The video opens with the hosts introducing TOAST Targets as a direct answer to the limitations of traditional flat-range training with static paper or steel. Jordan from TOAST Targets explains that their system is designed to mimic human behavior in real gunfights, with targets that tuck in and out of cover instead of just standing still. Using a tablet, shooters can adjust motion patterns, speeds, exposure times, and how much of the target is visible. The group immediately contrasts the ease of shooting static targets with the difficulty of engaging moving threats that appear briefly and unpredictably. They emphasize that real-world encounters rarely involve stationary opponents, so a dynamic target system is essential for building realistic skills, timing, and decision-making under pressure.
Jordan shares his background as a linebacker from Huntington Beach who played at UCLA and later for the Pittsburgh Steelers, underscoring that his entire athletic career revolved around skill development and performance under stress. After football, he moved into paintball and quickly realized that the standard cone and static drill setups did not reflect the chaos and movement of actual games or gunfights. That disconnect pushed him to start experimenting with moving target concepts that could better replicate real engagements. The hosts reinforce how much more demanding it is to track and hit a target that is constantly shifting, ducking behind cover, and reappearing. This personal journey from high-level sports to tactical training sets the stage for why TOAST Targets focuses so heavily on realistic motion and progressive difficulty.
The discussion shifts to how much harder moving targets are compared to static flat-range shooting and why shooters need a structured progression to avoid being overwhelmed. They outline the idea of starting with slower speeds and longer exposures, then gradually tightening timing and increasing motion complexity as skills improve. Jordan explains that TOAST stands for Tactically Offensive Automated Systems Target, a name that draws some joking but reflects a design philosophy shaped by combat veterans and real-world users. The team then introduces the TOAST Mini, a compact, more affordable version of their larger systems. It is aimed at individual shooters, smaller agencies, and enthusiasts who want dynamic training at local ranges or even in suitable backyards, without needing institutional budgets or infrastructure.
The TOAST Mini is presented as a roughly 30-pound, bullet-resistant moving target base controlled entirely by a tablet interface. Users can program left-right or vertical motion, adjust speeds, set exposure and hide times, and create different motion profiles to simulate various threat behaviors. The system is rated to stop up to .308 caliber, so misses that strike the mechanism will not immediately destroy it, which is crucial when training at higher difficulty levels. The hosts announce a launch promotion: the first 100 TOAST Mini units are offered at $900, a $300 discount from the $1,200 MSRP, with some joking about optional custom artwork. They highlight that this pricing is intended to make advanced moving-target training accessible to more shooters beyond large military or law-enforcement contracts.
At the range, the team unveils two TOAST systems being run from a single tablet, noting that the software can scale up to control as many as 20 units at once. They mount standard cardboard torsos—compatible with 18-inch IPSC, USPSA, and IDPA-style targets—on the end of each mechanism, explaining that users can also staple cardboard or plastic to wood backers. The drill they set up uses identical motion patterns on both targets: 50% movement speed, 1.5-second hide time, and 0.5-second exposure. Shooters start from low ready or a hip position and must get one round on each target before it drops back behind cover. Lighthearted banter about one shooter’s trouble following instructions and counting yards adds humor, but the focus remains on fast transitions and timing shots during brief exposures.
After the first strings, the group walks downrange to inspect the moving targets. They compare hit placement, noting several low impacts and rounds that struck the wood supports instead of the scoring zones, then how subsequent attempts showed better compensation as shooters adapted to the motion. A running joke develops about one shooter’s inability to count rounds accurately, as they tally total shots fired versus valid hits to determine who actually won the initial competition. The instructors stress engagement discipline, emphasizing that shooters should only fire when the target is truly exposed from behind cover, rather than dumping rounds through concealment. They contrast this with a tongue-in-cheek reference to an “FBI-style” approach of shooting through barriers, reinforcing that the TOAST system rewards patience and precise timing over blind aggression.
