If you’ve taken a class with Tom Givens, then you’ve probably shot his 5×5 playing card drill. That’s five rounds in five seconds, at five yards, into a 3×5-inch playing card from the holster. While it’s not a pass/fail metric for the class, it is a good metric to measure your performance. Those who pass get their card signed by Tom, and it goes into your records with him.

Training: 52-Card Challenge

In early 2024, the folks over at Gunset Training in Ohio decided to put a twist on this drill. If you weren’t aware, there are 52 standard cards in a typical deck of playing cards. There are also typically 52 weeks in a calendar year. With this in mind, the Gunset crew set out to shoot a 5×5 playing card drill every week. The idea is to ensure regular practice, maintaining skill against a relatively demanding standard. There are a few names floating around for this process, though the “52-Card Challenge” is one of the more popular options. Let’s take a closer look at the 52-Card Challenge.

Setting Up the Drill

Setting up this drill is fairly simple. First you’ll need some standard playing cards, one per week. Hang this up at five yards. Next you’ll need your pistol, a holster, and at least five rounds of ammunition. A shot timer will be necessary to measure your par, ensuring you meet the time standard.

Some ranges I frequent restrict my ability to draw from the holster. In these cases I simply add my average cold draw to my par time, and start from low ready. It’s not an exact science, but it’ll be good enough for what we’re doing here. I’d rather you have some slightly fudged numbers than not try at all.

Scoring the 52-Card Challenge

Scoring is even more simple than the setup. You must complete the drill in five seconds or less to pass. You must also keep all of your rounds inside the playing card to pass. Line breaks count, but be honest with yourself. If you get your hits on the card under the par time, congratulations! If you miss the par or drop shots, better luck next time.

You can repeat the 52-Card Challenge for practice as much as you like, however only your first attempt counts for score. For those of you repeating the drill, you may want to buy another pack of cards. This should be fired cold, as a check of your on-demand skills.

Firing the Drill

Stand facing downrange, five yards from the target. Load your pistol and chamber a round, then return it to your holster. With your hands relaxed at your sides, wait for the “beep” of the timer; that is your start signal.

Once the timer goes off, draw your gun and fire all five rounds into the playing card. When complete, stow your pistol and go check the target. I recommend bringing a Sharpie or pen to mark your card. Record your par time, date fired, gun used, and other important data. This will allow you to track progress over time, helping to keep you accountable to yourself.

My Results

I’ll be honest, this is not something that I practice every week. We’re more than halfway through the year, and I have fewer than two dozen attempts at the 52-Card Challenge. That said, I’ve made runs with a handful of guns, with varying degrees of success. Sometimes stoppages have fouled my results, and other times it’s been entirely my fault.

Some passing examples include a 4.04 with a Glock 17+RMR, 4.98 using a S&W Model 15, 4.91 with a S&W 632UC, and a 4.02 with my S&W Shield Plus in 30 SC. Bigger guns are easier to shoot, but make sure to test yourself with your carry gun as well. Keeping ourselves honest on the range will help keep us out of trouble on the street.

Failures include several dud rounds with a S&W 686, failures of the trigger in a Beretta 80X Cheetah, and simply breaking par or missing my shots when rushing. The 52-Card Challenge isn’t the most demanding drill I’ve ever fired. However, it’s still tough enough to result in several failures when I am slacking on fundamentals.

Common issues include a weak support hand grip, or pressing the trigger before seeing my sights. Do the work and you’ll be fine. Get lazy and the target will show you the error of your ways.

Final Thoughts on the 52-Card Challenge

Gunset Training outdid themselves by popularizing this drill. It’s easy to set up, cheap to shoot, and is a more demanding standard than what most people will ever hold themselves to. The 52-Card Challenge is something I’ve implemented not only for my own practice, but also in the review process for guns. A backlog of scores show me where I am today versus previous actions, and helps me focus my range sessions.

If you’re looking for a way to add value to your range time, I highly suggest checking this out. The 52-Card Challenge is something we should all hold ourselves to, even if weekly range time isn’t within our grasp.

Find a place to shoot at NSSF.org.