The FBI, by and large, isn’t an organization of gunfighters. While the agency has the famed FBI Hostage Rescue Team—comprised of some of America’s premier operators—it is primarily an agency of lawyers and accountants who happen to carry guns.
Any government agency that issues firearms to its employees must ensure they maintain a baseline level of competency. This proficiency is built through training, but a qualification shoot ultimately proves whether or not an agent has taken that training to heart.
If you’ve ever wanted to shoot like a G-Man, then you’ve come to the right place. Today, we are going to talk about the FBI Pistol Qualification—specifically the latest version, which came out in 2019. We are going to shoot it, discuss it, and see if we can earn our junior G-Man badges.
The FBI Qual: Let’s Talk Logistics
For this course of fire, you’ll need 50 rounds. That’s conveniently one box of ammo. It’s a fair bit of shooting, but not enough to shrink your ammo budget. You’ll also need a spare magazine and a magazine pouch.
It feels like a big ‘duh’ moment, but you’ll need a handgun, specifically a semi-auto handgun. You’ll also need a holster, as this qual will be shot from concealment. The concealment factor makes this a valuable training drill for concealed carry shooters.
The FBI uses the famed FBI Q target. The modern Q target has a square in the chest and head, but all I can find is the classic “coke-bottle” Q target, and that’s what I’ll be using. The additional squares inside the target are not used for scoring, so this works just fine.
Each stage has a designated par time, so you’ll need a shot timer. And, as always, don’t forget your ear and eye protection.
Let’s Shoot the FBI Qual
I like my FBI like I like my crime fiction: hard-boiled. Men in suits chasing bootleggers, mobsters, and bank robbers across the country. Alone and unafraid, ready to combat the bad guys of this world.
I’m not going to wear a full suit, but I feel I can don a blazer. Specifically, a 5.11 Tactical Founders jacket. Plus, that makes concealment a little easier.
Scoring is easy. Any hit inside the silhouette is two points. Any shots that land outside the silhouette are minus two points. Shots fired after the par time count as a miss.
The max score is 100 points. Basic agents pass with a score of 80, but 90 is passing for instructors.
Stage 1: Distance 3 Yards
Par time is six seconds for the entire string of fire.
Start at bad-breath distance with the bad guy, holstered and concealed. At the signal, draw and fire three rounds with your strong hand, then switch hands and fire three rounds with your support hand only.
Stage 2: Distance 5 Yards
Take two big steps back and get ready. You have three strings of fire at five yards.
String 1: Draw and fire three rounds. Par time is 3 seconds.
String 2: From the low ready, fire three rounds. Par time 2 is seconds.
String 3: From the low ready, fire six rounds. Par time is 4 seconds.
Stage 3: Distance 7 Yards
Alright, at 7 yards you should be nice and warmed up. Stage 3 has three strings of fire.
String 1: Draw and fire five rounds. Par time 5 is seconds.
String 2: Ensure you have four rounds loaded into your magazine and four rounds loaded in your spare magazine. From the low ready, fire four rounds, perform a reload, and fire four more rounds. Par time is 8 seconds.
String 3: From the ready, fire five rounds. Par time 4 seconds.
Stage 4: Distance 15 Yards
A lot of folks are leaving their comfort zone at 15 yards. This stage has two strings of fire.
String 1: Draw and fire three rounds. Par time is 6 seconds.
String 2: From the ready, fire three rounds. Par time is 5 seconds.
Stage 5: Distance 25 Yards
At 25 yards, most people are going to feel awfully far from the target, but this is a brilliant opportunity to train uncomfortable muscles. We only have one string of fire at this range.
Draw and fire four rounds from the standing, then drop to a knee and fire four more rounds. Par time is a generous 20 seconds.
It’s Worth the Ammo
The FBI qual is worth the ammo to me. I think this is a great shooting qualification for concealed carriers. Passing this qual represents a minimum level of skill necessary to carry a gun for defensive purposes.
It’s not overly hard, and I think most people, with just a little practice, will clear this qual without much effort. Hitting 40 out of 50 rounds isn’t that hard on such a large silhouette. It allows you to practice your draw, reload, single-hand skills, and breaks you out of the seven-yard comfort zone.
It won’t make you a USPSA Grandmaster, but it will sharpen your skills in the fundamentals. The fundamentals are the building blocks of success, and without them, your skills will go nowhere.
Give the FBI Qual a spin, and at the very least, you’ll have some fun at the range and have a guided training opportunity.
As always, shoot fast, shoot safe, and invest in gear that will serve you well.