The TOAST software’s more advanced motion options are showcased next, including a new “peek” behavior where only a small portion of the target—such as a head—briefly appears for a fraction of a second before disappearing. The instructors increase the target speed to around 70% and shorten both exposure and cover intervals, making the rifle drill significantly harder than the earlier pistol work. They also mention YouTube magazine capacity guidelines while loading, underscoring that the drill is still demanding despite content restrictions. During the run, shooters struggle with mechanical offset, especially at closer distances where the red dot’s point of aim sits above the actual point of impact. The brief exposures and fast lateral movement force them to refine their holds and timing to land effective hits on the moving cardboard silhouettes.
Reviewing hits on a plywood-backed target, the shooters point out that their red dots never visually touched the plywood, yet impacts clearly show how mechanical offset affected where rounds landed. Keyholes and tight double impacts reveal moments of good tracking, while misses illustrate how easy it is to misjudge holdover on a fast-moving threat. The group discusses how the TOAST system is ideal for shoot/no-shoot decision-making, especially for officers who must wait until a suspect fully presents before engaging. They suggest a dedicated “peep shot” mode for snipers and air units, where only small target areas appear briefly. Running the system at maximum speed with no pauses, they find the offset problem even more pronounced, acknowledging that the drill is both humbling and highly enjoyable as a training challenge.
The shooters then explore more complex applications by stacking targets and setting up a hostage scenario. One target is labeled as the hostage and another as the hostage taker, with the bad guy moving in and out from behind the hostage as the TOAST system cycles. The objective is to hit the moving threat without striking the hostage, forcing precise timing, offset awareness, and strict shoot/no-shoot discipline. After running the drill, they inspect the targets and find multiple hits on the hostage, joking about shoulder wounds and referencing the movie Speed to downplay the “injuries.” The conversation turns to humorous talk about lawsuits and payout amounts per accidental hostage hit, but underneath the jokes they emphasize that this kind of scenario-based training is exactly where the TOAST Mini shines as a realistic, consequence-focused tool.
Toward the end of the session, the instructors design a highly advanced, speed-focused drill built around the TOAST system’s full-speed capabilities. They plan a 90-round rifle exercise involving multiple magazine changes, with targets popping out left, right, and overhead at maximum speed to create three distinct engagement points per shooter. The instructions are simple but punishing: mag dump through three rifle magazines while keeping up with the rapidly appearing and disappearing targets. This setup pushes shooters into a stress environment that mimics chaotic engagements, demanding rapid target acquisition, recoil control, and efficient reloads. The drill highlights how the TOAST Mini can be scaled from basic timing exercises to complex, high-round-count evolutions that test both marksmanship and weapon-handling under pressure.
During the advanced drill, one shooter experiences a serious rifle malfunction where the gun will not fire and cannot even be placed on safe. Treating it as a dead primary weapon, he immediately transitions to his sidearm and continues engaging the moving targets, demonstrating proper response under stress. After the drill, the team disassembles the rifle to diagnose the issue and discovers a blown primer lodged under the safety, preventing normal operation. They clarify that the malfunction was caused by bad ammunition rather than any defect in the ADM-built rifle or its Geissele-style trigger components. Clearing the problem requires prying the primer out from under the safety, reinforcing the importance of understanding mechanical failures and maintaining composure when equipment issues arise in the middle of demanding drills.
In the closing discussion, the shooters reflect on how the TOAST Targets system creates genuine stress inoculation by forcing rapid reactions to targets that appear for only fractions of a second. They reference average human reaction times in the 0.15–0.3 second range and explain how easy it is to fall into “catch-up mode” when targets are already disappearing as the brain decides to shoot. One shooter notes having 16 pistol rounds during a transition and wonders how many actually connected on the fast-moving silhouettes, describing the experience as both challenging and game-like. Jordan explains that TOAST Targets is a young company and actively seeks user feedback to refine motion profiles, features, and training modes. He provides contact channels, including toastargets.com, email, phone number, and their Instagram handle, inviting shooters and agencies to reach out.
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