A drill that can fix your shooting

Benstoeger.com
Benstoegerproshop.com for gear
PSTG.US for in person classes and digital coaching
Ben Stoeger books on Amazon: www.amazon.com...
Podcast from pstg:
traininggroupl...

[@FirstLast-ff7qx]

Ur title is confusing. Im sittin here with my dewalt waitin to see wat i gotta do.

[@WayneF3413]

The first step is get a Milwaukee and stop being a poor.

[@wongkeebs4327]

​@@WayneF3413but my Harbor Freight is just as good. My friend said so!

[@FirstLast-ff7qx]

@@WayneF3413 😣 i knew that was comin lol.

[@FirstLast-ff7qx]

@@wongkeebs4327 my old neighbor swore by harbor fright drills. But the thing is, his drills always looked new. Either he wasnt usin em or hes just shreddin thru em lol

[@zaiquiri1799]

Killed me

[@aopp021760]

Guy who posted the IG comment, thank you! Ben thanks for posting this one, I'll hit the range this week to work on it. On level 2 of Practical Shooting Training, the book has been helping tons, feeling a level up is close. This drill is doable indoors since for a lot of people it's hard to have access to a berm range to run stage like drills.

[@jeb4059]

Sorry for long comment but I am really excited about this. Ditto with the commenter. I am 62, been shooting handguns since 20. Guns are my thing, eat, sleep, read, etc. Videos, books, classes, compeitions, and lots of guns/gear tryign to "buy" performance. Now more than ever some shooters like you I trust for advice are saying more and more that you shoot mostly stock guns close to much more modified ones making me think. Has not always been so transparent. I also never thought I could shoot very fast as I can't shoot guns very "flat", BUT I never understood how many amazing shooters are of much smaller stature and I could clearly see how much their gun was moving. But I first saw this on one of your free videos. I still need way more practice to be repeatable. And for me at least it's easier to target focus with irons (of course after I put optics on most handguns). I cannot tell friends enough about how I was dumbfounded, in a good way. And I think it now opens doors for other improvements that otherwise would never happen. Keep up the great work and thank you.

[@zebradrums84]

Seriously, one of the best drills to actually learn and improve on the spot. I’ve watched a video from the Vortex’s guys yesterday, which they tagged you, Joel and Kim. At the end of the day, I went to my local range to try it and it was amazing to check the results right away. After a bunch of single shots, I’ve started shooting doubles and that made it easier for me to call my shots, and my hits got extremely better.

[@danhanus2294]

One shot return is a great outcome of the old "Measurement Drill", but I still think the full drill is valuable. I saw a new iteration of one-shot where you pull the magazine and pull the trigger a second time, I think that is valuable as well.

[@danhanus2294]

It has nothing to do with tactics It gives a simulated trigger control at speed after the one shot return.

[@0dayExploit]

@@russiancommyit shows you if you’re trying to mitigate rather than just letting the recoil happen. Before you shoot, you load the chamber and pull the mag out, so you will get a bang and a click. If the click moves, you’ll see it. If there was a second bang, you might not see yourself moving the gun. Langdon talks about this in one of his videos, I think one on recoil anticipation or trigger control

[@hwansikcjswo]

Yes. One shot return drill is basically measurement drill with a par time.

[@roflchopter11]

​@@russiancommyYou learn if you're building up a flinch or messing up your grip after your first shot. By your logic, dry firing is completely pointless because you would never really intentionally fire a gun that didn't have any ammo in it.

[@jeffedgar562]

You can’t fool me with your logic and simplistic drills 😂

[@kogasoldier9379]

I’ve been really focusing on the fundamentals of recoil management and what you say here makes perfect sense. One thing I’ve really come to learn is that proper grip will help you maintain horizontal, and proper trigger manipulation will help you maintain proper elevation. Great stuff.

[@uncleB1972]

Thank you! Off to the range!

[@Noc___]

It’s weird how the release of some of these videos is exactly what I need to hear. Question: that “intention” of returning the gun back to the spot you’re projecting on the target - is that what you should feel when doing both predictive and reactive shooting? I used to think it was only intended for reactive shooting, but it also makes sense to do it predictively (despite not reacting to a sight picture). It almost sounds counter intuitive to be able up return the gun without reacting to a sight picture - much like how I can point my finger at something I’m focused on without having to see that it’s there.

[@p20j3ctx]

I dont spend as much time dry firing as i probably should. I spend more time watching instructor videos, mostly yours lately, to understand shooting concepts i want to practice. Ive never done the 1shot return drill, but the concept ive understood from other lessons you've given. I stopped fighting with the gun and focused on the timing of when it comes back on its own. I make adjustments to increase the speed of return little by little. Your teaching style makes a lot of sense to me and is pretty clear on what we're trying to accomplish, and how each person does it will be a little different since we're different shapes and sizes.

