Call it "Devolas 5", or nothing if it's been done before.  Trying to be creative and productive with low round count.

Range: 50 yards
Target: 8" circle
Par time: 5 mins (?)

Start at 50 yard line, rifle loaded with 5 rounds.  At START signal, run to target, touch target, run back to firing line, fire one shot from standing or kneeling (not prone, too easy!), repeat 4 times.

PASS = all 5 shots on circle, under 5 minutes.

No, you don't do this in speedos and tennis shoes, the goal is to do this with a fighting load on...1st line, 2nd line/armor, and brain bucket.

Only done it twice so far, best time was 4:40.

So I'd like to see others do it, to better establish a baseline time.

Post your entries, if you please.

Sounds like a good low round count drill.

Not completely different than an NRA Rifle instructor qual.  NRA uses a 4.5in target at 25 yards... fire 10 shots from each of three positions: bench rest position, prone position, and standing, unsupported position.  80% hits is passing.

8 inch target at 50y, kneeling/standing, after running, is certainly tougher.

Unsolicited, but I would offer a way to initially develop your drill from a professional standpoint.  Here’s a breakdown of how I would develop a par time for this drill as both a LE and private firearms instructor, as well as being a tactical officer:

When we (my agency, both training division and SWAT) develops new drills, we start with the physical metric and work our way from there.  The shooting is always the secondary standard because you can only complete a drill as fast as you can move through it.  In the case of this drill, here’s how I would go about developing a standard:

-The assumption is that people are actually sprinting/dashing, and not just jogging like loads.  What’s the point of running 100yds to shoot if there’s no urgency?  So adjust time accordingly.

-The average 100yd dash is typically around 20 seconds.  Running to 50yds and back is 100yds.  We could assume that you can probably do this twice before slowing, so I would consider adding 5 seconds for third and fourth run, an another 5 seconds for the fifth run as you tire.  If it’s an Average Joe citizen test, I might add 5 seconds across the board to give reasonable accommodation for people of different physical status.
1st - 20s
2nd - 20s
3rd - 25s
4th - 25s
5th - 30s

Total, that’s 2 minutes for an average human being.  

-If your par time is 5 minutes, you’re leaving 3:00 to shoot 5 rounds at 50yds.  Even factoring in fatigue, I would never allow for 3 minutes to shoot 5 rounds.  If you are familiar with the Modified Navy Qual (MNQ), that is a 50yd drill based on the premise of using the first acceptable sight picture to engage the target.  That uses a silhouette target with an 8” center target area.  When people dwell on the sight picture and wait for that perfect shot, they usually don’t get it.  The best unsupported/offhand shot is almost always when you get that first acceptable sight picture.   In the Mod Navy Qual, you have 25 seconds par time to fire 15 rounds from 3 positions: Standing, kneeling and prone.  5rds each position, with mag changes between each position change.  Usually the prone is where people shoot fast, and we usually see that done in about 3 seconds for 5rds.  Generally speaking, if you shoot standing or kneeling at a cadence of 1rd per second, you can meet or beat the par time if you do your reloads and position changes correctly.  

- Based on MNQ shooting averages, I would be willing to offer a greater amount of time for each shot.  3-5 seconds for each shot is reasonable, regardless of your level of fatigue.  You have to remember that at 50yds, you don’t necessarily have distance as your advantage if you’re using it for an offensive/defensive firing position.  I (or any competent shooter for that matter) can hit 50yd targets all day long with a pistol, so imagine what one can do with a rifle, right?.  So based on that, the shooter can’t be dawdling around spending 30 seconds trying to line up a shot.  Anything more than 5-10 seconds for a shot is excessive and unreasonable.  You aren’t sniping on a sub-moa target at that distance.  An 8” target at that range is 16MOA of accuracy, which is more than enough to account for minor marksmanship errors.  If you give someone too much time to shoot a round in this drill, you negate the purpose of running, which is to jack up the heart rate and induce stress, and make them fight through their physical reaction to get an accurate shot off.  

- Since you’re incorporating running and shooting, you can’t consider this to a marksmanship drill.  This is a stress drill or skill drill.  As such, you need to have higher time standards for both the shooting and running.  

-A progressive scoring can be done with different achievement levels based on time, like 30 second intervals between say, Novice, Expert and Pro Operator 5000 or whatever.  This is a drill where instead of a par time, you might want to have achievement levels/grades, or two separate standards where there’s a Pass and an expert level.  A lot of instructors tend to go with one of two mentalities where there’s a single difficult standard that is pass/fail, or there is a minimum standard with different qualification/competency levels beyond that minimum.  That would be something to consider when deciding on par times.

-I would not give any additional time to allow moving into or out of shooting positions.  Shooting from standing is faster, shooting from kneeling is more stable.  Pick one and pay the price.  I think you’re 100% on track with the no-prone thing, because it’s 50yds and makes no sense and negates the running/stress factor.  

If I were to develop a baseline for this course for evaluation, I would likely give it 3 minutes and adjust off of there.  That’s basically 30 seconds per sprint, and 30 seconds total shooting time.  First and foremost again make them get the physical standard met, and then adjust as necessary for the shooting portion.   If you aren’t keeled over huffing and puffing at the end of this drill, you didn’t try hard enough.  Otherwise, there’s no reason to be running 100yd stints five times over.  If I couldn’t get that standard, I would keep attempting it see improvement over time.  I believe a drill should be challenging, and not meant to make you feel good about yourself unless you busted your butt, but that’s just my competitive side.


