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Dry Practice
- Thread starter M.Nastek
- Start date
I have snap caps in every caliber I own, I really like the aluminum version - they seem to hold up better than the red plastic ones.
http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0003671223846a.shtml
I load a few in the magazine, get a feel for racking the slide, dry fire, practice clearing a round. No real science to it.
http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0003671223846a.shtml
I load a few in the magazine, get a feel for racking the slide, dry fire, practice clearing a round. No real science to it.
JimConway
Instructor
I ran a class where two of the shooters were having problems with accuracy. I had them dry fire ten times and then live fire ten times. For both live and dry fire i had them calling their shots. By "calling their shots", I mean that each time the hammer went down, they said high right, low left etc. It was amazing to watch. Within about 40 minutes their accuracy had improved dramatically.
BTW, except for rimfire cartridges, there is absolutely no need for snap caps
BTW, except for rimfire cartridges, there is absolutely no need for snap caps
I dry practice by wearing a raincoat
I find a show I don't like and dry fire at the TV.
i practice dry firing at the doorknob in my living room. i try to stay within the knob w/ the sights while dry-firing double and single action. I also try dry-firing three or four trigger pulls at a time and it's interesting 'cause the first one is always the worst! So I keep doing it until the first "shot" a few times in a row is on target...
I'm new to target shooting so i'll see if this pays off.
I'm new to target shooting so i'll see if this pays off.
I dry fire my pistol at least every other day. Load an empty magazine, draw, present and fire in DA mode (SIG 239) x10 concentrating on being smooth and the sights not moving through the trigger pull. Then I do 10 more in SA mode from a low ready position.
No need for snap caps in that 642... Click away!
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- May 1, 2009
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I seem to suffer from anticipation with my 686 using .357 mag loads - not so with .38s. How can I get over the hesitation right before boom?
Try loading two rounds and then spinning the cylinder before you close it so you don't know where they are. I found I had to leave fired cases in the other chambers so I didn't cheat by looking for the case heads.
I dry fire with an empty gun (no snap caps or anything, unless practicing malfunctions). I dry practice just bout everything, jams, trigger presses, drawing from concealed holster and room clearing. also started practicing off hand and one arm damaged drills. I try to do them at least 3 times a week but watching a horrible movie gives me incentive to practice while aiming at the tv, lol.
overall it helps my speed imencly and has improved my draw times aswell as my trigger presses greatly. front sight dry practice drills were a great addition to my normal routine
overall it helps my speed imencly and has improved my draw times aswell as my trigger presses greatly. front sight dry practice drills were a great addition to my normal routine
JRyan,
I have the 442 and I had problems with flinching also. Try to dry fire and just pull that trigger on the 642 until you feel a click in the trigger or hear a click. Now all you have to do is aim and pull the final 1/16 to 1/8 inch on the trigger and that should help your flinching. Give that a try, it helped me a lot with accuracy on target.
Seamsealer
any of you ever have a snapcap get lodged in the barrel of a 1911? Had it happen 3 times.
I dry fire almost every day while watching TV. During commercials I stand up and shoot at bullseyes I have stuck on my bedroom wall. I have several at different heights and angles.
It works good unless my wife is in the bathroom where she can hear my gun going click, click, click, because she knows one of the bullseyes is on the wall opposite the bathroom.
It works good unless my wife is in the bathroom where she can hear my gun going click, click, click, because she knows one of the bullseyes is on the wall opposite the bathroom.
Shoot more .38. Shoot medium speed full weight .357s (158 grain) at the end of shooting. Don't shoot a lot. Each trip to the range add a few more .357s to the end of you routine. Make sure you have enough ear protection. Double up with ear plugs and headphones. The bang is worse than the bite of the .357 Once you stop the noise, and shoot more, I'm pretty sure you will be ok.
like you had to jam a pencil down the barrel to get it out? my friend has run into the problem of the snapcap not ejecting and staying in the barrel but will come out if tipped upside down
Mine gets wedged in tight where i can only push it out cant shake it. Wonder if I should get different snap caps . I'm using Pachmeyer plastic ones
I use a variation of the technique Jeff suggested for new shooters. I start them off shooting a cylinder of .38 special with one or two empty chambers. When they're hitting consistently with that, I'll replace one of the .38s with a .357. Then as long as they're hitting consistently with all rounds, I'll keep replacing .38s with .357s one at a time until they've only got .357s. I try to always keep one empty chamber for myself to minimize my anticipation.
