Need pointers on passing Firearms Qual.

**briank1985** · 04-15-10, 12:33 PM

So im new here, Im going to be taking my Firearms Qual. on Monday to be a Bailiff. Im super excited this has been a dream come true! I just need to pass this!! So I come here. I hope you guys can give me pointers. First off, I will be caring a glock 22. I have a XD as my own, same caliber, they are .40's. I can rent a Glock 22 at the range but would my XD give me the same practice or should I use what im going to be caring? I have shot many times, just messing around but this is the first time im going to be timed ect. I know you guys cant give me tomany pointers since you have not seen my shotting. Im watching Videos and reading up on the internet. I went out yesterday and blew off about 200 rounds and i was very dissaponted in how I shot. I thought I was better. Alot is how excited I am about this. I can notice that im shooting much lower that what im aiming out. Im thinking thats trigger control. What are some things besides practice that you guys did before your Qual? Here is what the course is:

Qualifing Score 90%

3 Misses Fail Qualification

Will be 45 Total Shots

Target is a TQ-21

Modified Post Short Course:
First Station: 45 Ft. - 40 Sec.
15 Rounds Point Shoulder Eye Level
3 Rounds Point Shoulder Eye Level - Support Hand

Second Station: 21 Ft. - 20 Sec.
15 Rounds Eye Level

Third Station: 9Ft. - 15 Sec
8 Rounds Below Eye Level - Strong Hand
4 Rounds Below Eye Level - Support Hand

Also im not to sure what they mean by the Point Shoulder eye Level and below eye level. Thanks for any help

**pgg** · 04-15-10, 12:39 PM

Bad practice doesn't do you any good. There are three elements to shooting properly. Sight alignment, sight picture, and trigger control. All of those you can practice at home with dry practice. Your XD has a similar trigger as the G22 ( though a longer trigger reset). It should work fine for practice. Without watching you it would be hard to say what problems you are having. Most problems I run across are trigger control related though.

**MacLean** · 04-15-10, 12:46 PM

That's a pretty easy qual, and if you are practicing and using your fundamentals you will pass.

Use the gun you will shoot the qualification with. Glocks in particular generate unusual trigger press issues with shooters.

Shoot the qual - don't just go down to the range and blast away.

Point shoulder eye level is delivering the gun to your eye and obtaining a proper sight picture before pulling the trigger.

Below eye level I would take to mean point shooting with the gun in one hand. Drive the gun at the target and shoot it, basically.

(Poor form, by the way - that qual needs revamping badly.)

The time limits are quite generous. Practice using almost all of the time you have and getting a good sight picture while pressing the trigger smoothly.

Shooting low can be trigger press, squeezing the gun as you pull the trigger, or not focusing on the front sight in anticipation of a flinch.

My bet is on trigger press, that runs about 75% of shooting issues.

**briank1985** · 04-15-10, 12:46 PM

Thanks man, I have been dry firing alot today. I noticed I was waiting for the gun to go off rather than knowing it. Also found out I was resting the trigger in my index finger right at the first knuckle not on the pad of the finger So I think with that i was pulling the trigger and going to the left. I put the target at 45 feet. that seems like miles!

**briank1985** · 04-15-10, 12:47 PM

Hey Maclean, I see your location is WA State. If I might as your not in Spokane are you

**MacLean** · 04-15-10, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by briank1985

Hey Maclean, I see your location is WA State. If I might as your not in Spokane are you

I'm on the wet side, Brian.

**MacLean** · 04-15-10, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by briank1985

Thanks man, I have been dry firing alot today. I noticed I was waiting for the gun to go off rather than knowing it. Also found out I was resting the trigger in my index finger right at the first knuckle not on the pad of the finger So I think with that i was pulling the trigger and going to the left. I put the target at 45 feet. that seems like miles!

45 feet is only 15 yards.

Focus on your sight picture and trigger press.

Don't worry about how far it looks, just focus on the front sight and press the trigger smoothly. That gun will make hits at 100 yards.

**briank1985** · 04-15-10, 12:59 PM

Haha ok, I must of messed up the target range because it went all the way down the range when I went 45 Ft. I will remember trigger press and sight picture. I see I need to shoot with my support hand, I have never done that. Also do you know what the TQ-21 Target looks like? It has no numbers or anything, just a outline I thought that was kinda crazy. Do you think I will be going for center mass shots, or head shots on the target? What should I be practicing at? Thanks again for your help. I would like to find someone from Spokane area that could give me some help at the range.

