Confidence with a firearm isn’t about bravado or ego—it’s about competence, consistency, and control. Whether you’re a new gun owner or an experienced shooter, developing true confidence means building trust in your skills and your ability to handle your firearm safely under pressure.

How to Build Confidence with Your Firearm

Confidence isn’t something you “decide” to have—it’s earned through deliberate, focused training. The following are five habits to make you a more capable, responsible, and self-assured shooter.

1. Dry Fire Training

Dry fire is the foundation of firearms proficiency. It allows you to refine skills like trigger control, sight alignment, grip pressure, and draw efficiency. This can all be done without spending a dime on ammunition.

How to Do It Right:

• Have a Plan – Each dry fire session should focus on a specific skill (e.g., drawing from concealment, sight picture acquisition, reloads).
• Film Yourself – Recording your sessions helps you spot bad habits, track progress, and hold yourself accountable.
• Use a Shot Timer (Even for Dry Fire) – Timing yourself creates measurable goals and simulates real-world stress.

Suggested Drill: The 3-Second Draw

1. Start with an unloaded firearm in your concealed holster.
2. Use a timer and set a par time of 3 seconds.
3. On the beep, draw and achieve a proper sight picture on a target before the timer beeps again.
4. Gradually reduce the time as you improve, while keeping movements smooth and controlled.

Why This Builds Confidence:

If you train the right way, your gun handling becomes second nature. So, when real stress kicks in, your muscle memory will carry you through.

2. Train with a Shot Timer (Live or Dry)

A shot timer isn’t just for competition shooters—it’s one of the best tools to keep your training honest. Without measurable feedback, it’s easy to feel like you’re getting better without actually improving.

How to Use It Effectively:

• Start slow – Speed will come naturally with efficiency.
• Track your progress – Record times for drills like draw-to-first-shot, split times (time in between shots), and reload speeds.
• Use stress-based drills – Add decision-making elements, like engaging multiple targets or identifying threats under time pressure, with shoot/no-shoot targets.

Suggested Drill: The 1.5-Second Draw Challenge

1. Set your par time to 1.5 seconds.
2. Start from an outside-the-waistband carry position with hands at a natural stance.
3. On the beep, draw and fire one shot on target before the timer’s second beep.
4. If you consistently miss or fumble, slow it down and refine your technique.

Why This Builds Confidence:

Knowing exactly how fast and accurate you are removes guesswork from real-world scenarios.

3. Continuous Firearms Education

Owning a firearm isn’t the end of the journey—it’s the beginning. The best shooters are lifelong students, always seeking new techniques and refining their skills.

Ways to Keep Learning:

• Take Professional Classes – Training with qualified instructors helps you break plateaus.
• Read and Watch – There’s endless content online from high-level instructors.
• Practice Force-on-Force – Scenario-based training (with simunition or bladed weapons) introduces stress and problem-solving into the equation.

Suggested Drill: The One-Handed Manipulation Drill

1. Load one round in the chamber and place an empty mag in your pistol.
2. Fire your shot, then use only one hand to reload the next round (use your belt, boot, or another object to rack the slide).
3. Alternate between your dominant and support hand.

Why This Builds Confidence:

If you can handle a firearm in less-than-ideal conditions, you won’t feel helpless in a real-life emergency.

4. Deliberate Carry Practice

If you carry a firearm for self-defense, simply wearing it isn’t enough. You need to train with the exact setup you use daily to be comfortable and competent under real-world conditions.

How to Build Confidence in Carrying:

• Wear it at home first – Before carrying it in public, get used to the weight, position, and draw mechanics.
• Train from concealment – Your draw must be smooth and reliable, even with everyday clothing. (Summer or Winter dress)
• Practice situational awareness – Confidence with your firearm extends beyond shooting—you must also know when to de-escalate or avoid a fight altogether.

Suggested Drill: The Real-World Draw Test

1. Wear your everyday carry rig (holster, belt, and attire).
2. Set a par time of 2 seconds and practice drawing from concealment to first shot.
3. Increase difficulty by drawing from seated positions, car seats, or while walking.

Why This Builds Confidence:

Knowing you can efficiently deploy your firearm in real-world conditions makes carrying feel natural, not intimidating.

5. Engaged Training with Others

Training with like-minded shooters is one of the most effective ways to improve skills and build confidence. Friendly competition, shared drills, and learning from each other accelerates growth.

Ways to Train with Others:

• Join a Training Group – Find a local shooting club or group focused on self-defense training.
• Run Friendly Challenges – Compete on speed, accuracy, and tactical movement.
• Simulate Realistic Scenarios – Have a partner call out unexpected challenges, forcing you to react under pressure.

Suggested Drill: The Partner Challenge Drill

1. Partner A calls out a random target or drill.
2. Partner B must execute it on the spot (e.g., “Move to cover and engage two targets”).
3. Switch roles, pushing each other outside of comfort zones.

Why This Builds Confidence:

Pressure forces adaptation, making your training feel more like reality than static range sessions.

Honorable Mention: Physical Fitness

You don’t need to be an elite athlete to be a confident shooter. However, strength, endurance, and mobility all play a role in handling a firearm effectively.

Why Fitness Matters in Shooting:

• Faster movement – Reacting quickly and getting to cover faster could save your life.
• Better recoil control – Strength improves grip stability and recovery time between shots.
• Increased endurance – Holding a firearm steady during long training sessions reduces fatigue-related mistakes.

Suggested Drill: The Elevated Heart Rate Drill

1. Do 15 jumping jacks or push-ups.
2. Immediately engage a target with three accurate shots.
3. Repeat 3-5 times, tracking your accuracy under physical stress.

Why This Builds Confidence:

If you can shoot accurately while exhausted, real-world encounters won’t catch you off guard. This is also a proof of concept for your holster and magazine retention.

Confidence Comes from Repetition

Firearms confidence isn’t built overnight. It’s the result of deliberate training, discipline, and smart habits. The more time you spend honing these five habits, the less hesitation and uncertainty you’ll feel when handling your firearm.

Confidence is earned through structured practice, measured performance, continuous education, real-world carry training, and engaged training with others. If you truly want to be at your best, don’t neglect the role of physical fitness in shooting performance.

Two takeaways:

Train for the when, not the if. The more prepared you are, the less luck you need.
Practice until you can’t get it wrong.

Shoot Safe.