You can achieve the same effect in a semi-auto by loading one or two dummy rounds at random in one of your magazines before heading to the range. This has the additional advantage of letting you practice some failure drills.
Ken
Number 6
NES Member
So people seem to consistently agree...dry firing is ok? Even in striker fired pistols?
Are there any pistols dry firing is NOT ok? Someone mentioned rim fire, but I specifically read in the Ruger MK III and single six manuals dry firing IS OK.
Number 6
Are there any pistols dry firing is NOT ok? Someone mentioned rim fire, but I specifically read in the Ruger MK III and single six manuals dry firing IS OK.
Number 6
M
M'Head
Dry-practice
I dry practice a lot. Overseas it's frequently the only firearms training I can get due to the unavailability of ranges, or the difficulty getting to them. Stateside, it's the only daily firearms regimen I can afford. First, my rules (not saying you have to abide by these, but you may if you like):
1. NO AMMUNITION IN THE SAME ROOM! I clear out my weapon, check my magazine pouches, and remove all ammunition to another room. Be paranoid.
2. I put up a target (1/6 scale IPSC target). I put it up ONLY after I've cleared my weapon and removed all ammunition from my dry practice area. I put it up on my ballistic vest (if overseas) or in my basement against an external wall (where will the bullet go if I screw up, especially if my family/co-workers are milling around).
3. I wear what I wear when I'm carrying. If I'm OCONUS, I wear work clothing, boots, gunbelt, vest. When CONUS I wear pants/shorts, concealment holster, and cover garment. Train like you'll fight.
4.. I devote half an hour to dry-practice and dry-practice only. No TV, no dog, no wife - dry-practice. I don't view this as something that is necessarily fun, though I don't really mind it, but it is training, and I take it deadly seriously. Total concentration for half an hour. I find that much more than that and I start to fail to pay attention to small details.
5. When I'm finished, I take down the target (BEFORE RELOADING), and verbally, audibly state, "no more dry-practice. My weapon is now hot."
Now that that's out of the way, the actual regimen:
Set 1: Presentation 5x. I begin presenting from holster, going through each step painfully slowly. Fundamentals I focus on are high, firm grip, smooth draw, BOTH eyes open and on target, transitioning trigger finger to the trigger as I complete step 3, picking up the front sight in my periphery then shifting focus as I press onto target.
Re-holster sequence: With weapon at step 3 (both hands gripping, weapon drawn in toward chest, muzzle oriented toward last known threat) search and assess (left, right, and rear), press check my weapon, then re-holster. This exact sequence is done after every drill, or whenever I need to re-holster.
Set 2: Trigger Control 10x. Present from holster, and press one "shot", , working to full speed presentation and "shot", re-acquire/maintain sight picture, and perform re-holster sequence.. Fundamentals I focus on are front sight, BOTH eyes open, trigger control (read: surprise break), and follow-through.
Set 3: Trigger Reset 10x. Present from holster at (or near) full spead and press one "shot". I hold the trigger to the rear while my support hand pulls back the slide enough to reset the trigger, but not enough to eject my snap cap. I reacquire my grip with the support hand, then release my trigger finger to trigger reset before firing a follow up "shot". Perform re-holster sequence. Fundamentals I focus on: flash sight picture, BOTH eyes open, trigger control, and of course, where the trigger resets.
Set 4: The speed/combat/emergency reload 5x. Holster pistol with slide locked to the rear, empty magazine inserted. Present as normal (or as close to normal as possible, simulate pressing a "shot", then go into the speed reload sequence. Follow up with a "shot" on target, and a trigger reset drill if you're ambitious, then perform the re-holster sequence. Things I try to focus on here are not bending over to pick up the magazine at the completion of each drill. I get around this by having several in my back pocket that get rotated to the magazine pouch.
Set 5: Malfunctions 3x. These can be time-consuming to set up and they're boring, but they're also extremely important. To avoid getting burned out, I work on one each day.
