Shoot This Drill – Button Man

I designed the Button Man to give shooters a low-round-count, low-light-engagement drill that involved both carbine and handgun as well as lateral movement, weapons manipulation, and use of cover. It is easily modified from low-light to no-light environments. Target ranges are also flexible, and freedom exists to shoot with fewer rounds if times are tough.

This is a mechanics-heavy drill designed to build shooter proficiency with white light or laser systems while also working transitions and reloads when visibility is compromised. We want to make sure that shooters are deactivating weapon-mounted lights (or lasers) during transitions and reloads while properly employing white light during engagements. No “Bat Signals” in the sky on a reload, and no spotlight of the operator’s feet when he transition to handgun. 

The Button Man Drill

Given:

1 C-Zone steel at 30 yards (designated rifle target), 1 C-Zone Steel at 10 yards (designated pistol target), and either stacked barrels or a barricade for a cover position. Operator starts with 3 rounds in a carbine and 3 rounds in a handgun. Weapons must be equipped with weapon-mounted lights (for night vision, IR lasers) and full magazines for each weapon on the belt. 

Execution:

On buzzer, operator engages the rifle target utilizing white light, firing three rounds and triggering a bolt lock. The operator then steps behind cover, transitions to the handgun, and steps out from behind cover to engage with three rounds on the pistol target. The operator then switches off weaponlight, steps behind cover, conducts a speed reload of the handgun, and then re-engages the pistol target with three more rounds. Operator deactivates weaponlight, then steps back behind cover, holsters handgun, reloads carbine, then steps around the barricade, illuminates the rifle target and engages for three hits then performs a security sweep and deactivates weaponlight. End of drill. 

Standards:

The goal is to clean the drill with no white light negligent discharges in a par time of 25 seconds. The time hack is generous in the interest of promoting accuracy. A miss equals a “scratch” on the run. In a class setting each student should get three runs at the drill; the student with the best time earns the title “Button Man” for the class.

About the Author

Jim Carter is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps in both active and reserve components, with three deployments to CENTCOM AOR and one to INDOPACOM AOR. He is a Combat Marksmanship Coach, Foreign Weapons Instructor, and Operational Foreign Security Force Advisor. His personal awards include the Bronze Star with Combat V, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon. 

Carter’s civilian training credentials include Vickers Shooting Method Regional Endorsed Instructor, NRA Law Enforcement Handgun & Shotgun Instructor, Texas Concealed Handgun License Instructor, and Universal Training Munitions Instructor. He was the co-developer of the ZERO Distance Pistol curriculum with Troy Price at LMS Defense and is the developer of the Low Profile Operations curriculum for Greenline Tactical. He is currently an instructor for Greenline Tactical and LMS Defense. Text by Jim Carter  and Illustrations by Charles “Chip” Lasky