There’s a common belief in the shooting world: “If I upgrade my gun, my performance will follow.” It’s a belief I’ve seen on repeat over the last decade — from weekend warriors to newer competitive shooters — and it’s flat-out wrong.

Yes, equipment matters. A quality trigger, reliable optic, solid holster setup — these things are essential. But if you’ve hit a plateau, especially in your speed or consistency, it’s probably not your gear holding you back.

It’s your training approach.

Let’s break it down.

The Real Reason You’re Not Improving

Whether you're prepping for a USPSA match, building defensive confidence for concealed carry, or trying to shave seconds off your transition times, the mistake most shooters make is simple:

They train performance, not process.

They chase fast times, tight groups, or clean runs. But the elite shooters? They chase clean mechanics, and they do it at 60–70% speed—over and over—before they ever push tempo.

What to Ask Yourself:

• Are you isolating your weaknesses with deliberate reps?

• Are you filming your dry fire sessions to analyze mechanics?

• Are you journaling what drills you’re doing and what you’re learning from them?

If not, you’re not training — you’re just shooting.

The 3 Most Underrated Drills for Building a High-Performance Foundation

Want to actually improve? Build your practice around these drills. They're deceptively simple but brutally effective — and they scale for any shooter.

1. The Bill Drill (6 rounds from the holster)

• • Draw and fire 6 rounds as fast as you can to the a-zone, from 7 yards.                         
  • Purpose: Exposes inefficiencies in grip and requires you to track the sights and manage recoil.
  • Tip: Run this from concealment if you carry daily. Real speed shows up under pressure.

1. The FAST Drill (Fundamentals of Accuracy and Speed Test)

• • Draw, 2 rounds to the 2"x4" head box, slide lock reload, then 4 more rounds to an 8" circle. Shot at 7 yards. 
  • Purpose: Demands 2 precise shots to start off with, then incorporates a reload and 4 more rounds. Exposes inefficiencies in grip and re-establishing grip after a reload.
  • Tip: Use a shot timer and track your times, aiming for sub 5 seconds.

1. The 10-10-10 Drill

• • 10 shots, 10 yards, 10 seconds — on a B8.
  • Purpose: Combines recoil control, sight tracking, and accuracy.
  • Tip: Your group size is feedback. Don't cheat it with a race-gun mindset.

1. Gear Tip from an Insider
2. Since I’m in the industry, I’ll say this: Yes, quality gear matters — but only once your skill level demands it.
3. If you're shooting a $3,000 setup but skipping dry fire, you’ve got the equation backward. High-performance shooters can shoot fast and clean with a stock gun. The gear is an amplifier, not a shortcut.

1. What Separates Good Shooters from Great Ones
2. Mindset.
3. Great shooters obsess over their reps, not their results. They treat dry fire like gold. They track progress over time. And they’re brutally honest with themselves.
4. If you want to be more confident, more capable, and more consistent — start treating training like a craft, not a box to check.

1. Ready to Break Through the Plateau?
2. Here’s a challenge: For the next 30 days, commit to 10 minutes of dry fire before you hit the range. Film it. Journal it. Then revisit your range drills and see what changed.
3. You’ll be surprised how fast your shooting improves when you stop chasing speed and start chasing form.