This deceptively simple drill is a gut check on your ability to slow down, focus, and deliver precise hits under a strict hit requirement. No timer. No movement. Just you, your fundamentals, and a 2″ circle that doesn’t lie.
Often run at the start of a class or range day, the Dots Drill reveals exactly where your discipline stands—sight picture, trigger control, follow-through, and grip tension. Miss one, and you’re out of the 36.
Materials Needed:
- Handgun
- 36 rounds
- Target with 12 two-inch dots (downloadable below)
- Eye/ear protection
- Masking tape or marker for patching misses (optional)
Setup Instructions:
- Hang the 12-dot target at 3 yards
- Shooter starts from a low ready or compressed ready position
- No timer needed—this is a marksmanship-focused drill
Drill Instructions:
- Fire 3 rounds at each of the 12 dots (36 rounds total)
- Goal is to keep all 3 hits inside each 2″ circle
- No makeup shots—miss once, it’s a fail
Scoring / Pass Criteria:
- A perfect score is 36/36 hits inside the dots
- Each miss disqualifies that dot from being counted
- This is pass/fail—zero room for sloppiness
Coaching Tips / Variations (Optional):
- Try it strong hand only or support hand only
- Add a time limit per dot (e.g., 5 seconds per 3-shot group)
- Move back to 5 or 7 yards to increase difficulty
- Run it cold at the beginning of a range day
Recommended Target Download – Use a 12-dot 2″ target download. Print on standard 8.5×11″ paper. Keep extras handy—you’ll want a fresh one for each run. Check out our free targets at MidAtlanticMunition’s free target library.
If you’re chasing clean hits and real control, this is your accountability partner. Grab the target, load 36, and see how many dots you can walk away with. Let us know if you go 36/36—tag @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.