There is nothing I love more than to train USPSA-style drills – it’s part of the reason I was a quick adopter of the ACE Virtual Shooting program for the Meta Quest platform. While this type of more dynamic shooting has its place, there’s something almost equally as rewarding about finishing your session with drills that demand the absolute best from your fundamentals—without rushing.
Admittedly, this is hard for me to do. That’s exactly why Larry Vickers’ Close Out Drill is a favorite for winding down at the range. This week’s Drill of the Week is all about ultra-precise shot placement, focus, and zen-like execution. Personally, I think it’s a rather good way to end any range session, kind of like a cool-down exercise after a particularly hard gym session. This week, once again, I’ve drawn this drill blindly out of my Drill Index deck.
Beyond my own use of this deck over the last few years, I’ve also found the deck to be a great stocking stuffer for the holidays.
Rather than chasing speed like our Shuttle Drill from last week, the Close Out Drill encourages you to take your time and see just how tightly you can group your shots.
It’s perfect not just for advanced shooters but anyone who wants to finish strong and reinforce foundational marksmanship in a calm, focused way.
Drill of the Week: Larry Vickers Close Out Drill
You’ll need a handgun, 3 yards of safe distance at the homestead or the range, and a paper target with a 1-inch circle as your aiming point. (Pro-tip: The targets shown here are by Re-Nine Safety Targets—they’re compact, affordable, and require no bulky hardware to set up).
Having worked at a couple of pizza joints in my younger years, folding cardboard is second nature to me, but I’m confident you can figure out these simple targets as well – it’s not origami.
Setup and Instructions
- Place a 1-inch target circle at 3 yards.
- Start with your pistol from the ready position, or from the holster, to practice your draw in a controlled manner.
- There’s no time pressure. Focus on your stance, grip, sight alignment/target focus, and a smooth trigger press that will not disturb the sights.
- Fire 10 rounds, all at the same aiming point. (do not chase your group)
- The objective: one ragged hole, not just hitting the dot. Prioritize extreme precision and consistency over all else.
You can see that when I did this the other day that my aiming point (the center of the crosshair in the 1″ circle) was not where all of my 10 shots landed. The shots landing low are normal because of the zero distance of the dot.
For this drill, I used the same gun I typically use for training – my Glock 45 MOS. This time it’s paired with a Meprolight MPO PRO-F enclosed red dot.
Drill Detail and Round Count
Round Count: 10 rounds per run
Reload Required: No
Par Time: None—accuracy is everything
Target: 1-inch circle at 3 yards
Start Position: Ready position or from the holster
By the end of your run, take a moment to relax and evaluate your target. Were your fundamentals consistent? Did you manage to “close out” with one clean hole?
Drills like this one will reveal whether you’re just slapping the trigger all willy nilly during your range sessions, or if you’re putting in some real deliberate practice—increasing your self-awareness every session and coming away with data you can work with on your next range session. In other words, try to be more mindful of your shooting. The Close Out Drill, I think, provides the perfect closure to a range session before packing up for the day.
Share Your Results
Have you tried Larry Vickers’ Close Out Drill, or do you have suggestions for future DOTW features? Comment below with your results, tips, or questions! And a big thank you to Re-Nine Safety for supporting this series and making these drill setups so much easier.
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