Failure Drill

posted on July 14, 2011
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
rackley2015_fs.jpg

The Failure Drill consists of three shots designed to ensure that an attacker is stopped by putting two shots into center of mass with a final shot to the head.

While most attackers can be deterred by the simple act of drawing a gun, and most others with a single shot or two, the Failure Drill stops those few attackers that just don’t stop due to adrenalin, motivation or drug use.

The idea is simple. Fire two shots into the center-of-mass to stop the attack, but if these don’t do the job, it should at least slow the attacker down long enough to fire a carefully aimed shot to the head. While this seems like common sense, most people automatically refer back to however they typically shoot at the range when under the stress of an attack. This is why the failure drill is so important. If you normally only fire at the center of mass at the range, then you will probably only fire at the center of mass during an attack.

Start the failure drill with the gun in your holster concealed by a cover garment with a silhouette target about 5 to 7 yards away. Have a friend time your efforts along with telling you to go. At the mark, draw and fire two rounds into center mass, then transition and fire one shot to the head. Most shooters will take around 3 to 4 seconds to perform this drill, while a good shooter can shave it down to below three. If you can do it in around two seconds, you’re good.

Latest

Amrifl
Amrifl

The Fight for America’s Rifle

Despite the warning we’ll sue to protect commonly owned AR-type rifles, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed Senate Bill 749, which will make it illegal to sell, purchase, import, manufacture or transfer such firearms starting on July 1. 

Gun of the Week: Henry Repeating Arms SPD Predator

The new SPD Predator, an extension of Henry's magazine-fed Lever Action Supreme Rifle design, looks to extract the greatest possible degree of accuracy and precision from a modern lever gun.

The Armed Citizen® May 15, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

The Politically Incorrect Truth About the Armed Citizen

The Second Amendment doesn’t—and should not be treated as if—it ends at state lines. American citizens need the national reciprocity legislation that is now active in Congress.

Reaching for 1,000: A Study in Long Range Marksmanship

Calculating all the factors that go into a well-placed shot at distance can be a daunting task for those new to long-distance marksmanship, but when it all comes together, the result is gratifying.

ATF Proposes Changes to Form 4473

The ATF proposed a series of changes to form 4473 in May. If approved, the modifications would shave three pages from the paperwork and eliminate a lot of the previous form’s confusing redundancy­, trimming questions for both the purchaser/transferee and FFL.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.