Re-learning draw and double-tap

[Monkeyleg]

I've been away from handgun shooting for quite some time, and it's been even longer for practicing drawing and shooting double taps. I tried at the range today, and I really stunk.

I don't do too bad on the first shot, but I'm not keeping control of the pistol for the second. It's definitely not like riding a bicycle.

Any suggestions on how to properly get back into form?

 

[ChristopherG]

Forget double taps for the time being. The way to get to efficient double taps is by repeated controlled pairs. If you can draw and hit one, that means you know the sight picture you need to make a good hit at your distance. For a controlled pair, don't break the second shot until you have that sight picture again. And, of course, make sure you're not blinking.

Do a pile--a few hundred at least--of these, and your body will recall how to break the second shot without waiting for your eyes to pick up that picture. There's your doubletap.

 

[340PD]

Also try to avoid the natural instinct to see where the first round hit. It really throws your second shot off. Try shooting at a blank sheet of paper with a very small dot in the center untill you get it right.

 

[Hk Dan]

Great advice in those first two posts!

I'd add in the following--with an empty pistol, draw from your holster with your eyes closed. Once it's presented, open them. The sights should be lined up with each other (sight alignment), but not necessarily sight picture. If you don't have sight alignment, adjust your grip until you do have it, and do it again. Make this religious.

Second--go on the check out Matt Burkett's grip on his forum. Practice that, and put hash marks on your hands when you have it nailed perfectly--two on the thumb and one on the heel at the centerline of the gun. When you draw, the sights should be aligned and the marks on your hands should be aligned. If not, move them until they are and re-do the exercise.

These two steps are foundational to good repeat shots.

Also--work on your eye speed. When I shoot two shots quickly, I actually see the sights for both shots. It ain't an "according to Hoyle" sight picture, it's a flash sight picture--the front sight somewhere in the notch and surrounded by 'target'. It sounds impossible, but once you have the presentation nailed as outlined above, it just happens naturally.

To improve your eyespeed, try spotting the brass as it ejects and having some idea where it's going to land. Another good one is to fire 3-4 shots as quickly as you can, then mark them on a target by you with a pen where you think they hit. Don't look at the target you just shot until you're done, but then see how close you came with 'calling your shots'. These things will help your pereption speed!

G'luck,
Dan

 

[doc2rn]

Know thy weapon and practice often; until you know where the reset is to control your second breakover. I practiced this often as a kid on a tin can to keep it up and dancing.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Thanks for all of the advice!

I'm finally living where I'm able to go to the range whenever I want. I was able to do that a few years ago (until the club changed the rules) and was able to shoot 2-5 days a week.

I hope I'll be able to post a target I'm proud of sometime in the future. With my almost 60 year-old eyes, though, I likely won't be getting the kind of targets I did in my 30's.

 

[Rexster]

Work on your grip. Short of a really excellent coach, for personal training sessions, get the Magpul Dynamics DVD "The Art of the Dynamic Handgun," and pay careful attention to Travis Haley's lecture and demo on gripping the handgun.

Many folks grip a handgun too low. Some who do it right with one handgun will do it wrong with a different handgun. This causes inconsistencies, which include inconsistent shot-to-shot recovery, which will interfere with firing hammers and controlled pairs.

I recommend losing the term "double tap," as it is imprecise.

Moreover, working on putting two shots into the same hole may be wasted effort, in and of itself. Is it not better to spread the damage a bit? "Zippering" is placing the first shot after the draw into the center mass, and working the next shots higher toward the neck and head. That is my idea of a better street-relevant solution; even though I "mastered" hammers and controlled pairs some time back, I don't bother with them anymore, except as an occasional exercise.

Even if the heart is the target, it is better to rip holes in different parts of the heart/aorta area, in my opinion.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Thanks again for the replies.

Just a couple of points. I learned the "high hand" grip years ago, and Massad Ayoob drilled it home even further in his LFI-1 course.