[@rolotomase1440]

This seems very similar to the dry fire drill "Trigger Control at Speed." Which for me was my break-through exercise that really taught me how to shoot.

[@blakebeckcom1574]

Great coaching as usual. Will do it next range day. Thanks so much

[@stevetazphoto]

Going to try this next time I go out

[@JustinV911]

I was working on this yesterday and spent a majority of my ammo on it. Finally can say I felt connected to the gun, and the gun was returning to my point of aim. 1 inch pastor at 10 yards. The thing I’m trying to wrap my head around was it felt slow. For whatever reason it felt like a long time for the gun to return exactly to the 1inch pastor. Basically waiting for confirmation 3. Tried to speed it up by actively adding to the return but of course that added tension and wasn’t predictable

[@_datapoint]

This is brilliant. I will need to try this.

[@Ghillie-bp6tl]

Adding this as a 20 round starter for my next live fire session. The exact area I need improvement.

[@danieldavis7784]

I'm horrible at returning, so I try to grip in a way that mitigates recoil. I'll try this.

[@rpnbf8196]

Interesting timing on this. I was shooting yesterday practicing transitions and different confirmation levels and finished being unhappy with my doubles consistency…decided the next two weeks are going to be focusing on one shot return and doubles. Hoping for that to help me up the A’s and decrease the C’s.

[@JH-ox9kw]

show us how you draw, release the safety and where you place your thumb on the Staccato

[@khamisinorwood5889]

I’ve been doing the dryfire version of it for while now. Great drill!

[@JustinV911]

What’s the dry fire version of this drill? Curious to add it my dryfire routine

[@LiorIPSC]

I like this guy!

[@dennisp1323]

Going to try it tomorrow…thanks

[@bushmonster9899]

thanks

[@olavvatne7837]

Well, you did the Staccato thing, now you need to get an Atlas 🙂

[@hpmizan1244]

My red dot ends up high and does not naturally come back down. What I’m I doing wrong?

[@MrZola1234]

Really want to try this drill, have seen it in his training videos.

[@CitizenCarrier]

Simple drill. Simple concept. Simple to do. Many times, simplicity is king. I guess it’s true, it’s not rocket science. We’re just shooting guns here. I’m gonna have to give this a try.

[@bt6105]

Ben can’t drop the Staccato. Figuratively or literally.

[@tmksolfilm]

Any particular distance from target when doing this drill? Thank you for all your videos. They truly help me 🙏

[@ripdoinksinamish]

Try lots of different ones and see how you do!

[@johnnyfox8142]

If I were to shoot doubles with my dot occluded, could that possibly help me figure out if I'm 'dot watching'? The occasional seatbelt slash.

[@JH-ox9kw]

Hope Gavin Newsome doesnt find out your in town...Id really miss your training online

[@MasterYing83]

Ben, do you think that switching to a 2011/1911 platform from a da/sa or striker platform will make someone a worse shooter fundamentally even if the results might be better? I am thinking no, as long as proper grip and pressures are applied I've found my trigger finger matters less but wanted to hear your thoughts.

[@Shreddedcheddarr]

I just started competitive shooting just got my first classification. I am a B class shooter at the moment. What would you suggest are the best couple of live or dry fire drills to help me progress?

[@hajduk_lives]

That would depend on what your deficiencies are. Identify them, use drills that help you with those skills.

[@HWG-wm8ld]

Ben has a pro shop with books.

[@Osprey1994]

​@hajduk_lives Billy Barton did a video with T1C where he highlighted one of the biggest deficiencies for most shooters. Plenty of people can nail their drills, but the element separating them from being a M or GM shooter is not always something that can be trained. Getting to the point where your cognitive bandwith isn't consumed by gunhandling is helpful though.

[@n0tthemessiah]

I notice that other trainers take the opposite approach to yours and emphasize really clamping down hard and forcing your sights/red dot back to position; i.e., fighting the gun. It just feels like there's a lot of mixed messaging from professionals about this especially because both techniques seem to work for the person demonstrating it. Do you think this is because different things work for different people or do you think those who advocate fighting the gun would be that much better if they adopted your technique? For what it's worth I seem to have a lot more success with your advice/techniques and I very much appreciate the time and effort you put into helping new shooters on youtube.

[@HWG-wm8ld]

You will find what works for you. In defensive situations I’d recommend clamping down hard to keep your group as tight as possible.

[@MellowFellowOfYellow]

Ben’s technique and logic make sense but I am convinced more and more that his grip strength is higher than most people and what feels “relaxed” for him is actually pretty substantial pressure.

[@ripdoinksinamish]

@@MellowFellowOfYellowThat’s also what I am getting. There’s an instructor named Anette Evans who took his class and she explained that when he put his hands on hers and showed her how hard to grip it was waaaay stronger than she thought it would be. I do think keeping the firing hand relaxed enough to pull the trigger straight and quickly is important though - at least I see dividends from that.

