While we don’t say it out loud, many of us wonder how our shooting skills match up. Competitive shooters have the luxury of testing themselves constantly, but most do not. One way we can see where our skills stand is by trying various shooting tests. One of the most well-known is the FBI pistol qualification course. If you are curious just how you would compare to an FBI agent, then give this a spin.
The FBI Pistol Qualification Course – How Good Are You?
The latest version of this test was updated in 2019 and is designed to test an agent’s complete handgun skills. It includes a spectrum of various scenarios, distances, and techniques.
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The course consists of 50 rounds fired at a QIT-99 silhouette target. Hits inside the bottle-shaped outline score 2 points each, with a maximum score of 100. A passing score is 90 points (45 hits).
The Rules and Terms
When it states “From the Holster”, this means the drill starts with your firearm holstered. On the timer, you must safely draw your firearm before firing. This simulates a real-life defensive draw under pressure.
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The second position is the low-ready position. This is a ready position where your firearm is pointed downward at about a 45-degree angle, with your arms extended and your sights off target. It’s used to stay ready without aiming directly at someone until justified.
What it Tests
This test is more than just a marksmanship drill. It is designed to test a shooter’s ability to shoot under stress, move, and reload in high-pressure situations. While nothing can simulate real bullets coming at you, this is a solid benchmark to see where you are with your EDC handgun. Shoot the test and let us know how it works out for you.
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The FBI Pistol Qualification Test
| Passing Score: 80% (40 hits out of 50) for agents; instructors need 90%. |
| Equipment: Semi-auto handgun, strong-side hip holster, concealment garment, magazines, ammo. |
| Distances: Drills from 3, 5 |
3 Yards
| From the holster, strong hand only: Draw and fire 3 rounds – 6 seconds |
| Support hand only: Switch hands and fire 3 rounds – 6 seconds |
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5 Yards
| From the holster: Draw and fire 3 rounds – 3 seconds |
| From low ready: Fire 3 rounds – 2 seconds |
| From low ready: Fire 6 rounds – 4 seconds |
7 Yards
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| From the holster: Draw and fire 5 rounds – 5 seconds |
| From low ready: Fire 4 rounds, reload, then fire 4 more rounds – 8 seconds |
| From low ready: Fire 5 rounds – 4 seconds |
15 Yards
| From the holster: Draw and fire 3 rounds – 6 seconds |
| From low ready: Fire 3 rounds – 5 seconds |
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25 Yards
| From the holster: Draw and fire 4 rounds from standing, drop to kneeling, then fire 4 more rounds – 20 seconds |
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