left target: two rounds using only your dominant hand. This forces you to train the grip strength and trigger control on your strong side.
- Move on to the middle target: two rounds fired strictly with your non-dominant hand. This exposes weaknesses in weak-side control and is key for ambidextrous shooting ability.
- Finish the top row at the right target: four rounds using both hands with a stable grip and sight picture.
Once done, drop back to 7 yards and repeat the sequence on the bottom row.
What to Focus On
- Sight Picture: Keep sights aligned for every shot, especially on one-handed strings. Slow down if needed.
- Trigger Press: No par time means feel every trigger pull fully, catching any shifts in shot placement.
- Grip Consistency: Maintain a solid grip from draw through follow-up shots.
- One-Handed Control: Focus hard on recoil management and trigger smoothness with each hand.
Deliberate practice with drills like Six Squares is what leads to steady progress, even if skill doesn’t come naturally. By isolating fundamentals and making each rep count, it’s possible to improve and break through old barriers gradually. Keep your training focused, honest, and consistent—results will follow. Most importantly, please let us know how you did with this week’s drill and what you’d like to see in subsequent DOTWs.