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Speed is especially important when caught behind the reactionary curve. Here, Suarez moves dynamically off the line of fire from a seated position.The first drill is lightning-quick,almost as if you were intending to throwthe pistol at the target. Drill number twoteaches you to stop (pause) at the top ofthe stroke to verify sight picture and getthe trigger ready to go. The trigger doesnot break in either one of these drills. It isimportant to realize that the final press isa distinctly different move from the actualpresentation of the pistol. Drill numberthree puts it all together. When you thinkthe word “press,” you press through thefinal stage of the trigger pressure untilthe hammer or striker releases. Moveup to that point as fast as you can, andpause as long as you need to in orderto guarantee the shot. That is the secretto fast shooting. These drills may also beconducted as live fire drills.Only hits count! That is a statementthat is as true as it is forceful. All of thetactical tricks and high-speed guns in theworld will do you little good if you cannothit on demand. Speed without accuracyis as valuable as a glass of water to adrowning man.You are already familiar with thebasics, the secrets of marksmanship.These are paramount to developingaccuracy. Some self-appointed tacticalgurus with little or no experience inpersonal combat will tell us that gunfightsare close enough to not have to worryabout accuracy. “Just hit him somewhere,”they pontificate.Excuse me! When you stop toconsider the stresses that a man undergoesin a real fight (a fight to the death),it is clear that abandoning the principlesof marksmanship is tantamount tosuicide. Think back to your best day atthe firing range. When you are shootingfor blood (and your targets are doinglikewise), you will be half that good!Now if you always practice to “just hithim somewhere,” the most importantshot of your life will go...you guessedit, nowhere!Take a page from the sniperdiscipline. Police snipers train to makeeyeball shots at 100 meters. Their actualencounters are generally much closerand rarely require such precision. Theidea is that if they are that accurate intraining, the better they’ll be able toplace decisive shots on larger targetsunder stress. As long as realistic timeintervals are adhered to, this is also sageadvice for pistoleros.Don’t mistake the foregoing asadvice to “accurize” your pistol. Yourpistol is already inherently more accurateout of the box than you are. Instead,“accurize” your shooting technique. Thatis what will save you. The following aresome accuracy enhancing drills for youto practice. Note that these are live-firedrills that must be performed at the firingrange. During these accuracy enhancingdrills, your goal is to keep all of the shotstouching each other. If they go into thesame hole, you are on the right track.Remember, this is an exercise whichdevelops a skill, much like pushups andpull ups develop arm strength. Duringtactical operations, we may settle for lessin order to gain some speed. However,developing the ability to fire a surgicallyaccurate shot will allow you to sacrificerelatively little when you “go fast.”34 Concealed Carry Magazine www.usconcealedcarry.comVolume 4 - May/June 2007