Steel Doesn’t Lie
Paper is polite. Steel tells the truth. This weekend I put in my own reps and let the targets do what they do best—grade me without emotion.
The Course
Three plates, three different demands:
- 3-inch circle — brand-new to the line.
- 12-inch round — well-worn, honest judge of groups.
- 12×20 silhouette — reality check at practical distances.
What Each Target Teaches
3-Inch Plate: Precision or Nothing
The 3-inch circle is a ruthless teacher. Sight alignment off by a hair? Miss. Trigger press not straight to the rear? Miss. There’s no “close enough” chime. This plate forces discipline—front sight clarity, clean break, and follow-through. If you can ring the 3-inch on demand, your fundamentals are squared away.
12-Inch Round: Consistency Under Pace
The 12-inch round isn’t hard to hit—until you add speed. That’s where sloppy mechanics show up. It answers one question: Can I keep my hits when the cadence climbs? When groups start to wander, I slow the hands, not the mind, and get back to the basics—grip, sights, press.
12×20 Silhouette: Reality, Not Fantasy
The silhouette is the stand-in for a real problem. Center hits count. Edge hits are a warning. If you can keep your shots inside a dinner-plate circle in the upper chest at the distances you train, you’re doing it right. The silhouette rewards control and punishes panic.
Gear Note: The 6-Inch Plate
There was a 6-inch plate on the far right. It didn’t fail—the welded hanger did. That hanger takes a beating every time it’s on the line; it finally let go. The target is fine. The fix is on me and my welder.
Simple Drills That Make the Steel Sing
- Ten Clean: From low ready, fire one deliberate round at the 3-inch. Reset. Do it ten times. All or nothing. Miss one? Start over. This is a patience drill.
- Cadence Ladder: On the 12-inch, fire strings of 3 at one-second splits, then 0.75, then 0.5. If a hit drops, climb back up the ladder and rebuild control.
- Accountability Five: On the silhouette, five rounds that must all live inside an open hand at 7 yards. If one wanders, diagnose, fix, and re-run.
Notes From the Line
- Grip solves more misses than gadgets ever will.
- Prep the trigger early; finish straight. Snatching the last tenth ruins the first nine-tenths of a good rep.
- Call every shot. If you can’t say where it went before the plate tells you, you weren’t really watching the sights.
Safety First. Safety Always.
Three reminders that never get old:
- Muzzle management is non-negotiable. The berm gets the bullets—nothing else.
- Stage smart. Load, unload, and clear at the line, not while spinning to grab gear.
- Check your steel and stands. Tight hardware, sound hangers, and safe angles before the first shot.
Why Steel?
Because feedback matters. Steel gives instant, honest answers: hit or miss. No arguments, no excuses, no sugarcoating. It rewards fundamentals and exposes fraud—mine included. That’s exactly why I use it and why my students do, too.
Want to train this exact progression? Bring your carry pistol, solid eye/ear pro, and a no-nonsense attitude. We’ll start with precision, build speed without losing control, and finish with accountability on the silhouette. Get on the schedule. Show up safe. Leave better.