This is Rangemaster’s “Drill of the Month” – a piece that has become a part of our feature rotation. It is part of that company’s monthly newsletter. As always, start slow before trying to progress. If you’re not familiar with use of the holster – especially from concealment – and, not familiar with the most dangerous thing you’ll do at the range, putting the gun into the holster – seek education first. You can shoot the whole thing from low ready, just to see how you do. The Rangemaster instructors travel. Check the website.

From the Rangemaster newsletter: 

DRILL OF THE MONTH 

Throughout 2026 we will be running a Drill of the Month in each edition of the newsletter. The goal is help motivate folks to get to the range and actually shoot their defensive weapons, and to have some fun in the process. Each month we’ll post a drill or a short course of fire. You are encouraged to go to the range, shoot the drill, and then post your thoughts and a photo of your target on the Rangemaster Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/groups/rangemaster/.

 - And now to the drill of the month:

3 Second Standards, Hit Factor Version

Last month we shot the 3 Seconds Standards, Version 2.0, using the 3 second time limit. This month we’ll give you a chance to see just how well you can perform these fundamental defensive skills at your own best speed. Use a timer and record the time for each stage. Once all the stages have been fired, calculate the total points on the target. Add the times for all stages. Divide the points on target by the time it took to complete the process for your score. Since a perfect score on the time limit version would be 150 points in 15 seconds, your par score is 10. Your goal is a final score of 10 or higher.

All stages are fired at 6 yards. Use any RFTS-Q5 or Q-6 target, or an IDPA target. If using the IDPA, 10 points in the head box or in the -0 circle, 5 points in the C zone, 0 points for the D zone. On our (Rangemaster) targets, score 10 points for all hits in the 8” circle or head ring, 5 points for all others.

1. Draw from concealment and fire 4 rounds to the body.
2. Start at Ready, gun in dominant hand only. Fire 3 rds
3. Start at Ready, gun in non-dominant hand only. Fire 2 rds
4. Start at Ready, fire 2 rds to the chest and 1 rd to the head. Do this stage twice.

You fired 15 rounds total, for 150 points possible. Points divided by time = score. Par score is 10. Your goal is a score higher than 10.

I recently shot this cold and scored all 150 points, in a total time of 8.73 seconds, for a final score of 17.18. Here is my target:

– Tom Givens, Chief Firearms Instructor, Rangemaster Firearms Training Services