• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Loadout Room

The Loadout Room

Professional Gear Reviews

Hardcore Gear and Adventure

Menu
  • Shooting
        • Pistol
        • Pistol Accessories
        • Rifle
        • Rifle Accessories
        • Shotgun
        • Machine Guns
        • Air Guns
        • Ammunition
        • Optics and Sights
        • Weapon Lights
        • Tips & How-To
        • Concealed Carry
        • Holsters
        • Suppressors
        • Precision Rifle Shooting
        • Firearms Training
        • m243The M24: America’s Headhunter
        • skorpFull-Auto Fun — Shooting the full-Auto vz. 61 Škorpion
        • p320-full-leftSIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can’t Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
        • TISAS_10100520_1__98179Tisas 1911A1 U.S. Army Review: Best Budget .45 ACP WW2 1911 Clone?
    • Close
  • Gear Reviews
      • Mission Gear
      • Camping Gear
      • Survival Gear
      • Medical Gear
      • Adventure & Travel
      • Knives & Tools
      • Overland
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Footwear
      • Womens Gear & Clothing
        • Hunting in TexasThese 5 ATV Dealers Will Get You Ready For Hunting Season in Texas
        • ac65a540-2ef3-4598-8d11-afdf53f46e94.__CR0,0,970,600_PT0_SX970_V1___Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount HL-X: A Thoroughly Bright Review
        • Bluetti 2 handsfree power backpackBluetti Handsfree 2 Review: The Ultimate Power Backpack for Off-Grid Adventurers
        • The Gallagator 10 day pack on the shoreline next to a hiking trail.Day Pack – Mystery Ranch Gallagator 10 – The Best Yet?
    • Close
  • Men’s Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • EDC
      • Eyewear
      • Watches
      • Electronics & Technology
      • Downtime
      • Mens Clothing & Accessories
      • Manly Skills
      • Style & Grooming
      • Gentleman Drinks
      • Crate Club
        • Tom and Blake Sell TeaHow Sasquatch Tea Is Revitalizing a Stagnant Tea Market With Veterans and Outdoorsmen in Mind
        • redcat-blackwidow-articleheaderWar of Words: In the Ultra-Competitive Defense Tech Industry, Storytelling is a Secret Weapon
        • Photoroom_20250525_074933Juggernaut Tactical Frame Review: The Best Upgrade for Your 365
        • craft holstersCraft Holsters Makarov Tuckable IWB Holster Report
    • Close
  • News
  • Video Demo
  • Buying Guides
  • Shop
  • Advertise
Pistol

Maximize Your Training: Get Some Distance!

July 1, 2018 by Heath Layman Leave a Comment

Maximize Your Training: Get Some Distance

Often, we shoot on our own without outside input or supervision. How can we maximize our training time and expenses by dialing ourselves in? Distance. Not only is distance our friend in a gun-fight but it can be our friend in training time.

Since becoming a pistol and rifle instructor, I find myself not having the opportunity on a frequent basis to have outside input for diagnosing my own shooting errors. We all have found, with any time on the range, that our little mistakes become exaggerated with distance. This “problem” can also be our friend when it comes to figuring out what little errors we are making that are contributing to our errant rounds.
When addressing our own marksmanship, it’s much easier to figure things out when we can “feel” the error as it happens. When we isolate those errors, it most likely comes down to one of two (or sometimes both) errors; trigger manipulation and sight alignment.

Trigger manipulation or trigger control, is the root of the problem for many shooters as they anticipate the noise and recoil of the firearm. Sight alignment and sight picture, once understood, tends to be an automatic process that you continually apply throughout the shot. Controlling your trigger manipulation, by continuously pressing straight and to the rear, without anticipating the point of ignition is what usually messes us up.

By combining ¾ dummy rounds to ¼ live ammunition and shooting at a challenging distance (50 + yards with pistol), you’ll feel your error on the dummy round! I find it most beneficial to do this distance work on steel targets such as the static steel targets from Action Target.

After doing some work at distance, I work on speed with balanced accuracy at closer distances using targets such as the DOT Torture Target with a timer to challenge myself.

Remember that distance can be your friend when shooting, both for practice and in a gunfight.  If you’d like more personalized training and you’re in the SW Washington area, come see us over at Willapa Firearms Training.

 

https://shop.actiontarget.com/content/at-205-pt-ipsc-torso.asp
http://www.stactionpro.com/action-trainer-dummy-rounds-c-1.html
http://personaldefensetraining.com/dot-torture-marksmanship-drill/

 

Share This

About the Author

Heath Layman Heath has been a law enforcement officer in the Great Northwest since 1993 and train as a pistol and rifle instructor for both law enforcement and civilians. He also serves as an advanced armorer on pistols and rifles. If you're looking for training or would like to contact him, he can be reached at willapafirearmstraining@gmail.com

See All Heath Layman Articles

More From The Loadout Room

Comments

Primary Sidebar

Most Read

  • SIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can't Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
    SIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can't Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
  • Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
    Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
  • Mossberg Shockwave Versus Remington Tac 14
    Mossberg Shockwave Versus Remington Tac 14
  • The Biggest Little Roundgun: The 3-Inch Kimber K6s
    The Biggest Little Roundgun: The 3-Inch Kimber K6s
  • Smith and Wesson Governor Range Review
    Smith and Wesson Governor Range Review

Find Us on Facebook

Recent Comments

  • Ajita Sherer on Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount HL-X: A Thoroughly Bright Review
  • Leland on Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount HL-X: A Thoroughly Bright Review
  • Winston Smiths on Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader

Latest From SOFREP

News

Evening Brief: Saudi Arabia Pledges $6.4 Billion in Syrian Investments; Russian Glide Bombs Kill 2, Wound 33 in Eastern Ukraine Strike

World

Trouble on the Thai-Cambodian Border: Same Same but Different

News

‘Nobody Told Us About the Bomber’: A Delta Pilot’s Chilling Near Miss

Navy

The Navy’s Top Enlisted Sailor Announces He Will Voluntarily Step Down

Military Content Group

© Copyright 2025 Military Content Group · All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers