What Is More Important: Speed or Accuracy?

Obviously the most important skill to master is Safety, but generally, the question is usually speed or accuracy. The answer, as my good lawyer friend Deron Boring, 1791 Consulting always replies: “Well, It Depends?”:

So, what does speed and accuracy depend on?

• What is the situation, competition or life and death?
• What is the proximity of the intended target, 3 feet, 3 yards, 25 yards?
• What is the size of the intended target, 1 inch, 6 inches, 6 feet?
• Is the target stationary or moving?
• How good your awareness and ability to access the need for speed and accuracy is?
• And a myriad of other factors!

And why is it important?

• If you are competing in sport shooting (IDPA, USPSA, etc.) speed with accuracy determines whether you win or lose.
• If the situation is life or death you must be able to react appropriately or the consequences to you and others can be grave.

Instead of asking, which is more important speed or accuracy, the better questions are:

• What skill (s) should one master to know and develop their own personal ability to deliver the most accurate shot, the fastest given the need, and execute those skills on demand with subconscious confidence?

How does one develop speed and accuracy skills?

• Training: Finding an instructor that can effectively train and coach you on what it takes to do things the right way and efficiently based on your abilities. Breaking down every detail is not as easy as it sounds. Nike’s “Just do It” does not apply here. Finding and Instructor / Teacher / Coach who can properly train you is the first challenge.
• Practice: Training teaches you the “what’s and how’s, but only your discipline to practice allows you to cement and incrementally improve that training over time. There is a saying: “Some train until they get it right, some train (practice) until they can’t get it wrong”.

As one of the owners of ShootingClasses.com, when possible I like to meet and get to know instructors, what they teach and how they teach. I recently had that pleasure with Brian Hill, The Complete Combatant. Brian is a nationally known great instructor and teaches classes around the country, so when I saw he was teaching a class 120 miles from me I had to register, regardless of what the class was. The class was his 2-Day Pistol Essentials and Beyond course held at a private range outside Toledo, OH.

The course is 2 days of comprehensive learning how to master and apply each of the fundamental skills required to deliver fast and accurate shots (essential pistol skills), delivered on an individual level. Although there were 14 students in the class with a variety of skill levels, Brian effectively learned each student’s needs and abilities and was able to focus on each need and work with all of us on the techniques required to develop our skills.

Brian had a great way of dividing his time with teaching (the how’s and why’s), demonstrating, and then coaching every student on applying those skills.

We painstakingly went through all the fundamentals and eac one’s effect on speed and accuracy, then did multiple drills throughout the 2 days to specifically improve each one

During each one Brian demonstrated, then watched and coached every student to improve their performance. Timers were always in use!

At the end of the 2 days, we were all allowed free time to individually work on the areas we felt we needed to improve most. Everything about the 2-day class was how Brian could make each one of us better.

I know I left with my personal laundry list of drills to incorporate in my daily training. Thank you Brian, I will be ordering your targets we used in class to train with, they were a great training tool.

Taking classes that develops the essential pistols skills is a must for every person that owns and carries a firearm. Instructors are forever students themselves.

If an instructor does not currently offer courses that focuses on developing fundamentals for speed and accuracy I recommend adding one. Students will love you for it.

I also recommend taking Brian’s class if possible to gain some of his knowledge and teaching skills. It will be well worth it.

As my good friend, ShootingClasses partner and “13 Hours in Benghazi” hero Dave “Boon” Benton tells us there are 3 phases of shooting, Marksmanship Validation (Pistol Essentials) and …. (take a listen)

Dave “Boon” Benton describes the 3 levels of Firearms Training

Mastering the fundamentals (training and practice) are essential steps to developing your abilities to accomplish both speed and accuracy.

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