First, the FTF - click when you expect a bang. Tap, rack, re-assess. Set this up by having an empty chamber, and at least one snap cap in the magazine. Press your "shot", tap the base of the magazine, rack the slide, re-acquire a firing grip, and reassess the need for deadly force. Perform re-holster sequence.
Next, the "stove pipe". Place a snap cap in the chamber, then pull the slide back enough to set a snap cap in your gun simulating a stove piped brass. Perform your preferred clearance technique. Follow through, then perform the re-holster sequence.
Finally, the infamous FTE or double feed. Lock your slide to the rear and drop a snap-cap in the chamber. Insert a magazine, and slowly ride the slide home. Holster, present as normal, then clear the malfuction with the technique of your choice. Follow through and perform the re-holster sequence.
Set 6: Strong hand only/support hand only presentation and single shot 3x each. Know how to get to your weapon with both hands, independently of one another! One might be all you have.
Set 7: Presentation and single shot 5x. The last drill is essentially a repeat of Set 1, but with a single shot thrown in at the end. I like to slow down at the end, ensure my presentation is smooth, and reinforce the fundamentals.
A quick word on the "press check": Some debate the merits of checking your chamber for brass after each drill. It works for me, and here's why: when live-firing, I like to know that my weapon is in firing condition before re-holstering - round in the chamber, slide in battery, nothing outside my weapon that's supposed to be inside, nothing inside my weapon that's supposed to be outside. And, of course, a round in the chamber. When dry-practicing, it reinforces that technique, and, quite necessarily, it resets the trigger (at least on Glocks) so I don't have to do it in a separate, administrative motion.
I know this was long and maybe a little rant-ish, but I hold dry-practice in high esteem because of its ease of employment, and the level of proficiency it builds.
I dry practice a lot. Overseas it's frequently the only firearms training I can get due to the unavailability of ranges, or the difficulty getting to them. Stateside, it's the only daily firearms regimen I can afford. First, my rules (not saying you have to abide by these, but you may if you like):
1. NO AMMUNITION IN THE SAME ROOM! I clear out my weapon, check my magazine pouches, and remove all ammunition to another room. Be paranoid.
2. I put up a target (1/6 scale IPSC target). I put it up ONLY after I've cleared my weapon and removed all ammunition from my dry practice area. I put it up on my ballistic vest (if overseas) or in my basement against an external wall (where will the bullet go if I screw up, especially if my family/co-workers are milling around).
3. I wear what I wear when I'm carrying. If I'm OCONUS, I wear work clothing, boots, gunbelt, vest. When CONUS I wear pants/shorts, concealment holster, and cover garment. Train like you'll fight.
4.. I devote half an hour to dry-practice and dry-practice only. No TV, no dog, no wife - dry-practice. I don't view this as something that is necessarily fun, though I don't really mind it, but it is training, and I take it deadly seriously. Total concentration for half an hour. I find that much more than that and I start to fail to pay attention to small details.
5. When I'm finished, I take down the target (BEFORE RELOADING), and verbally, audibly state, "no more dry-practice. My weapon is now hot."
Now that that's out of the way, the actual regimen:
Set 1: Presentation 5x. I begin presenting from holster, going through each step painfully slowly. Fundamentals I focus on are high, firm grip, smooth draw, BOTH eyes open and on target, transitioning trigger finger to the trigger as I complete step 3, picking up the front sight in my periphery then shifting focus as I press onto target.
Re-holster sequence: With weapon at step 3 (both hands gripping, weapon drawn in toward chest, muzzle oriented toward last known threat) search and assess (left, right, and rear), press check my weapon, then re-holster. This exact sequence is done after every drill, or whenever I need to re-holster.
Set 2: Trigger Control 10x. Present from holster, and press one "shot", , working to full speed presentation and "shot", re-acquire/maintain sight picture, and perform re-holster sequence.. Fundamentals I focus on are front sight, BOTH eyes open, trigger control (read: surprise break), and follow-through.
Set 3: Trigger Reset 10x. Present from holster at (or near) full spead and press one "shot". I hold the trigger to the rear while my support hand pulls back the slide enough to reset the trigger, but not enough to eject my snap cap. I reacquire my grip with the support hand, then release my trigger finger to trigger reset before firing a follow up "shot". Perform re-holster sequence. Fundamentals I focus on: flash sight picture, BOTH eyes open, trigger control, and of course, where the trigger resets.
