The Drill:
The Non-Standard Response (NSR) Drill is another drill you can use to vary your training and prevent training scars. Training scars are habits created over time when you fall into the same old training routine. This can happen when you go to the range and shoot the exact same course of fire every time you step to the line: single shots followed by performance evaluations (looking downrange to see where your rounds hit the target), shooting hammer pairs or controlled pairs and then stopping, two rounds to the body and one to the head, only shooting targets at 15 feet … and so on, doing the same drills over and over to the point where you no longer need to think. If this sounds like you, the NSR Drill will help you.
The Setup:
Setup for the Non-Standard Response Drill is relatively easy and doesn’t require any additional gear outside of what you routinely take to the range. All you will need are your defensive firearm, a silhouette target, a holster and 50-100 rounds of ammo. A training partner is also a great addition to this drill, as it adds a level of unpredictability. In this instance, we employed Steve as our training partner. Steve added the element of the unknown by regulating and changing the number of rounds required to take the “bad guy” out of the fight, thus neutralizing the threat.
The Skills:
Real-life defensive scenarios are completely unpredictable and will require you to evaluate the situation and react with the appropriate amount of force. The goal here is to shoot past the standard one, two or three rounds you normally shoot at a time and instead shoot until you successfully stop the threat. The focus is variation in your training and learning to continue firing until you stop the threat.
The Details:
Your starting distance from the target should be approximately 10-20 feet (depending on your shooting ability). Start by facing the silhouette target with your firearm in the holster (or at the ready position if you are shooting at a facility that does not allow you to incorporate the draw). Your training partner should be standing behind and off to one side of you with his/her hand resting on your shoulder. The hand on your shoulder represents the absence of threat. Your training partner should then remove his or her hand, indicating there is a threat. When his/her hand comes off your shoulder, draw, obtain a good sight picture and rapidly place accurate rounds on target. If your rounds are not impacting within the intended threat’s target zone, then you’re going too fast and must force yourself to slow down the rate of fire.
Depending on your level of ability, your partner should (silently) count somewhere between 1 to 10 seconds and then place his or her hand back on your shoulder, signifying the threat has stopped. Each time you run the drill, your partner should change the amount of “threat” time (the time when his or her hand is off your shoulder). When your partner’s hand returns to your shoulder, you must stop shooting, follow the threat down to the ground, then scan and assess your surroundings for any additional threats. Repeat the steps three times, each time increasing your rate of fire.
Safety Considerations:
First and foremost, be sure to follow the four universal safety laws. Take your time when first attempting to accomplish the drill. Start out by shooting 1 to 2 rounds per second and then speed things up. If you’re throwing rounds outside of the intended impact area of the target, reduce your rate of fire. If shooting at your local indoor range, be sure to follow all safety procedures when it comes to drawing from the holster and allowed rates of fire.
Closing Thoughts:
The skills needed to fire rapid and accurate shots from the holster are important for any defensive shooter. With only seconds to act, speed and accuracy are crucial. Try to minimize training scars by continuously changing up your shooting routines. Safely push your limits every chance you get and build your defensive shooting skills.
As always, vary your training. Keep it fun. Keep it safe. And keep practicing.
