Blake Drill: A Pistol Drill for Recoil Control and Cadence

A fast-paced speed and transition challenge designed to punish sloppy mechanics. Named after John Blake—a competitive shooter and instructor who used it as a benchmark for draw speed and recoil control. It’s deceptively simple on paper: three targets, six shots. But running it clean at speed demands precision on the move, rapid target acquisition, and tight recoil control. This drill is a favorite for shooters refining their transition timing between multiple threats.

If you’re looking to tighten up your splits and transitions while staying accountable to accuracy, the Blake Drill is a no-nonsense benchmark.

Materials Needed:

  • Pistol or rifle
  • 6 rounds per run (ideally several mags prepped for reps)
  • 3 USPSA, IDPA, or 8” circle targets
  • Shot timer or stopwatch
  • Tape or stapler for target mounting
  • Open shooting lane of at least 10 yards wide and 5–7 yards deep

Setup Instructions:

  1. Set up 3 targets side-by-side, shoulder-width apart (approx. 1 yard between centers)
  2. Shooter stands 5 to 7 yards from the targets, centered
  3. Load 6 rounds and begin from low ready or concealment (your choice)

Drill Instructions:

  1. On the buzzer, fire two rounds into each target: left to right (or right to left—alternate on later reps)
  2. Focus on fast, clean transitions—not just split times
  3. Drill ends after all 6 rounds are fired

Scoring / Pass Criteria:

  • Goal: all hits in the A-zone or high-center mass
  • Par time: 2.5 seconds for pistol, 2.0 seconds for rifle
  • Track hits AND time. One miss = disqualified run

This is a push drill. You’re going for fast, accurate execution. Don’t get sloppy chasing time.

Coaching Tips / Variations (Optional):

  • Run the drill both left-to-right and right-to-left for balance
  • Use shot timer splits to evaluate your transitions
  • Begin from concealment for EDC training
  • Add a reload between second and third targets for advanced reps
  • Increase distance to 10 yards for added difficulty
  • Try it with reduced-size targets like 6” or 4” circles for accuracy pressure

Recommended Target Download:

Use a printable triple-target sheet or use standard silhouettes with marked A-zones. Check out our free targets at MidAtlanticMunition’s free target library.

Continue Your Training

This drill is part of the MidAtlanticMunition Shooting Drills & Firearms Training Hub, a growing library of handgun drills, rifle drills, dry fire exercises, training standards, and downloadable targets.

→ Explore the Full Shooting Drills & Firearms Training Hub

This one’s a range favorite for a reason. If your transitions feel sluggish or inconsistent, the Blake Drill will light the fire you need. Set up, run it clean, and chase that sub-2.5s mark. Let us know your timer times by tagging @midatlanticmunition on the gram. Check out more drills here, and if you need ammo that’s as awesome as your shooting, check out our handgun ammo collection.