Explanation of the "Bill Drill"

[Lurper]

I posted this before and some said there wasn't enough explanation on the video. Allow me to lay out the details in writing, then you may have a better understanding of the drill and when you are ready, incorporate it into your regimen.
Although it may just look like a fancy fast shootin' demonstration, it is actually a valuable training drill.
One of the most important skills to develop is to be able to "call" your shots.
This means to know where your shot hits by seeing where the sight is.
Another is to track your sight and let what you see trigger the shot, not what you think.
When you can call your shots and know you are tracking the sight, the
"Bill Drill" (named after Bill Wilson of Wilson Combat) is a good tool for refining your sight and trigger skills.

Here's how it is done:
One target at 7 yards. Start with the gun in the holster, hands at sides. Draw and fire 6 shots in under 2 seconds. It only counts if you shoot 6 "A's".
You should know how well you have done just from watching the sight.

How to "build" in to it:
Watch the Double Tap and Transition videos so you understand tracking the sight and prepping the trigger.
First run:
Fire one shot at the target, release the trigger, track the sight and prep the trigger. When the gun is back on target, stop. Don't fire the second shot. Call your shot without looking at the target.
Start again.
Run 2:
Fire one shot at the target, release the trigger, track the sight and prep the trigger. When the gun is back on target, fire the second shot. Track the sight, release the trigger, prep the trigger. When the sight is back on target, stop. Don't fire the third shot. Call your shots without looking at the target.
Start again.
Repeat the process until you have reached 6 shots.

Remember, tracking the sight, releasing the trigger and prepping the trigger should all occur before the gun settles back on target. Ideally, you should be able to call all of your shots. Shoot as fast as you can shoot all "A's". When you start dropping a lot of points, focus more on the sight and trigger (never think in terms of slow down or speed up).

If you don't have a holster, start from low ready.

[pa_guns]

Hi

Thanks for the details !!!

Bob

[garrettwc]

Lurper, I like that building block approach to the Bill Drill. Just to clarify, when "calling the shot" you are talking about the shot that was actually fired right, not the second sight picture when the gun settles?

Assuming I am correct, can you elaborate more on how to "call the shot"? That's something I have always had trouble with. Are you calling it based on memory of what you "think" the sight picture looked like when you broke the shot, or are you looking for certain indicators.

[Lurper]

garrett
"Calling" the shot means being aware of where the shot you just fired hit. It should be based on what you see, not what you think. Seeing the sight is crucial to shooting fast. But, to see the sight you need to remove the filter between your eyes and trigger finger - your conscious mind. The indicator I am looking for is the front sight. Where the sight is is where the bullet will hit (can't happen any other way). So, calling the shot helps you learn how to track the sight. Many people blink as the shot breaks, I use a video camera to point this out to students. Learning how to call the shots makes certain that you are tracking the sight at least until the shot breaks. Calling your shots when you fire a string of shots makes certain you are tracking the sight all the time.
Here is a way to practice:
Shoot at a distance where you cannot see the holes in the target as you shoot. Fire a shot, "call" where it hit (ie: 10 o'clock). Take a couple of steps forward until you can see where the bullet hit. See how accurate your "call" was. Repeat until you are about 90% accurate at calling your shot. Then add a second shot, calling each one and so on.
Many people aren't aware that they are looking at the target (you should with optics) and not the front sight when they shoot. That's why you want the target far enough away that you can't see the holes.
The other issues is that most people find it hard to trust their eyes. You have to remove conscious thought from the eqaution.
Try that and see how it works.

[pa_guns]

Hi

Simply keeping your eyes open through the process can be a *big* issue.

Good eye protection can help. It's doubly true if you are shooting something with a lot of muzzle blast. The shock wave triggers an automatic blink, unless your eyes are well covered. You can suppress it, but it's not "natural".

Bob

[garrettwc]

Thanks Lurper. I know this is one of the areas I need to work on my consistency. I'll try the building block drill and see how it goes.

[chimkayu]

Halito. Wow, Lurper, all I can say is...wow. After watching some of your videos it is evident that you know your way around the 1911 (or hand-guns in general). I always looked at shooting as kind of like catching a baseball or football, or like a martial art. At first, you are trying to track where the ball is, or where the hand foot or head is, etc. And you can finally reach a point to where you really aren't thinking about it...you just do it. With videos and explanations like you are putting out maybe we can all be out there "catching balls" naturally. Thanx. Love the 1911, Germany (love to go there someday) and this forum.

C.........

[armedandfree]

So, one must have the focus on the front site, and the target, rear site, and all else out of focus, or "blurry". Now... I have not had much practice, but do you track the site while the firearm is recoiling, and do you do this subconsciously or can you actually see where the front site is while the pistol snaps back? Yet another very informative video. Thankyou very very much.

[garrettwc]

armed, you should be able to see the front site rise in recoil and come back down. I don't know that it's necessary to "track" it. If you are gripping the gun correctly, the front sight should snap back to the same spot it was. It should come straight up and down like it's on a hinge.

[armedandfree]

I was practicing, by dry fire, last night, and simulating a recoil to see if i could "track" the front site. I couldn't... but what I did notice, that with the muscle memory of a recoil, the muzzle pointed in close to the same direction before the shot after coming down from the recoil.

Is what y'all mean by tracking the front site, watching it rise, but not necessarily know where its pointing at exactly, and knowing when the recoil is over, and it is back to the starting position, timing it so your trigger prep is ready and u can squeeze off another round once the proper sight alignment is achieved?