Handgun Stress Drill (video)

[ApexShootingTactics]

Just a simple stress drill I did this morning. Stress drills are a great way to test your ability to apply the fundamentals. This is not a drill I force on students in 3, 4 or 8 hour classes. A drill this involved is only done with experienced shooters.

http://youtu.be/tgIpyC4BgBY

[Jake]

Thanks for the share.

Always looking for new things.

[Sevens]

Interesting, I second the motion about always looking at new ideas.

A couple questions pop up:

1) I absolutely understand the idea of the running distances to build the stress and make the shooting more difficult, but I'm having a hard time understanding the incredible distances we'd be shooting at the target. I mean to say that all shooting skills are inherently valuable, I am sure of that, but practicing to engage targets at distances beyond 25 yards seems like it's getting away from practicing defensive shooting tactics. Is there something I've missed, or would it not make just as much (or more) sense to shoot an "a" zone sized steel at 7 yards, run back to a point, then run back to the 15 yard line and engage the same "a" zone steel, and then run back to a point, then turn around and run back to the 20 yard line, engage again, etc?

Finding a place that is shown in the video is the DREAM of many of us but most of us don't have access to that kind of property.

2) I watched the other video about muzzle flip and then I watched this one, and at the conclusion of -EACH- video, the little boxes that popped up have now TWICE shown me an attractive woman holding her chest promoting a video for breastfeeding.

NOW. Think whatever you wish but I do not go to Youtube for videos of this nature. Not recently, not ever. I don't know why Youtube thinks I'm chasing those. Frankly, there are better places on the web to watch videos for reasons beyond "informational purposes" and I simply don't visit Youtube for anything except when I'm reading some gun thread that links a video. Last time I killed an hour on YT, it was because I got sidetracked watching funny live TV news bloopers. Maybe there was a "chest related" video there... no clue, it was months ago. And as with most YT vids that aren't directly linked from a discussion, it was pure wasted time that I regret.

So, is it the Apex Shooting Tactics video that has somehow crossed with a buzzword that pops the same attractive female up as a suggested "must watch" video?! Is this gal an instructor?!

[TSiWRX]

2) I watched the other video about muzzle flip and then I watched this one, and at the conclusion of -EACH- video, the little boxes that popped up have now TWICE shown me an attractive woman holding her chest promoting a video for breastfeeding.

NOW. Think whatever you wish but I do not go to Youtube for videos of this nature. Not recently, not ever. I don't know why Youtube thinks I'm chasing those. Frankly, there are better places on the web to watch videos for reasons beyond "informational purposes" and I simply don't visit Youtube for anything except when I'm reading some gun thread that links a video. Last time I killed an hour on YT, it was because I got sidetracked watching funny live TV news bloopers. Maybe there was a "chest related" video there... no clue, it was months ago. And as with most YT vids that aren't directly linked from a discussion, it was pure wasted time that I regret.

So, is it the Apex Shooting Tactics video that has somehow crossed with a buzzword that pops the same attractive female up as a suggested "must watch" video?! Is this gal an instructor?!

Try as I might (repeatedly ), I can't get that link to pop up!

Do you have some malware lingering?

[TSiWRX]

Speak of the devil, I got it!

[TSiWRX]

1) I absolutely understand the idea of the running distances to build the stress and make the shooting more difficult, but I'm having a hard time understanding the incredible distances we'd be shooting at the target. I mean to say that all shooting skills are inherently valuable, I am sure of that, but practicing to engage targets at distances beyond 25 yards seems like it's getting away from practicing defensive shooting tactics. Is there something I've missed, or would it not make just as much (or more) sense to shoot an "a" zone sized steel at 7 yards, run back to a point, then run back to the 15 yard line and engage the same "a" zone steel, and then run back to a point, then turn around and run back to the 20 yard line, engage again, etc?

I'm no Andrew, but I'll put up my view of the exercise: it's just another way to induce stress, since there's no way we can actually induce the exact same kind of response we would in a real-life violent confrontation.

In Andrew's iteration, the drastically diminishing target size is both a physical challenge (which places drastic demands on the shooter's execution of the fundamentals) and further places a level of mental stress on the shooter.

No, it may not be as realistic as running from cover-to-cover while engaging a close(r)-distance target, but it is an exercise nonetheless. If we're looking at drills like this purely in the context of what is the canonical "civilian self-defense shooting scenario," wouldn't it be even more realistic to jog-in-place or do jumping-jacks to raise one's hear-rate and set a BOB target at 2 yards and practice solely from retention? You get my drift.

Both your proposed exercise and Andrews are each valid in their context. Each has inherent value.

[ApexShootingTactics]

Good questions.

First off. This purpose of the drill is to test the fundamentals of marksmanship under stress, it is not a scenario based drill. Shooting distance adds to the stress. Like Allen said, the target is getting smaller in relationship to my sight picture so you have less room for error. With this drill it is also a safety issue. Unless I am shooting frangible ammo I am NOT shooting on steel at close range and with a drill like this it is easier to accomplish the stress (distance and heart rate) by pushing further out. Shooting distance also builds confidence. Many shootings happen at close distance for a reason and one of the reasons is that people work inside their comfort zone. If all you shoot is 21 feet and closer you will lack confidence as you push further out. Think of a parking lot, office building, school hallways etc…. In any of those instances it is easy to find yourself at distance and distance is your friend in a gun fight.

On a side note. The video I posted about grip a few days ago… Well I had a few people send messages, 1 email and accuse me of not being truthful about hitting the steel plate at 100 yards. They said I staged it to look like 100 yards. So this video was kind of a response to them. If you know and can apply the fundamentals then you can hit virtually anything you can see 100 yards and closer with a handgun. If you own the fundamentals then you can be effective under stress at most distances under 100 yards.

