This is Rangemaster’s “Drill of the Month” – a piece that has become a part of our feature rotation. It is part of that company’s monthly newsletter. As always, start slow before trying to progress. If you’re not familiar with use of the holster – especially from concealment – and, the most dangerous thing you’ll do at the range, REholstering – seek education first. You can shoot the whole thing from low ready, just to see how you fair. The Rangemaster instructors travel. Check the website.
(From Rangemaster: Throughout 2025 we will be running a Drill of the Month in each edition of the newsletter. The goal is to help motivate folks to get to the range and actually shoot their defensive weapons, and to have some fun in the process. Each month we’ll post a drill or a short course of fire. You are encouraged to go to the range, shoot the drill, and then post your thoughts and a photo of your target on the Rangemaster Facebook page.)
Target image from M&P Targets.
The RFTS-Q5 silhouette has a small circle above the shoulder area of the target, on both the right and left of the silhouette. We call these 2-inch circles “the parrots”, like the parrot sitting on a pirate’s shoulder. This is the correct target for this drill.
If you have to substitute an IDPA cardboard target for the correct RFTS-Q5, then the -0 areas count as five points, the C-zone 3 points, and the D-zone is zero points. You will need to add a two-inch target dot to each shoulder of the cardboard target. Better yet, order a few of the correct targets from M&P Targets.
On the correct RFTS-Q5 target, the circle in the chest and the circle in the head count 5 points, the rest of the silhouette above the beltline counts as 3 points. In either case, hits in the “parrots” are worth 5 points each.
RFTS-Q5 target, at 5 yards
Draw and fire 2 to the chest, 2 to the head, 2 to the left parrot
Draw and fire 2 to the right parrot, 2 to head, 2 to chest
Draw and fire 2 to head, 2 to chest, 1 to left parrot, 1 to right parrot.
18 shots total. Scored 5/3 in the body, parrots scored 5/0. Total points divided by total time = raw score. Raw score multiplied by = 20 = final score. Par score = 100.
Your goal is a score higher than 100. This simple, low round count drill tests a huge number of transitions. There are both spatial and timing transitions, plus a strict accuracy requirement at speed. Give it a try.
— Tom Givens, Chief Firearms Instructor, Rangemaster Firearms Training Services