I dry-fire practice often, and when I draw from my holster and get my weak hand on the gun, the sights are already lined up on the target. I think I have the pointing down pretty good. I also haven't unlearned to keep my eyes on the front sight rather than shifting to the target after the shot.

Other than that, I have a lot to practice at the range.

 

[JoeSlomo]

Other than that, I have a lot to practice at the range.

Don't we all.

IMO, one of the greatest aspects of firearms, like many endeavors, is the continual pursuit of greater performance. While a certain level of proficiency is taken for granted, it is never acceptable as there is ALWAYS room for improvement.

IMO, the "double tap" is best suited for teams and competition. The individual should think and practice "shot strings" for defensive purposes. While 2 rounds may be fine for competition, and when you have team members pumping 2 rounds in the same target in a particular sector of fire, for the individual defending themselves, 2 rounds from a handgun is usually not enough.

I would recommend focusing more on identifying the target, and tracking that front sight post throughout a shot string of 3+ rounds. For me, it's a different cadence than the simple "double tap", and more effective for individual defense imo.

Good luck.

 

[ChristopherG]

Joe, well put. I agree (that guns are fun, of course --in part because you can always challenge yourself to greater proficiency, and) that shooting strings is better shooting exercise than just doubles--IF you do it no faster than you can see what you need to see to get the hits you need to get.

Also a better habit, tactically, to shoot your target longer. I read one answer to the question, 'how many shots on one threat'?, don't remember where I read it, but it stuck in my head: Shoot it until it either changes shape or catches fire.

 

[David E]

IMO, the "double tap" is best suited for teams and competition. The individual should think and practice "shot strings" for defensive purposes. 2 rounds from a handgun is usually not enough.

What about when there are multiple attackers?

 

[340PD]

What about when there are multiple attackers?

Take the Alpha out and the others will disperse.

 

[David E]

Take the Alpha out and the others will disperse.

Maybe..........maybe not............what then? That's a mighty bad time to have to come up with "Plan B"

I'd rather start with a good plan that involves good tactics instead of relying on the badguys to do what they're "supposed" to.

 

[kk0g]

A good plan that involves good tactics, does not include "double taps", "triple taps", or any other specific number of shots in a string. Good tactics dictate shooting until the threat is no longer a threat, and since we have no idea how many rounds that will take, we should not train for a specific number. The split second you hesitate after a "double tap" because that's the way you trained, may be the split second that the threat fires the lethal round that kills you.

 

[Mudinyeri]

A good plan that involves good tactics, does not include "double taps", "triple taps", or any other specific number of shots in a string. Good tactics dictate shooting until the threat is no longer a threat, and since we have no idea how many rounds that will take, we should not train for a specific number. The split second you hesitate after a "double tap" because that's the way you trained, may be the split second that the threat fires the lethal round that kills you.

That's a good point, Chris. However, the ability to fire a string of shots in rapid succession with relative accuracy is an important skill. Spray and pray rarely gets the job done and, worse, often injures innocent bystanders.

To the OP, practice drawing your weapon and firing 5-10 rounds as quickly as you can. Start at 5-7 yards' distance and try to put every round in a 3" circle. Once you can consistently do that, step back to about 10-12 yards and work with 4" circles. Once you can consistently put all of the rounds inside the circles begin increasing your speed. Push your speed until one of the rounds is outside the circle. Keep working until you achieve a speed that is satisfactory to you.

If you want to take your skills to the next level, load five rounds in one magazine and five in a second magazine. Set up a target with two circles of appropriate diameter for your distance (start at 5 yards with a 4" circle for this one). Place one magazine in your weapon and the other in whatever you use to carry your spare magazine on a daily basis (I use a Leatherman pouch). Charge and holster your weapon. Draw and empty magazine #1 into circle #1. Perform a magazine change and empty the second magazine into circle #2. Don't rush yourself when you first start. Focus on a quality magazine transition and getting all your shots in the circles. Repeat and increase your speed as your accuracy and mag transition improve.

Much more useful than simply practicing double-taps!

