Downloadable Targets
The targets below are free to download and great for live-fire or dry-fire practice. The drills you can implement with them are limited only be your imagination. Click on the red, PDF icon to download the free files for printing.
This target, measuring 7.5" inside to inside and 7.75" outside to outside, is a versatile target that can be used for a wealth of drills, beginner to advanced. This is also the target we use for our range qualification for the Blue Belt class. Example Drills: Beginners - Use the target to practice your grouping in the early stages of your development as a shooter. Beginning at the 3 yard line, fire 10 shots, trying to keep all of the rounds within the circle. If one of your rounds impacts outside of the circle, mark your impact circles with a Sharpie and try again. When you can consistently get 100% of your rounds within the circle, then try to keep all 10 rounds within the silhouette of the state of SC. Once you are able to do that, then back up to the 5 yard line and repeat the process. As you become more skilled, continue to push the distance back until you can consistently hit the circle out to 25 yards. Concealed Carriers - This is a great target to practice your draw. Using a shot timer, start at the 3 yard line and practice your Draw to First Shot (DTFS). Establish an average time, and be sure to record your progress. When you have progressed to a DTFS of less than 2 seconds, back up to the 5 yard line and start the process over. Continue to push the distance back. When the goal of your practice is speed, begin closer; if the goal of your practice is accuracy, start farther away.
This target, with 4 circles measuring 3.5" in diameter, provides the shooter with an efficient way to assess a host of different skills. Example Drills: Trigger Control - Fire 5 rounds into the top left circle, using a two handed grip. Try to keep all shots within the Dojo Logo. Then, move to the top right circle, firing 5 shots with just your strong hand. This is followed by 5 shots on the bottom left target with just your support hand, again, trying to keep all shots within the logo inside the circle. Finally, in the bottom right circle, fire 5 more shots with a two handed grip. Begin practicing this drill at 3 yards, and once you can keep all the shots within the logo, move backwards. Draw and Transition - Using a shot timer, draw and fire one shot at a circle, then transition to firing a shot into a different circle. Record your times. This could also be done with multiple shots, or by incorporating a reload between the shots.
What can't you do with this target?! Group shooting, transitions, cadence drills, and cold starts... your imagination is your only limitation. Example Drills: "It's getting smaller" (Transition madness) - Starting with the 1 circle, fire one shot into the circle, then one into the square, progressing through each circle, for a total of 10 rounds fired. At the end of the drill, you should have one shot in each circle and 5 shots in the square. If a round breaks the line, it counts as "in". Record your times with a shot timer. "It's getting dicey" - Using a standard 6-sided die, roll the die. Whatever number is facing up will be the second shot of this 2 round drill, with the 6 representing the rectangle. The first shot will always be in the rectangle. So, if you roll a 3, then, on the beep, draw and fire one shot into the rectangle and the second shot into the 3 circle. If you roll a 6, both shots should be in the rectangle.
The Things We Carry
Curious about what our instructors carry? Check out their EDC systems below. Remember, carrying a tool but not knowing how to use it renders that object useless.
From Donovan: Most people say I carry a lot of stuff, but it works for me and doesn’t alter or interfere with how I live. I’ve found that, over time, people realize this, making me the first person to get asked if something breaks or someone needs something. I’ve used my every day carry kit (EDC) to fix backpacks, get into locked vehicles, and treat wounds. When something goes wrong, I like the comfort of knowing I’ve got the tools to get me out of most situations. Different items might get added depending on what and where I’m going/doing, but these are the daily, non-negotiable items. Here’s what I carry: Medical: Wilderness Ankle Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) - an easy way to keep emergency medical. I’ve been a Wilderness First Responder for over a decade, and having lifesaving equipment close at hand is valuable. Trauma injuries occur often and fast. Good medical training and the proper tools have a much higher statistical chance of saving you life than a gun, and if you’re in a gun fight, you might need to patch some holes. In the kit I carry a North American Rescue (NAR) CAT-7 tourniquet, NAR chest seals, NAR trauma gauze, NAR Quik-Clot, nitrile gloves, a Sharpie (to write on TQ or other uses), Leatherman Raptor trauma sheers, and emergency cash. This IFAK is TSA approved and has been on many flights with me, as well as amusement parks and other non-permissive environments. Pocket stuff: Knife and multi-tool: I tend toward the inexpensive with these items since they get used and abused daily. I have nicer ones that I carry when needed, but I like not worrying about the abuse they take. Currently that is a Leatherman Bolster (CostCo had them cheap) and a Kershaw knife that came in a subscription box. Both work very well, but didn’t set me back a ton. I’ve carried more expensive, but I like the cheap, no-frills set-up. I can get upgrades out of the truck if necessary. The addition I make most frequently is a ShivWorks Clinch Pick. Light: Fenix PD36R - a USB-C rechargeable light with 5 brightness settings ranging from administrative all the way to “blind someone.” At the brightest setting I can ID something out to about 100 yards, the lowest doesn’t ruin my vision in the dark. This gets used more than one would think, mainly to find things that get dropped. Non-lethal defense: POM pepper spray - not every problem requires a bullet, and not every environment allows a pistol. POM bridges those gaps. As an added benefit, you can get an inert trainer so you are comfortable using the tool you carry. Odds and Ends: 12ish foot hank of paracord - If you know some basic knots, this thing is imminently useful. Lighter with about 10 feet of duct tape - I use this all the time. Having tape handy solves so many problems, from getting into vehicles to holding a banner in place while you track down zip-ties. In this form, I can carry it easily around a fire starting tool. Bandana - Spills from my toddlers, runny noses, unexpected eye leaks… like a pocket knife, a gentleman should always have one. ITS Spie Stick - It looks like chapstick, but has fire starter, lock picks, handcuff key, and a button compass in it. It’s a “just in case” addition, but it takes up so little space. Plus, it’s cool. Writing - Sharpie and a G2. You never know when you need to write something. The standard stuff - Phone (in a LifeProof case), wallet, key fob, and earbuds. I like to always have earbuds because, especially in an emergency, I might need to have my hands free while talking to EMS. Necklace - Wazoo Viking Whetstone. It looks cool and makes keeping my tools sharp and ready to work a breeze. Lethal Defense - It’s last for a reason. It should be the least used, and so far, for me, that’s been the case. I carry a Sig Sauer P365 X Macro with a Holosun EPS Carry optic in an ANR Kydex holster with the NeoMag Alias belt attachment system. My current belt is either one made by Agonic or Blue Alpha. I like the X Macro because it is slim, conceals well, and has great ammo capacity (17+1). The optic has an enclosed emitter so the elements don’t diminish its function, and it’s easy to clean and has backup solar power with an auto-brightness adjustment. The holster is a firm kydex that is comfortable, and the Alias system means it is easy to remove without exposing the trigger. Both the Agonic and Blue Alpha belts are awesome for concealed carry, each one having its own advantages. Agonic is stretchy with a Tegris placard that supports the weight of the gun. It also has built in stash pockets all the way around. The Blue Alpha is a rigid, velcro attachment belt that adjusts size easily and is very comfortable. All of this I carry comfortably and religiously. It’s also worth noting that I almost exclusively wear Vertx Delta Stretch pants. In my experience, they are the perfect pants for the concealed carrier - versatile, comfortable, and a perfect business casual khaki.
