Marksmanship

Inspired by a long-running challenge on a 1911 enthusiast forum, this drill is about balancing speed and accuracy in a repeatable format. You can run it with either a handgun or a long gun, and I've provided variations for both- along with a simple method for practicing and training for success. So let's get into the Pair of Queens drill.

Caleb recently completed The Gamut Challenge, which is a bit like a "Run & Gun" on steroids. Here's how it went, what he learned, and why you should consider getting in on the action.

Over the first part of 2025, we ran a friendly postal match in the Everyday Marksman community. It's all wrapped up, and here was the course of fire as well as the results. Thanks to everyone who participated, and stay tuned for the next one!

Given the opportunity, Ross was able to jump in on a recent shotgun course put on by Green Ops Training, who Matt has interviewed a couple of times. The weather was cold and wet, which added an extra challenge to the day, and here's how it went.

Given my focus on pistol shooting, it was high time I entered a pistol match. On December 20th, 2024, the Fairfax Rod & Gun Club hosted their monthly 2-Gun Action Challenge, but this one was pistol-only- a great fit for me in both gear and timing. Here's how it went.

I really enjoy when people post training reports and lessons learned from competitions and professional schools. Charles recently talked about his experience in a low light pistol class, and I asked if he would do a write up for the site. Here it is!

Marksman Drill #2 stems from the work of John Simpson, a sniper instructor and author I've interviewed several times. The goal is using a consistent sized target, 5 shots, and decreasing amounts of time. Let's dig in.

This is the first of several "official" drills here at The Everyday Marksman. This one is about focusing on speed while maintaining a minimum accuracy standard at any distance with any weapon platform.

The Swiss Sniping 4th Generation, or S4G, concept leverages ballistic arcs and volleys of fire to increase hit probability. It's not as fancy as the American Designated Marksman Program, but it's no slouch, either.

I'm reposting this challenge with a few updates. In light of recent events, I think it's an important reminder that you should regularly train with your handgun out to 50 yards. Most people are content with 7-10 yards because it's fun, "go-fast," and the close range often hides errors in marksmanship fundamentals. At 50 yards, though, it becomes a different proposition and you never know when you just might need to take that shot.

In this article, we're digging into terminal ballistics: the science of what happens when the bullet impacts a target. In particular, we're going over the history of the research and what we know today about how bullets wound and kill a target.

Skill development is a cycle. Competition shows you what skills you need to work on, taking you back to learning a skill that then gets refined. Besides the "software," or the skills that you personally have, competition is a great place to test your gear. After way, way too long, I finally went and shot a USPSA match. Let's talk about lessons learned.