I’m a fan of Aaron Cowan and his company, Sage Dynamics. He is a progressive instructor who seems to focus on performance and realistic training. His YouTube videos are a treasure trove of information, and his handgun red dot reviews are some of the best. I learned about the Eleanor Drill on his YouTube channel.
The Eleanor Drill is named after the famed 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 from the film Gone in 60 Seconds. Aaron said he was watching the film when he created the drill, and the name stuck.
I use the Eleanor Drill fairly regularly in my reviews and training. This is mainly due to the lightweight logistics the drill requires and how challenging it can be. The Eleanor is a great drill for working a multitude of skills without wasting a ton of ammo.
What You Need to Shoot the Eleanor
The Eleanor can be shot from either a rifle or a handgun. It’s specifically designed around red dot-equipped weapons, but that’s not a commandment. Regardless of which platform you use, you’ll need a mere four rounds per run.
For handguns, you’ll need to shoot the drill from the holster. It can also be fired from a duty rig or a concealed carry rig—it’s entirely up to you.
I shot the drill with my Ruger RXM and Ballast holster. Rifles will fire the drill from the low ready, so nothing more than a rifle, four rounds, and a sighting system is required.
We need the Eleanor target, which is essentially a UTC target that focuses on the reduced-sized head and A-zone. Luckily, Sage Dynamics provides a free printable version on its website. It’s a quick and easy way to get your foot in the door.
The Sage Dynamics version features a small 1-inch circle in the head and a 3×4 box in the chest. These two small targets are what we are aiming for. We will also need a shot timer because accuracy without speed is nothing.
Shooting The Eleanor Drill
Let’s break it down by each platform. I shoot this drill almost exclusively with a handgun, so that’s my specialty.
With A Handgun
With a handgun, we stand three yards from the target with our firearm holstered. The hand position is up to the shooter. Face the target, and get ready.
At the beep, you’ll draw and fire one well-aimed shot to the 1-inch dot in the head. Then, you’ll immediately transition to the A Zone box and let three rounds out as fast as you can.
Shooters get a mere 2.5 seconds to accomplish this drill.
With a Rifle
With a rifle, you’ll stand five yards from the target with your weapon in the low-ready position. At the beep, you’ll raise and fire one well-aimed headshot to the 1-inch circle. You’ll then drive the gun down and put three more rounds into the center of the chest zone.
Again, we get five seconds, and that’s it.
Benefits Of The Eleanor
The Eleanor Drill seems so simple to shoot. You’ll pass it on the first try, right? I doubt it.
Some of you are fantastic shooters and will clean up, but for most of us mere mortals, it’s a tough drill. To hit the 2.5-second par time, you have to do everything right. By the time you draw and fire that one well-aimed shot, you’ll be rushing to fire those three shots to the chest.
You have to have everything locked down. You need to draw perfectly, present perfectly, and keep your grip throughout the entirety of the drill. Any slack will likely cause you to fail the drill by throwing a shot or missing the par time.
The good news is that if you’re like me and fail this drill more than you pass it, it only takes four rounds to complete. You can shoot it over and over for a minimal ammo investment.
As mentioned, you have to be on your game, but if you’re not, don’t worry—you’re training to be. Shooters train their draw, presentation, and grip. You’re also getting to practice your transition from a well-aimed shot to a rapid-fire string.
We are also getting to work on our height-over-bore holdovers. At super close range, your shots will appear to hit low due to the height your optic sits over your bore.
Like any good drill, you are faced with a tight accuracy and time standard. The targets are tiny, and the par time is far from generous. For many shooters, it forces them out of their comfort zones.
My Thoughts
The Eleanor is the type of drill that makes you want to keep trying to shoot faster with better accuracy. That’s fantastic because it will keep you shooting more and more and more. The Eleanor makes you want to keep shooting, and you’ll find yourself just one more run.
It’s difficult, and with difficulty comes improvement. Steel sharpens steel and all that. These days, depending on my holster and gun setup, I can pass it most of the time. With a Glock 19-sized gun with a red dot in a Level 1 holster, I can pass it.
My goal is to pass it with a pocket pistol and to pass it cold. Passing it after a few runs is great, but performance on demand means I can go out and shoot it clean on my first draw, which is my ultimate goal.
Give the Eleanor drill and see if you’re fast enough!
