At C2 Tactical, we see a lot of shooters come through our doors—some brand new, some with the well-earned calluses of experience. No matter where you are on your journey with personal protection and pistol shooting, one rule holds true: If you are not measuring your performance, you are just guessing.
And guessing is not a plan. Especially not when your life could depend on it.
Why You Must Measure
Shooting is a perishable skill. It is not like riding a bike—it is more like maintaining a high-performance engine. Ignore it, and your ability to defend yourself will rust faster than a cheap holster left out in the rain.
Measuring your performance does two critical things: 1) – It shows you where you actually are (not where you think you are), and 2) – It gives you a roadmap for improvement (instead of just throwing more ammo downrange and hoping for the best). Remember, hope is not a strategy. Data is.
What Should You Measure?
When it comes to pistol shooting for personal protection, you do not need to measure everything—just the right things:
Time to First Shot – From concealment (or ready position), how long does it take you to put an accurate round on target? If it is over 2 seconds, there’s work to do. Under 1.5 seconds? Now you are moving into serious defensive territory.
Accuracy Under Pressure – Can you keep your hits in the vital zone while moving, under time stress, or after some physical exertion? Shooting slow and perfect is great—if you are dueling at high noon. Real-world defensive encounters are messy and fast.
Consistency – Good shooters do not just get it right once in a while—they get it right every time. Track your groups. Track your times. Track how often you are meeting (or missing) your performance goals.
Decision-Making – It is not enough to be fast and accurate—you must be smart, too. Can you identify threats properly? Move to cover? Engage (or NOT engage) as appropriate? It is not just about the gun; it is about the mind behind it.
How Should You Measure?
Simple tools, serious results:
Shot Timers – Not just for competitors. A timer will expose the truth faster than any ego check ever will.
Standardized Drills – Use the same drills repeatedly to get real comparisons. (C2 Tip: Start with drills like the “Bill Drill,” “Dot Torture,” and our own in-house Qualification Courses.)
Training Logs – Write it down. Date, time, drill, results. If you are not logging it, you are not improving it.
And guess what? Your smartphone probably already has apps that can help you time and log your sessions. No excuses.
Final Thought: Are You Training or Just Entertaining Yourself?
Every time you come to the range, you have a choice: Train with purpose and measurement, or just burn powder and call it “practice”. One path leads to real skill—the kind that saves lives. The other leads to an empty wallet, a false sense of confidence, and a bad day when it matters most.
At C2 Tactical, we are here to help you measure, refine, and sharpen your edge. Because when the moment comes—and it will—you will not rise to the occasion. You will fall to the level of your training.
Make sure it’s a high level.