![\"S-1\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/S-1-1024x451.jpg?resize=807%2C355\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
A few years ago while\u00a0conducting research for my book, Handgun Training for Personal Protection<\/a>, I helped put together a shooting match at my local gun club. One of the drills in the match was the Forty-Five Drill<\/a>, which is\u00a0a drill I use constantly when testing firearms, holsters and ammo. It was also a drill I used as a test when I was a police firearms instructor.<\/p>\n The Forty-Five Drill<\/a> is made up of four elements of five, which is how it got its name. The goal is to draw from concealment and put five shots, into a five-inch circle, at five yards, in less than five seconds.<\/p>\n For the match, each competitor was required to perform the drill, from concealment, with their gun and then they had to switch to a S&W M&P in .40 S&W. The M&P was fitted with a Crimson Trace Laser<\/a> and a XS Big Dot Sights<\/a>. Each shooter had to perform the drill again, from concealment, using the M&P; first with the laser and then with the XS Sights.<\/p>\n The most interesting statistic was the averages for the different handgun \/ sight systems. The average score for shooters using their own guns was 14.82<\/strong>. The average score with the M&P with the XS Sights was 18.34<\/strong>. This is not all that surprising, hand a shooter a gun they have never fired and you would expect their score to drop, regardless of the sights used.<\/p>\n For me the important takeaway is the speculation of how well all these shooters would have performed had their own handgun been equipped with a laser or XS Sights? Considering that 65% of the shooters faired better with a handgun and sight system they were not familiar with, you can only wonder how much better they would have performed had their own handgun had a laser or XS Sights.<\/p>\n Lasers and the right sights matter and it would appear they can improve your defensive shooting right out of the box!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A few years ago while\u00a0conducting research for my book, Handgun Training for Personal Protection, I helped put together a shooting match at my local gun club. One of the drills in the match was the Forty-Five Drill, which is\u00a0a drill I use constantly when testing firearms, holsters and ammo. It was also a drill I used as a test when I was …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2509],"tags":[597,204,138,377],"class_list":["post-8856","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-defense","tag-crimson-trace-lasers","tag-defensive-handgun-drills","tag-firearms-training","tag-xs-sights"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5hujZ-2iQ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13183,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/proof-of-the-lasers-edge\/","url_meta":{"origin":8856,"position":0},"title":"Proof of the Laser’s Edge","author":"gunwriter","date":"April 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2012 while\u00a0researching and working on my book, Handgun Training for Personal Protection, I worked with a local shooting club to put together a defensive handgun match. The stages for the match are those detailed in my book. But, I went a step further and for the Forty-Five Drill stage\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DEFENSE"","block_context":{"text":"DEFENSE","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/defense\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"M-4","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/M-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/M-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/M-4.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/M-4.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11832,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/doing-the-mozambique\/","url_meta":{"origin":8856,"position":1},"title":"Doing the Mozambique","author":"gunwriter","date":"July 21, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"There are a number of opinions on, and names for, the Mozambique Drill. Some call it the failure drill, some call it the body armor drill, and some consider it a standard threat response. Just the same, some train with it at three yards, others at five yards, and some\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DEFENSE"","block_context":{"text":"DEFENSE","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/defense\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"FINAL-COVER-SMALL-201x300","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/FINAL-COVER-SMALL-201x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7398,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/one-drill\/","url_meta":{"origin":8856,"position":2},"title":"One Drill","author":"gunwriter","date":"August 7, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"If you could only use one drill to test the defensive handgun proficiency of someone what would that drill be? How many shots would it involve? What would the distances to the targets be? Would you include a reload, movement, low light? Would you also make any stipulations on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Defensive Handgun Drills\"","block_context":{"text":"Defensive Handgun Drills","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/tag\/defensive-handgun-drills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/IMG_3588-244x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12732,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/dont-panic\/","url_meta":{"origin":8856,"position":3},"title":"Don’t Panic","author":"gunwriter","date":"December 7, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"That\u2019s always a good idea. While it looks like Comrade Obama will be pushing us into anther gun buying frenzy, it needs repeated. If you are like me your disposable income is not really disposable at all. But, you make exceptions here and there when it comes to guns and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DEFENSE"","block_context":{"text":"DEFENSE","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/defense\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"DP-5","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/DP-5.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/DP-5.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/DP-5.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/DP-5.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16308,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/handgun-training-drills-from-experts\/","url_meta":{"origin":8856,"position":4},"title":"Handgun Training Drills from Experts","author":"gunwriter","date":"November 5, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"There are few things as exciting as buying a new handgun. Conversely, there are few things as important as learning how to shoot a handgun. Not all of us can afford to attend Gunsite Academy like we should, but we can discover practical training drills to work with when we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DEFENSE"","block_context":{"text":"DEFENSE","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/defense\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/OD-8.jpg?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/OD-8.jpg?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/OD-8.jpg?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/OD-8.jpg?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8037,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/train-accordingly\/","url_meta":{"origin":8856,"position":5},"title":"Train Accordingly","author":"gunwriter","date":"January 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Reliable lasers for defensive handguns have been around since 1994 when Crimson Trace introduced a laser modification for the Glock. In case you are mathematically challenged, that was 20 years ago. Over the span of those 20 years the laser has become, next to holsters, the most popular defensive handgun\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"250 Pistol Class\"","block_context":{"text":"250 Pistol Class","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/tag\/250-pistol-class\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"This laser modification to a Glock in 1994 by Crimson Trace marked the beginning of trustworthy handgun lasers.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/CT1-200x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8856"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8856\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12752,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8856\/revisions\/12752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8856"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"S-3\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/S-3-200x300.jpg?resize=200%2C300\")
The results were telling and interesting. Out of 26 shooters the best score was 2.99 seconds and it was fired with the M&P using the Crimson Trace Laser. The next best score was 3.17 seconds and it was fired with the M&P using the XS Sights. The third best score was fired with a competitor\u2019s own handgun and it was 4.3 seconds. (Scores were calculated by adding penalties to the actual time to complete the drill. A five second penalty was assessed for each hit outside the five inch circle and a 10 second penalty for every shot that missed the IPSC target. (Yes, one shooter\u00a0missed the target every time!)<\/p>\n![\"S-2\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/S-2-300x204.jpg?resize=300%2C204\")
The surprise was the average score with the M&P and the Crimson Trace laser at 14.51<\/strong>. Granted, this was only about 2% better than the average for shooters using their own gun but given that these shooters did this with an unfamiliar gun and sight is remarkable. Another interesting aspect was\u00a0that of the 26 shooters only nine obtained their best score with their own handgun. 11 scored best with the M&P and laser and six scored best with the M&P and XS Sights.<\/p>\n