Set 4: The speed/combat/emergency reload 5x. Holster pistol with slide locked to the rear, empty magazine inserted. Present as normal (or as close to normal as possible, simulate pressing a "shot", then go into the speed reload sequence. Follow up with a "shot" on target, and a trigger reset drill if you're ambitious, then perform the re-holster sequence. Things I try to focus on here are not bending over to pick up the magazine at the completion of each drill. I get around this by having several in my back pocket that get rotated to the magazine pouch.
Set 5: Malfunctions 3x. These can be time-consuming to set up and they're boring, but they're also extremely important. To avoid getting burned out, I work on one each day.
First, the FTF - click when you expect a bang. Tap, rack, re-assess. Set this up by having an empty chamber, and at least one snap cap in the magazine. Press your "shot", tap the base of the magazine, rack the slide, re-acquire a firing grip, and reassess the need for deadly force. Perform re-holster sequence.
Next, the "stove pipe". Place a snap cap in the chamber, then pull the slide back enough to set a snap cap in your gun simulating a stove piped brass. Perform your preferred clearance technique. Follow through, then perform the re-holster sequence.
Finally, the infamous FTE or double feed. Lock your slide to the rear and drop a snap-cap in the chamber. Insert a magazine, and slowly ride the slide home. Holster, present as normal, then clear the malfuction with the technique of your choice. Follow through and perform the re-holster sequence.
Set 6: Strong hand only/support hand only presentation and single shot 3x each. Know how to get to your weapon with both hands, independently of one another! One might be all you have.
Set 7: Presentation and single shot 5x. The last drill is essentially a repeat of Set 1, but with a single shot thrown in at the end. I like to slow down at the end, ensure my presentation is smooth, and reinforce the fundamentals.
A quick word on the "press check": Some debate the merits of checking your chamber for brass after each drill. It works for me, and here's why: when live-firing, I like to know that my weapon is in firing condition before re-holstering - round in the chamber, slide in battery, nothing outside my weapon that's supposed to be inside, nothing inside my weapon that's supposed to be outside. And, of course, a round in the chamber. When dry-practicing, it reinforces that technique, and, quite necessarily, it resets the trigger (at least on Glocks) so I don't have to do it in a separate, administrative motion.
I know this was long and maybe a little rant-ish, but I hold dry-practice in high esteem because of its ease of employment, and the level of proficiency it builds.
Last edited by a moderator:
That's a good practice routine.
you should add
movement drill, both in or out of a box
transistions on multiple targets, narrow and wide
shooting on the move
shooting around barricade or doors
The only thing that can not be practice while dry firing is recoil control
you should add
movement drill, both in or out of a box
transistions on multiple targets, narrow and wide
shooting on the move
shooting around barricade or doors
The only thing that can not be practice while dry firing is recoil control
M
M'Head
Thanks. I agree that the above is not fully comprehensive. That's my basic/standard routine, and I add to it as needed.
Once a week I'll do the entire routine with only one hand (strong or weak, alternating the next week) - reloads, malfunctions, the whole nine. When I'm OCONUS I do it all with a rifle, all the time, working similar routine with the M4, then doing the pistol portion while transitioning. I do moving (forward, backward, diagonally, and laterally) once or twice or so, too. Since barricades is worked into to my tactics (as opposed to marksmanship) routine, I practice them there rather than during dry practice. To be totally honest with you I don't know what the "movement in or out of the box" is. Can you elaborate? I'm always looking to try something new.
One thing to add to my previous post: if you get bored dry-practicing, read Jeff Cooper's Principles of Personal Defense. It always motivates me to keep at it.
I am a USPSA shooter and we have boxes that dictate shooting positions, but it's similar to getting off the X and entering into shooting positions. I make a box on the floor with tape, practice leaving while drawing, leaving while shooting and leaving to shoot in another position.
For entering, I practice keeping the gun up and and ready to shoot as soon as I enter into the box, practice entering, shooting, then leaving. I also make ports to shoot through. Basically anything I have seen at a match, I can practice in my house. I have mini ipsc paper, mini plate racks, mini poppers, swingers.
All of the practice above can be modified to to fit your type of shooting, think of what you encounter and duplicate it in dry fire
That's about it.
