Introduction
What does it take to become a World Shooting Champion? It’s more than just speed and accuracy. It takes patience, practice, and endurance. As Canik’s team captain Nils Jonasson puts it:
“You lose when you give up, not when you couldn’t hit the target”.
Some days at the range, you’re landing shots like a champion. But then there are days when nothing feels right—when, for a split second, you wonder if you have what it takes.
That’s when watching and learning from the elite shooters like Nils is a game-changer. The best pro shooting tips go beyond grip, trigger control, aim and gear. They’re about mindset, strategy, and execution.
And who better to learn from than Nils Jonasson, a USPSA, IPSC, IDPA, and 3-Gun champion? In this Canik training guide will cover some of his pro shooting tips and drills to sharpen your skills while pushing your limits.
Who is Nils Jonasson?
Nils Jonasson is a National and World Champion shooter with over 30 major titles to his name. He has dominated the competitive shooting world, winning championships in USPSA, IPSC, IDPA, 3-Gun, and Steel Challenge.
He is also the captain of the Canik Shooting Team, a true marksman.
What makes Nils Jonasson such a great shooter? Speed, accuracy, and consistency. He’s also one of the most genuine and approachable guys you’ll meet—but don’t let that fool you. His accolades speak for themselves.
One of his biggest achievements came at the 2023 Area 5 Championship, where he won first place in the Carry Optics division at Brooklyn Sportsman’s Club.
Most recently, in 2024, Nils Jonasson won the Stock Service Pistol Championship at the IDPA Nationals and secured second place at the NRA World Shooting Championship.
Shooting is more than a passion for Nils—it’s part of who he is. His journey started at 12 years old, watching his father shoot local matches. He grew up and turned pro in 2002, and by 2014 he locked in his place at the top, where he’s stayed ever since.
That’s over a decade of world-class, top-tier shooting—and he’s not slowing down anytime soon.
Why Nils Jonasson Chooses Canik
A champion needs a championship-worthy pistol. That’s why Nils Jonasson and Canik make the perfect match.
Since 2018, Nils has proudly represented Canik as the captain of their shooting team, proving time and again that these pistols can dominate at the highest levels of competition. With world-class accuracy, speed, and reliability, Canik delivers exactly what a pro shooter like Nils needs to win.
What pistol does Nils Jonasson shoot? The Canik SFx Rival-S 9mm, his personal choice.
Why? Because the Canik SFx Rival-S is built for champions. The steel frame construction provides extra weight for better recoil control, the exceptional trigger offers a clean, crisp break, and the oversized mag release and slide stop make reloads lightning fast. Every detail is designed for peak performance.
And Nils sure knows how to adapt. In daylight, he relies on iron sights for quick target acquisition. At night, the optics-ready design lets him switch to a red dot for enhanced visibility.
But Canik is more than just about competition guns. For those who carry concealed, Nils has also put the TP9 Elite SC to the test—showing just how fast and accurate this compact powerhouse really is.
With a Canik pistol in his hands, Nils isn’t just competing—he’s winning.
And while we are talking about Nils Jonasson's guns of choice, let’s talk a bit more about setup. A great pistol deserves the best performance upgrades. At 45 Blast, we make the best compensators for all the Canik pistol line—including the Rival-S and TP9 Elite SC. You will get up to 80% less recoil, and awesome looks.
So if you’re like us and admire Nils’ achievements and Canik’s work, be sure to check out what we have in store.
Top Shooting Tips from Nils Jonasson
Let’s start with one of Nils Jonasson’s biggest lessons: Speed isn’t just about how fast you pull the trigger—it’s about everything you do when you’re not shooting. The time spent transitioning between targets, moving between positions, or reloading is where matches are won or lost.
That’s why Nils breaks down movement patterns and masters them through dry fire practice. The goal here is to build efficiency, eliminate wasted motion, and develop consistency.
As you will see, everything comes back to the shooting fundamentals: grip, sight picture, and trigger press. Here are some of Nils Jonasson pro shooting techniques to improve your own performance:
Developing consistency through dry-fire practice
"Don’t cheat yourself in dry fire", this is one of Nils’ top shooting tips. Dry-fire training isn’t about speed—it’s about replicating real shooting conditions as closely as possible.
When dry firing, every rep should be done as if you were on the range:
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Aim the gun the same way you would in live fire.
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Grip the gun as if you were controlling recoil.
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Pull the trigger like you’re actually firing a round.
If you are not doing those things during dry fire practice, you are lying to yourself. These are the fundamentals, so if you want to shoot better, this is where you start.
Develop Your Master Grip
One of the biggest dry-fire mistakes? Shooters relax their grip too much because they’re not expecting recoil.
Nils Jonasson explained that grip should be the same in dry fire as in live fire. If you’re doing it right, your hands should feel tired after a solid session.
How To Master Trigger Control
The way you pull the trigger can make or break your accuracy. A simple drill with a coin can teach you how to eliminate excess finger movement and muzzle rise.