Food for thought if you want an objective opinion on the matter.  Or disregard.

Thank you, that is fantastic feedback.  Exactly what I'm getting at.

I was at very least hoping to have several other shooters execute it, just to get an idea of averages.  I need to know if I'm smokin' or fuckin' ass.

Really disappointed nobody else has posted up a run.  I guess not everybody has access to a place where they can run back and forth with a gun?  Sad.....that must suck to not have the resources to train well.  That would make me miserable.

Yeah, 5 mins seemed something to shoot for, as the best I could do was 4.40.  Running with the PC, bat belt, helmet and rifle, by the last 2 runs back and forth, it's no more than a jog, it is taxing as I'm sure you well know.  I do work out regularly, and run, 4-5 miles 2-3 times a week, and can easily do 2 miles with just the PC, but trying to hurry is still a smoker.

Obviously just running street clothes and leaving the rifle at the firing position every time would be completely different.

For the last 2 shots, I absolutely do have to catch my breath a bit to take the shots, trying to have a focus more on accuracy than speed. Which is why I'm thinking time be what it may, you're a NO-GO at this station if you miss any shots.

I never clean the MNQ either though.  You made the light come on for me though when you said "first acceptable sight picture" is when the shot should be taken.  That's an evolution I need to continue. I think that would improve my times for the MNQ as well.

Not that aceing drills is the standard, we don't want to get grooved, but knowing drills are the measuring stick for what we are or are not capable of.

Having more than just one mediocre shooter like myself get out there and run it would give me an idea of standards.  I agree that levels of achievement should be established, to give us something to work toward.

Thank you for the insight and feedback, that is gold.

Give me a bit for the weather to get better and I will try this out... I'm getting to be an old dude, so My time may be a bit slower.... Especially if my walker gets stuck in the mud.

I was going to the range tomorrow after I finished my barricade; I'll bring my plates and try this too.

3:11, and I was dogging it by the end.

Attached File


The shot at the bottom was actually my first, I improved from there.

I feel confident after some more training, I could clean up my shots and get the time down to the 2:40s. Maybe go with a 4 or 5" circle instead of the 8.

Nice!

Ran this twice yesterday, best was 3:45.

You must have some light kit!  Or you're a PT stud.
You're smokin' at 3:11.

I'd have a hard time getting stable on less than 8" with the huffing and puffing.

I'm in fairly good condition, ran track and xc when I was young, and I still do sprint/interval workouts regularly - I'm sure that helps on recovery. My PC weighs just under 20 lbs with kit, did not wear a helmet.

It's not an easy drill, but it's fun, as far as workouts go!

Task: Complete the Devolas 5 Drill and evaluate drill & standard
Conditions: Embrace the suck.  Only 25 yards bays were above water today.  100% humidity.  Lots of mud.  Switched to 4 inch targets due to the shorter firing distance.  Ran the length of the range 4 times (4x25y=100y) before every shot (5 shots fired).  Used a .22 AR-15 to save $.  Wore combat boots, 2 pistols, 1 reload. Steel AR500 plates in my plate carrier.  This time soft cover only.
Standards: 5 hits in the circle in 5 min.  All shot from standing position.

Warmed up slightly walking the course a few times.  With my eyepro fogging up badly before I even began, I did a little shooting warm up, 5 shots kneeling, 5 shots prone, and 5 shots standing.

Then I ran the drill.  It was more of a trot than a sprint in the mud.  Groups weren't pretty, but even with eyepro fogging badly the first 2 runs were clean (5 out of 5).  Dropped 2 hits on the third run.




Times: 3:48, 3:53, 4:10.

With a better running surface and not having to wipe the fog off my eyepro I'm pretty sure I could have cut some time.  Started gassing out on the third run, noticeably slower and only getting 3 out of 5 hits.

Afterwards I shot 5 from the seated and 5 from the prone.  In 2 hours I burned 40 rounds of .22LR total.  Well worth it!

Thoughts: A day on the range is a good day.  Conditions weren't ideal, but that's how you learn to shoot in ALL conditions.  I've seen lots of drills, but this one has value as both a measurable standard and a workout program.  It was fun!  When ammo is short and you don't have the space to run Paul Howe's 100-7 drill, this drill is a winner.  Tests your gear, your fitness, and you can always use a smaller target if 16moa gets too easy.  Gonna let one of my students try it next.  

R_S drill rating: 5 out of 5.  Outstanding Drill!!!  Many thanks Joe!

Student did the drill in 3:58 seconds from the kneeling position.  5 out of 5 hits (one is a double)

Joe,

If you want to enhance your times, long runs may not help much:  



What is fitness

You really need to be doing interval training to work your phosphagen and glycolytic pathways to enhance your 100y sprints.  

Thank you so much for your input, R_S!  It is highly valued!  I'm glad you guys are benefitting from the idea.

You are right about interval training...max cardio = max results.  More sprints are in order.

Quarter mile/400 repeats is one of my favorite workouts. Do a lap (400 meters) at around 75 seconds (or 80% of what a full sprint would be for you), 2 minute cool down, then repeat 4 or 5 times. Increase the pace and/or decrease the rest interval to increase difficulty. Sprint repeats will actually help your endurance a bit too, as building anaerobic capacity and decreasing recovery time are both important components of overall fitness.

Well I'm improving, am putting a new 16" build through its paces, and just ran this again.  Did it clean in 4:12.

Been a while, forgot what a smoker it is!