We spend a lot of time in competition working a draw from a holster position, but sometimes when you go to competition you will have to do an unloaded or loaded table start. So I want to take you through some techniques on how to maximize that first shot and get an efficient time.

I am going to be using my Gold Cup from Colt. This gun is perfect for competition and what we are doing today, because of the beveled magazine well. I am going to show you how that comes into play.

Now let's work through the tips for a loaded table start, but we will work through it first in dry fire, so I am going to drop the slide, insert my magazine and set it back down on the table.

Now what I want to do with the gun pointed forward is use my support hand or weak hand to accomplish a scooping motion that will flip the gun into my grip. And I want to get that grip going right from the start, just as I would if I were drawing from the holster.

I am going to come up high underneath the beaver tail, wrap my fingers around, use my support hand to push up against the trigger guard, start extending out towards the target, looking for that trigger prep along the way, looking for that good sight picture and as soon as I see that good sight picture, break the shot.  Just like that, so now let's do it with live fire.
 

I’ve loaded three rounds in the magazine and I am going to take you through the loaded start from a table, do three runs working off of the beep and what I am really looking for is consistency in motion.

I’ve loaded three rounds in the magazine and I am going to take you through the loaded start from a table, do three runs working off of the beep and what I am really looking for is consistency in motion.

Now let's work through an unloaded start from a table. Typically, with an unloaded start, you would start with the slide forward and the hammer down so we will do that now. I have set my magazine on its edge and I do that so I can grab it using my index finger as a reference point.

Grab it, one hand on the gun now, so you really have to work hard to establish that grip. Bring them both up to eye line and use that index finger to really seat the magazine into the well. That’s where the beveled magazine well really comes into play on this Gold Cup from Colt.

Seat it; start establishing my grip as I work out towards the target. I would have had to rack now in live fire, but I can't do that in dry fire, so we are just practicing extending out towards the target, prepping that trigger, looking for that perfect sight picture and breaking the shot.

In this drill we are going to fire one shot from an unloaded table start, maintaining accuracy all the way through, looking for efficiency, but doing it safely as well. Getting that quick shot off from the unloaded table start.

It looks like my fast times are going to be about 2.7 seconds. Go ahead and practice this in dry fire so you can maximize your time in live fire and get going in competition, I’m Maggie Reese for Team Colt and I hope to see you on the range