Try this:
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Balance a coin on the front sight of your unloaded gun.
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Pull the trigger smoothly without making the coin fall.
Reload Practice With a Timer
Reloading is one of the biggest time-wasters for most shooters. To fix this, isolate your reloads and practice them with a timer. Tracking your reload times it’s a great way to build muscle memory and shave off crucial seconds.
You can use snap caps or weighted dummy rounds for more realistic training. Just remember, proper form comes first, so don’t rush! These are the movements that you need to master when reloading:
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Drop the empty mag fast.
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Grab the next mag with your support hand.
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Align and insert it smoothly.
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Return to a firing stance and reacquire your sights.
Setting goals and tracking progress like a pro
First, master the fundamentals—grip, trigger control, and dry fire. Then, focus on timing yourself:
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Measure your first shot and split times.
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Set time goals for draw speed and reloads.
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Work your way up to 4-5 shot strings while tracking consistency.
Master the movement first, then push speed without sacrificing accuracy. That’s how real progress is made.
Nils Jonasson’s Shooting Training Drills
Now, it’s time to practice Nils Jonasson’s shooting tips with some speed, accuracy, and movement efficiency drills. Want to learn what makes Canik a world shooting champion?
Here are three competition-proven drills Nils has broken down on several videos, as well as his official instagram and matches.
Reload and Fire Drill
This drill is a hybrid between the classic Bill Drill and the Emergency Reload Drill, focusing on reload speed and follow-up accuracy. The goal is to minimize reload time under pressure while keeping shots on target.
Because, as Nils says, it’s not just how fast you shoot, but how fast you do everything in between.
How to do it step by step:
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Start with one round in the chamber and an empty magazine.
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Fire one shot, then reload as fast as possible, and fire again.
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Keep both shots in the A-zone while focusing on reload efficiency.
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Track reload speed and split times to measure improvement.
El Presidente Drill: Target Transition
We included this in our classic accuracy shooting drills guide, and a favorite of Nils. This drill trains you to react faster, so your sights are already on target before you pull the trigger.
How to do it:
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Set up multiple target points (on a wall for dry fire or using paper targets at the range).
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Fire at the first target.
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Quickly shift focus and firearm to the next target.
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Ensure proper sight alignment before firing again.
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Lead with your eyes—your firearm should follow your line of sight to the next target.
Box-to-Box: Breaking 7 Seconds Drill
This modified version of the El Presidente Drill adds movement and two reloads to simulate real-world competition scenarios. If you want to push your limits in under seven seconds, this drill is for you.
How to do it:
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Start on the right side of the range.
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Fire two shots on target (A-zone hits only).
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Reload and move left.
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Engage a new target with two shots.
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Reload again, move back to the right.
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Fire two more shots at the original target.
The Mindset of a World Champion Shooter
Shooting takes more than just physical training—it’s about mental focus.
Nils Jonasson has won world championships not just because of his speed and accuracy, but because of his ability to stay calm under pressure and eliminate distractions.
For a competitive shooter like Nils, mindset and preparation are just as critical as technical skill. Even at his level, he’s constantly refining his sights, trigger control, and grip—because that’s how a tactical shooting champion thinks.
In a USPSA interview, Nils revealed one of his key training strategies: focus on one system at a time.
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When preparing for Classic Nationals, he trained exclusively with iron sights for months.
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When transitioning to Carry Optics, he committed entirely to red-dot performance.
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He competes in USPSA Area Championships using the exact conditions and gear he’ll have on match day.
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Before Nationals, he even shot a test version of Stage 10 at his local club match for extra preparation.
Another crucial insight from Nils: 10-15 minutes of daily training is more effective than long, inconsistent sessions. Small, focused, and consistent reps beat occasional marathon practices.
And finally, a winning mindset means being 100% present when it matters most. That’s why Nils eliminates distractions before a match:
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Stays hydrated and keeps his energy levels up
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Ensures his gear is tested, checked, and competition-ready
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Blocks out outside stress—so nothing interferes with his performance
When he steps to the line, his only focus is executing his training.
Conclusion
Nils Jonasson is more than just fast, precise, and consistent—he’s a shooter who trains with purpose and competes with an unshakable mindset. He is committed to mastering every detail, grip, trigger control, draw, and target acquisition, and beyond.
That’s what makes Nils a world champion.
And as we’ve seen, Nils’ go-to gun is the Canik SFx Rival. Its performance, reliability, and superior trigger system meet his demand for excellence. It’s the perfect pistol for a shooter who leaves nothing to chance.
Now, it’s your turn. Take Nils’ tips and drills, hit the range, and elevate your shooting game. Nils is one of a kind—we know. But if you feel you need an extra edge, we hear you.
Want to reduce recoil and get faster, more accurate shots? Equip your Canik with a 45 Blast compensator and experience the difference. Less recoil. Less muzzle rise. More control.
Train smart. Shoot fast. Stay sharp. We’ll see you on the range.
