Intermediate
Pistol
10-10-10 Drill
Source: Ken Hackathorn
10s
Par Time
10 yd
Distance
10
Rounds
3
Reps
30
Total Rounds
The 10-10-10 is the simplest stress test in pistol shooting. Ten rounds into a B-8 bullseye at 10 yards inside 10 seconds — no reloads, no movement, no tricks. It exposes the gap between what you can do at your own pace and what you can do when a timer is running. If your group opens up under the clock, the drill just told you exactly where your fundamentals break down.
Set a B-8 bullseye target at 10 yards (10 m). Load 10 rounds. Start from low ready or the holster. On the beep, fire all 10 rounds within 10 seconds. Score by counting hits inside the 9-ring or better — the black. A perfect run is 10 for 10 in the black. For a scored version, use the B-8 ring values: X = 10, 10-ring = 10, 9-ring = 9, and so on. A 90+ out of 100 is a solid benchmark.
Once 10 for 10 in the black is consistent, tighten the standard: demand all hits in the 10-ring, or cut the par to 8 seconds. For a reload challenge, split the 10 rounds across two magazines of five and add a mandatory reload mid-string. This drill costs almost nothing to run and gives you an honest, repeatable number to track over time.
What It Trains
Balancing speed and precision — banking accurate hits on a B-8 against a 10-second clock at distance.
Range Setup
Setup
1x B-8 bullseye target at 10 yd (10 m). Start from low ready or holster. Shot timer required.
Scoring
Count hits inside the 9-ring (black) out of 10.
10/10 in the black = PASS.
Scored version: use B-8 ring values (X/10/9/8...).
90+ out of 100 = solid benchmark.
100 = clean run.
Tips
Don't race the clock — find a rhythm. Even splits between shots keep the group tight.
Progression
Demand all 10 hits in the 10-ring instead of the 9-ring.
Cut par time to 8 seconds.
Split ammo into two 5-round magazines and add a mandatory reload.
Run from the holster if currently starting from low ready.
Common Mistakes
- Blazing all ten in five seconds and scattering points instead of using the full par.
- Aiming loosely center-of-mass instead of holding a precise point on the 10-ring.
- Letting the clock rush your trigger press on the last few rounds.
- Not calling your shots, so you can't diagnose a low-left group afterward.
Skill Standards
10 rounds · 10 yd · 10-second par · scored on a B-8 (100 possible)
| Novice | 70–79 |
|---|---|
| Carry-Ready | 80–89 |
| Competitor | 90–95 |
| Elite | 96–100 |
DrillLane benchmark on the classic B-8 10-10-10 scoring.
FAQ
What's a good score on The Test?
On a B-8, 80 out of 100 is the common pass, 90+ is good, and 95+ is excellent.
What is the 10-10-10 drill?
10 rounds, at 10 yards, in 10 seconds, fired on a B-8 target — which is why it's also called "The Test".
What target is used for The Test?
A B-8 repair center, scored by the rings out of 100 points.
Who created The Test?
Ken Hackathorn created it; Larry Vickers later added a time-based scoring variant.