 

[David E]

The split second you hesitate after a "double tap" because that's the way you trained...

Who said anything about hesitating?

To the OP, perhaps we need to define "double tap." A double tap is when you align and see the sights on target for the first shot and, with proper techinique, acquiring a "flash sight picture" for the second shot that's within 1/2 second (hopefully much less) of the first shot.

3" and 4" circles are unnecessarily small to develop any speed. A paper plate is better, as it approximates the vital area/center mass of an average person.

Once you can hit the plates at speed, then go to the smaller paper plates. When you get the speed up to where it was with the big plates, it'll be hard to miss the big ones, no matter how fast you go.

 

[Mudinyeri]

3" and 4" circles are unnecessarily small to develop any speed. A paper plate is better, as it approximates the vital area/center mass of an average person.

Once you can hit the plates at speed, then go to the smaller paper plates. When you get the speed up to where it was with the big plates, it'll be hard to miss the big ones, no matter how fast you go.

I respectfully disagree.

A paper plate does approximate the COM of the average individual but it does not approximate the vital areas of the average individual. The heart is approximately the size of your fist. The spine is only about an inch and a half to two inches wide. The vulnerable and vital areas of an individual wearing a bullet-proof vest are limited to the head and neck. I trust you see my point. Shooting a crack-crazed gang-banger in the ribs or belly isn't going to stop him. Severing his spine will.

If you're serious about self-defense I'd used the paper plates for serving dinner for unexpected guests.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

First of all, practice "sight tracking." I use a .22 conversion kit extensively for this -- keep your eyes focussed on the front sight throughout the firing, recoil and recovery cycle. As the gun is coming down from recoil, you should be aligning the sights, so as soon as the gun has returned to firing position, you have a perfect sight picture.

Next, try the "thumbs forward" hold. With the "normal" hold, the weak-hand thumb is crossed over the strong-hand thumb.

Mimic that grip, with no gun in your hand, and then move the weak-hand thumb until it is outside and parallel to the strong-hand thumb -- watch what happens to the ham of your weak hand as you do it. It rotates your weak-hand wrist and gets more "meat" on the grip. You'll find it really aids recovery after the first shot.

 

[David E]

I respectfully disagree.

And that's fine.

I am of the school of thought that a good hit NOW beats the hell out of perfect hit 1 second later.

 

[David E]

First of all, practice "sight tracking." ...keep your eyes focussed on the front sight throughout the firing, recoil and recovery cycle.

With all due respect, NONE of the good shooters that are also fast and accurate give a flip where their sight goes during recoil. They only care that it comes back to the same place.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

I see my front sight lift off the aim point when the shot breaks. It's just a blur. I don't focus on it nor try to follow it with my eyes. My focus stays on my aim point on the target. As soon as the front sight returns to the aim point I press the trigger again.

 

[Monkeyleg]

There seems to be some common areas of agreement on basics, then a free-for-all on the finer points. I'll start with the basics.

 

[David E]

I don't see a "free for all," nor do I agree that these are "finer points."

If you're chasing your shots as you fire them (sometimes called 'Prairie Dogging') that's a basic element that will negatively affect your progression.....and unless it's pointed out to you, it may take a long time to discover why, but that does not make it a "finer point."

Your OP said you were "relearning the draw and double taps." Following your front sight during recoil is not a good way to go about improving your double taps. Again, this is a basic element of the technique. Trying to spot your ejecting brass won't help you accomplish your double tap goal, either.

I hope you go to the range to try some of the suggestions and report back.

 

[Mudinyeri]

And that's fine.

I am of the school of thought that a good hit NOW beats the hell out of perfect hit 1 second later.

That's what practice is for.

 

[smartshot]

in addition to the double tap, try a single or triple tap, theres no rule saying you can't use a quick triple tap as opposed to a double tap if a threat presents itself....it will give you an extra couple hundred grains of lead or so thrown downrange and will not limit your training to a "double tap." Mix it up a bit, as we all know, a double tap wont stop some people of various degrees of intoxication and large size/clothing.