The Drill:
This drill focuses on basic marksmanship and the fundamentals of standard firearms manipulations. It takes the basic skills that every shooter should be practicing on a regular basis and folds them into one drill. It incorporates drawing from the holster, two-handed firing, single-handed firing, multiple target transitions and speed reloads. The Dot Torture Drill was developed by David Blender of Personal Defense Training and is made easier to integrate into your training by the guys at EZ2C Targets.
The Setup:
You will need 50 rounds of target ammo, your firearm, a holster and a target consisting of 10 2-inch circles. We used The Dot Torture Drill Targets from EZ2C Targets that have the course of fire directions printed right on them. Alternatively, you can use a large sheet of paper or cardboard with 10 circles drawn on it.
The Skills:
Muzzle management and trigger-finger discipline are key when firing on a target only 2 inches in diameter. Any deviation or extraneous movement at the firearm will translate to misses on the target. This drill will help you to identify and diagnose any issues that may be keeping you from being on target. On top of these marksmanship skills, this drill also adds in elements of standard firearms manipulations, such as drawing, speed reloading, target transitioning and single-handed fire.
The Details:
Begin by facing the target with your pistol in the holster. This is not a timed drill, so it should be completed at a slow and controlled pace. The goal is to have all 50 rounds land within their designated 2-inch circle. Each of the ten circles, dots or pair of dots has their own course of fire that must be completed as such:
Dot 1: Draw your pistol and fire a string of five consecutive rounds into the first dot. The goal is to get the tightest shot grouping within the circle.
Dot 2: Draw your pistol and fire a single round into the second dot. Repeat the sequence four more times. Total rounds fired into Dot 2 is five.
Dots 3 and 4: Draw and fire a single round into each Dot 3 and 4 in succession. Repeat this course of fire four times for a total of eight rounds.
Dot 5: Draw your pistol and fire five rounds using your strong hand only.
Dots 6 and 7: Draw your pistol and fire two rounds into Dot 6 and then two rounds into Dot 7, transitioning between the two. Repeat this sequence four times for a total round count of 16.
Dot 8: Start with the pistol in your support hand from the ready position and fire five shots using your support hand only.
Dots 9 and 10: Draw your pistol and fire one round on Dot 9, perform a speed reload and fire one round on Dot 10. Repeat this string of fire two more times for a total of six rounds.
If you complete this entire sequence at 3 yards and all 50 rounds are within the 10 dots, push the target back to 5 yards, repeat and then move the target out to 7 yards if still no misses.
Safety Considerations:
This is a live-fire drill and should be completed only while adhering to the four universal safety rules as well as any range-specific rules. The Dot Torture Drill does have some elements that can be challenging for newer or less-experienced shooters. Employ the help of a good firearms instructor to assist and provide the necessary training to accomplish the more challenging aspects of this drill, such as single-handed fire and speed reloads. As always, eye and ear protection are required for all live-fire training.
Closing Thoughts:
The Dot Torture Drill takes several fundamental components of shooting and brings them together into one encompassing course of fire. This drill will help you to evaluate your skills, determine your limitations and focus your training where it is most needed. Remember, when you’re training at the range, limit the time spent on the things you do well and instead focus on the things that you do poorly, like shooting using only your support hand, because those are the things you need to work on and the skills that might save your life one day.
Vary your training. Keep it fun. Keep it safe. And keep practicing.