Lastly… Apex Shooting and Tactics LLC has no affiliation with those pop ups on you tube. I have no clue why they pop up. I started seeing them this afternoon also.

[TSiWRX]

Shooting distance also builds confidence. Many shootings happen at close distance for a reason and one of the reasons is that people work inside their comfort zone. If all you shoot is 21 feet and closer you will lack confidence as you push further out. Think of a parking lot, office building, school hallways etc…. In any of those instances it is easy to find yourself at distance and distance is your friend in a gun fight.

In a recent thread on DefensiveCarry.com regarding practice at the 25-yard line (http://www.defensivecarry.com/forum/def ... photo.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), I cited some Blogs by Mr. Kyle Defoor. Here's what I think is a relevant passage from one of his entries (http://www.kyledefoor.com/search?q=humbler" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).

Yes, studies have shown that most pistol gunfights occur at 7 yds. So speed is important and has to be worked on. But, if you can hit at a distance most can't, and you have good situational awareness, standoff is now a great tactical friend. Shooting up close too much will also mask errors in fundamentals and at the same time give the shooter an unrealistic confidence of his/her abilities.

I have never had a problem taking a guy who can hit at 25 yds and making him fast at 7. The reason is because he understands fundamentals and what he can get away with both with movement and sights. However, I constantly see shooters that can blaze at 5,7, even 10 yds, but once they are at distance they completely fall apart. Usually this results in some kind of justification as to why they are doing poorly or don't need to shoot at distance with a pistol at all. This is not the correct answer. The correct answer is to apply the very basics of shooting to their upmost.

I've never had the chance to shoot "The Humbler," and I have absolutely no doubt that I will be very humbled by it, indeed. Similarly, I also confess to being myself among those that Defoor described above - a guy that can blaze away at closer distances, but start falling apart once I really start pressing yardage.

But hey, I'm working on it!

On a side note. The video I posted about grip a few days ago… Well I had a few people send messages, 1 email and accuse me of not being truthful about hitting the steel plate at 100 yards. They said I staged it to look like 100 yards. So this video was kind of a response to them. If you know and can apply the fundamentals then you can hit virtually anything you can see 100 yards and closer with a handgun. If you own the fundamentals then you can be effective under stress at most distances under 100 yards.

I'm surprised and disappointed that there would be such accusations.

In a hobby and community that prides itself on honor, I'm frankly tired of seeing people make such accusations. The above-referenced DefensiveCarry.com thread is a perfect example of such petty sentiments (look at the accusations that 1 old 0311 made - which was rebuffed by several members' personal experiences and photos at the same location...sadly, no apology was offered).

I've never seen Andrew shoot that far, in-person, but I can tell you from having seen him shoot at closer targets - and teach - that he's definitely got the skills to get the job done. If a bad-guy is holding my wife and/or kid hostage, I'd be relieved to see Andrew on the team that responds.

[Sevens]

Oh, I'm disappointed that some would comment... but not at all surprised. At the bitter end of the "grip" video, there's a chuckle where the shooter doesn't want to be called out on a single shot live at the end of the video in case he misses - it was funny and enough evidence that nobody was faking anything.

I like what I hear and can't really argue with anything. In fact, we did a drill similar to this at Fun 'n Gun in each of the last two times it was held at TDI, where we draw, take a single shot as quickly as we can accurately make that single shot, and move back further each time. (well, it's only HALF similar... no running, but the stress of continuing to make hits when lined up with a couple dozen guys all trying to make the same hit and make it quickly with only one shot to do it did induce some stress) and I enjoyed this drill.

I would have a slightly different take about shooting steel at close ranges without frangible... I shoot hundreds of rounds (many hundreds) each month at 10-12-15 yards with FMJ, thick plated and cast lead across a spectrum of guns, loads, and calibers. We have no issues.

Good stuff, I'll be looking for the next video. And catching up on the breastfeeding gal, I suppose.

[TSiWRX]

Good stuff, I'll be looking for the next video. And catching up on the breastfeeding gal, I suppose.

^ I'm already corresponding with her.

Just kidding.

[concreteguy]

2) I watched the other video about muzzle flip and then I watched this one, and at the conclusion of -EACH- video, the little boxes that popped up have now TWICE shown me an attractive woman holding her chest promoting a video for breastfeeding.

NOW. Think whatever you wish but I do not go to Youtube for videos of this nature. Not recently, not ever. I don't know why Youtube thinks I'm chasing those. Frankly, there are better places on the web to watch videos for reasons beyond "informational purposes" and I simply don't visit Youtube for anything except when I'm reading some gun thread that links a video. Last time I killed an hour on YT, it was because I got sidetracked watching funny live TV news bloopers. Maybe there was a "chest related" video there... no clue, it was months ago. And as with most YT vids that aren't directly linked from a discussion, it was pure wasted time that I regret.

So, is it the Apex Shooting Tactics video that has somehow crossed with a buzzword that pops the same attractive female up as a suggested "must watch" video?! Is this gal an instructor?!

These would be assumptions on my part, but more than likely, Google knows you're a man. Men are likely to click on the video/add. I watch a couple of hours of YouTube a week and they no longer suggest/advertise videos of that nature to me because most of my viewing is firearm, cars, motorbike, construction, and CAD related. They have "learned" what I like. Perhaps because you don't watch much YouTube,they are guessing wrong what you might want to watch next.

[Sevens]

I suppose it wasn't simply that it was an attractive gal HOLDING her, uhhh, upper torso...

More to the point, it was exactly the same video. Same woman. Same pose. It's like that video was "trending" or something and Youtube is pushing it on people.