Bullseye Rapid Fire Timer

Common uses for a bullseye rapid fire timer

Rapid fire string practice
Cadence drills
National Match Course preparation
Building from timed fire

Rapid fire in NRA precision pistol is five shots in ten seconds at 25 yards, one-handed^[1]. Two seconds a shot is not enough to aim in any conventional sense — the string is shot on an established cadence with the sights confirming rather than directing.

Ten seconds forces the process the discipline is actually testing: a repeatable rhythm where the trigger breaks at the same point of the recovery cycle every time. Shooters who try to aim each shot arrive at the fourth having used seven seconds, and the scoring reflects it. The cadence has to be built at slower speeds first and then compressed.

Build it from timed fire, not from speed

The reliable route to a rapid fire string is a well-grooved timed fire cadence compressed, rather than an attempt to shoot fast. A shooter with an even four-second rhythm can usually find a two-second one; a shooter without one cannot.

Dry fire is where this is built. The rhythm can be established without ammunition and without recoil, and the live string then only has to add recovery to a pattern that already exists.

Grip decides whether the cadence is possible

At two seconds a shot there is no time to re-establish a grip that has shifted. The grip has to be firm enough that the pistol returns to the same place on its own, which is a setup problem rather than a skill applied during the string.

If the sights are returning to a different place each shot, the string is not recoverable by concentration. Fix the grip and the stance and the cadence becomes available.

Check your match's rules

Time allowances and course of fire vary between NRA competition, CMP events and club matches. The figures here are stated as I have them for NRA precision pistol.

Confirm against the rulebook the match is run under before relying on them.

A training progression, not a rule. The string time itself is as I have it for NRA precision pistol^[1].

Rapid fire cadence drill progression
Stage	String time	Per shot	Goal
Dry fire cadence	10 s	2 s	Rhythm without recoil
Live, extended	15 s	3 s	Add recovery, keep the rhythm
Live, near pace	12 s	2.4 s	Compress without rushing
Match pace	10 s	2 s	Full string
Overspeed	8 s	1.6 s	Makes 10 s feel unhurried

Only compress once the previous stage is consistent — speed built on an unstable cadence does not hold.
If the sights return to a different place each shot, fix grip and stance before working on time.

Source: NRA Precision Pistol Rules — course of fire and time allowances

Sources

NRA Precision Pistol Rules — course of fire and time allowances , National Rifle Association of America (Confirm against the current rulebook for your match) — accessed 2026-07-28

🔗 Related Timers

Bullseye Timed Fire Timer

Bullseye Slow Fire Timer

ISSF Rapid Fire Pistol Timer

Precision Pistol 10-Second Par Time Timer

Dry Fire Par Time Timer

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a rapid fire string?

Ten seconds for five shots in NRA precision pistol — two seconds a shot. Confirm against the rulebook for your match, since allowances vary between NRA, CMP and club competition.

How do you aim in two seconds?

You largely do not. The string is shot on an established cadence with the sights confirming rather than directing. Shooters who try to aim each shot arrive at the fourth having spent seven of their ten seconds.

How do I build a rapid fire cadence?

By compressing a well-grooved timed fire rhythm rather than by trying to shoot fast. Build it in dry fire first, where the rhythm can be established without recoil, then add recovery live.

Why do my shots wander during the string?

Usually grip. At two seconds a shot there is no time to re-establish a grip that has shifted, so the pistol has to return to the same place on its own. That is a setup problem, not something concentration fixes mid-string.

Is it worth practising faster than match pace?

Some shooters find an eight-second string useful because it makes ten seconds feel unhurried. Only do it once the ten-second cadence is consistent — speed built on an unstable rhythm does not transfer.

How does rapid fire differ from ISSF rapid fire pistol?

Completely. Bullseye rapid fire is five shots at one target in ten seconds, one-handed. ISSF Rapid Fire Pistol is five shots at five separate targets in as little as four seconds. Different events sharing a name.