**Pudge** · 04-15-10, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by briank1985

Haha ok, I must of messed up the target range because it went all the way down the range when I went 45 Ft. I will remember trigger press and sight picture. I see I need to shoot with my support hand, I have never done that. Also do you know what the TQ-21 Target looks like? It has no numbers or anything, just a outline I thought that was kinda crazy. Do you think I will be going for center mass shots, or head shots on the target? What should I be practicing at? Thanks again for your help. I would like to find someone from Spokane area that could give me some help at the range.

Have you been hired already as a Baliff? Will you receive some sort of formal, overall training for the position? Or is this part of the hiring process?

**briank1985** · 04-15-10, 01:08 PM

All training is on job, This is part of the hiring process. If I pass this im pretty much in he said. I already interview 2 times. and now this. there is like 5 people I think going to this on Monday.

**GirlInBrown** · 04-15-10, 01:11 PM

Most general quals are center mass.....with that target it may be just get the holes in the outline. And like everyone else says sight pic and trigger pull are the biggest fundamentals. Have you had formal training before?? Or are you just putting lead down range. You may have acquired bad habits that will have to be broken. Good Luck, and train with what you will be using!

**briank1985** · 04-15-10, 01:18 PM

I haven't had any formal training yet. Just lots of videos I have watched at home. I am fixing bad habits but I think 4 days I should be ready dont you think? So misses are anything out side the line. The target looks like this:

Google Image Result for http://www.nationaltarget.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/tq-21.gif

**MacLean** · 04-15-10, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by briank1985

Also do you know what the TQ-21 Target looks like? It has no numbers or anything, just a outline I thought that was kinda crazy. Do you think I will be going for center mass shots, or head shots on the target? What should I be practicing at? Thanks again for your help. I would like to find someone from Spokane area that could give me some help at the range.

I am familiar with the target. In the type of qual you are describing, you aim for the center of the biggest part of the target.

Headshots, if required, will be asked for but I should think they are unlikely given the description you posted.

There is a scoring ring, you most likely can't see it at any distance.

There is usually an NRA instructor around the ranges over here, ask one of them to evaluate you.

**briank1985** · 04-15-10, 02:21 PM

on the targets I dident see any rings on it. I will ask one of the guys at the range. So pretty much if I understand this right, I just need to make sure I can hit all rounds inside center mass on all Stations, at 45 Ft. then 21 Ft. then 9Ft below eye level. with the time do they run the first station stop the clock then 2ed station and so on?

**MacLean** · 04-15-10, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by briank1985

on the targets I dident see any rings on it. I will ask one of the guys at the range. So pretty much if I understand this right, I just need to make sure I can hit all rounds inside center mass on all Stations, at 45 Ft. then 21 Ft. then 9Ft below eye level. with the time do they run the first station stop the clock then 2ed station and so on?

I dunno man - you need to ask.

**briank1985** · 04-15-10, 02:47 PM

Ok Will do.

**jmur5074** · 04-15-10, 04:16 PM

It hasn't been touched on much yet, but I want to make a quick point.

Do not worry about the time. When I was in college one of our qualifications was 10 shots, center mass, in 10 seconds from the holster. I was terrified. I had no idea how I was going to DRAW and fire ten rounds in ten seconds.

Then when I did it (the first time without any prior practice), i found out I had three seconds remaining. Make sure you move quickly, but focus on smooth trigger press and fluid movements.

**briank1985** · 04-15-10, 04:48 PM

Thats good to know. I will focus on thos things.

**HudsonHawk** · 04-16-10, 03:58 AM

Originally Posted by briank1985

Also im not to sure what they mean by the Point Shoulder eye Level and below eye level. Thanks for any help

I've never heard of shooting a qualification prior to being hired/training, but so be it. By the description I believe that you are aiming the gun normally, at shoulder/eye level, the first two stations. The third station (3 yards) is very close, point shooting or shooting from the hip.

**Jks9199** · 04-16-10, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by maclean

There is usually an NRA instructor around the ranges over here, ask one of them to evaluate you.

Ditto.

You've got four days. With a couple of hours, an instructor will easily be able to get you shooting well enough for that course of fire. If you want the job, it's worth the relatively small investment involved. Otherwise, you've got a huge likelihood of simply creating more bad habits and problems as you try to fix others.