[@wvlongshooter3912]

I have a wrist injury. Drs say it’s from shooters too much. I’ve slowed down to 0.20’s on splits. Guys at the range try to instruct me to shoot faster. I will do a bill drill with splits in the teens just to show I can do it but it’s painful. Then they shut up and I go back to shooting slower. At my older age I’m concentrating on accuracy over speed on a bill drill. Any thoughts ? Thanks a bunch!!!!

[@joie0]

@@wvlongshooter3912 check out front to back grip technique. Probably save you some strain. Big series for this on pstg.

[@HWG-wm8ld]

Allow your injuries to heal. Hammering away on an injury will prolong the healing and possibly develop arthritis. I’m going on month number two with no dry or live practice.

[@wvlongshooter3912]

@@joie0 thanks!!

[@wvlongshooter3912]

@@HWG-wm8ld thanks!!

[@ChronisBeanisIII]

Hanging up stac? Stop the 🧢🧢 just cause you are good at shooting doesn’t mean U aren’t a nerd. 3:39

[@MrEmoor]

Do you have to swap out to 10-round magazines when you visit California?

[@mrfrm1975]

No

[@noahspringer960]

How do you get around the gun and magazine restrictions when you go to states like that?

[@mrfrm1975]

He lives.

[@coolcode7869]

Why is bob vogels mindset so different from yours for recoil control? Logically it would seem his makes more sense to muscle it. Thoughts?

[@JoshLV08]

I’ve seen a lot of Bobs videos which are great and he does emphasize grip strength but I’ve never seen him emphasize muscling the gun. What Ben is referring to is that you don’t need to muscle the gun to get the sight back into the target- it does it on its own. Muscling the gun down results in the dot dipping below the reference point so you then would have to bring the sight back up. You still “muscle” the gun in the sense of squeezing the piss out of it with the support hand but you do not muscle the sights back onto the reference point.

[@Jay-d3t]

hello

[@Phynomeagle]

How would you treat the trigger reset with that drill?

[@HWG-wm8ld]

Don’t pin it

[@mikevarnerzski]

I thought we are just supposed to hold the gun in place without tension. Now we are supposed to actively return the gun? I'm so confused.

[@georgekromidas5097]

With proper target focus the brain eventually learns to subconsciously return the gun without you needing to put in any input. You don’t actively return the gun, your body just learns to do it automatically

[@clutchshot3306]

I'm no expert but from what I gathered you're supposed to grip the gun firmly and after firing the round, the gun should return to the spot on the target that you're looking at unless you do something different. If the round goes anywhere, other than the spot you're looking at you should ask yourself a few questions. Did my eyes look at the dot and not the target before breaking the shot? Am I applying different pressures in my grip while pressing the trigger? Am I being consistent in gripping the pistol or is it different each time? I hope that helps because it has definitely helped me in being more consistent in my shot placement. I still have issues on trying to not focus on the dot especially on a great string of fire! I start wanting to focus on what the dot is doing then my shots start to go vertically higher. Hope this helps!

[@mikevarnerzski]

@@clutchshot3306 thanks for the responses. Ive always shot with lots of muscle and tension, but arthritis is making that more and more difficult. So I'm trying to learn a new way. Groups are fine, but speed is slow because without max tension the gun moves more.

[@cz503]

If you don“t watch the sight how you are going to call a shot ? Talking for iron sights .

[@spartantv6268]

you never watch the sights, it's like Ben has said before: If you are at dinner with your wife and a stunningly beautiful women walks by behind your wife do you "watch" that lady walk by? no, you stay FOCUSED on your wife and you are AWARE of the bombshell walking by. Your wife is the target and your sights are the distraction.

[@joie0]

If you don't watch the hood of your car, how do you know where you're driving?

[@ShooterSway]

i only shoot irons, and shot calling is possible. the difference is you get less noticeable feedback to work off of. consider running the Confirmation Drill and exploring how much sight confirmation you really need to achieve the result you want. either way, target focus shooting doesn't mean be blind to the sights. you'll still see them, just not perfectly clear - which you'll have to get used to.

[@nyrangeguy3194]

You can be aware of your sights without burning a hole in them. You can look at the door of a house you want to walk into and still be aware of the steps you have to climb.

[@Patriotsclub]

@@joie0truth

[@chrisharris6834]

Ben… they what to hold and play with your P….

[@timjames4317]

I'm not gonna like the video because its at 666 likes. Sorry Ben.

[@Jay-d3t]

seeing how many ways he can say “focus on the point”. Focus on this: talent is more important. Free throw shooters either have it or they don't, ditto for putters in golf. Sspends much time training lawpeople. We know what lawpeople did to ash, the aussies, and currently the english.