Face it: ammunition is expensive, but trigger time is important. So, how do you keep your skills sharp without burning through inordinate amounts of ammunition? The answer is simple. Dry fire. With dry fire skills, you can work on everything from draw stroke to trigger control, and all without leaving the house. Here’s how to do it, and why it’s a must.
Dry Fire – What
Dry fire is a valuable training tool that involves honing your gun skills without live ammunition. That means you’re practicing some skill—and probably pulling the trigger—either with an empty gun or while utilizing dummy rounds or other tools that fit into the chamber of your handgun (more on that later). Most modern firearms can be safely dry-fired without concern for deforming or damaging the firing pin or other parts, so don’t try to use that as an excuse. If you’re unsure, check out the manual for your gun or contact the manufacturer. But whatever else you do, don’t use it as an unfounded excuse.
Dry Fire – How
The first step in dry fire practice is creating a safe space. Just because you’re not using live ammo doesn’t mean you can ignore the rules of safety. You need a safe direction in which to aim your gun and a good backstop, because accidents happen. None of us is so perfect that we’d never have an accident, and it’s always wise to take precautions. Some people utilize ballistic panels stacked on a shelf or a column of heavy books for their backstop. Others have a basement that’s below ground level that serves as the perfect dry fire space. Choose your space, then make it safe as necessary.
No Live Rounds!
It’s a good idea not to allow live rounds in the area where you practice dry fire. That isn’t always practical, but if you can manage it, keep all live rounds well away from the space where you’re dry-firing. If you’re using snap caps, dummy rounds, or some other training aid, make sure it’s extremely clear what the object is for and that it’s stored in your designated dry fire spot.
Side note: Don’t confuse snap caps and dummy rounds. Snap caps are specifically designed for dry fire, which involves pulling the trigger while dummy rounds are also inert but better suited to loading, unloading, and failure drills.
When it’s time to dry fire, you first need to clear your gun. That goes for guns you believe are empty, too. Remember, we always assume guns are loaded. Drop the magazine—or swing open the cylinder—and remove the ammo. If you have a semi-auto, don’t forget to empty the chamber after the magazine’s been dropped. For all guns, take the time to check the chamber(s) both visually and by touch. Don’t skip this step. You might be surprised how easy it is to miss a live round sitting in the chamber of your gun. When that’s done, move the live rounds out of your training space. If you need to reuse the magazine for dry fire, empty it out methodically and put the ammo somewhere else.
Skills Drills
Many common drills can also be done during dry fire practice. Some are more popular than others, and what it comes down to is what skill you’re trying to work on. Perhaps the simplest drill is placing a coin on the front sight—or the top of the slide—of your gun. The goal is for the coin to stay put even as you pull the trigger. It might seem tedious, but it’s a good way to work on trigger control. Spent brass can also be used as the balancing object, and it does present a bit more of a challenge than a flat coin.
Shaving seconds—or fractions of a second—off draw time is another way dry it is useful. Wear the holster you need to work with rather than the holster that’s easy. This means if you’re carrying AIWB, you’re doing dry fire draw stroke practice AIWB. An OWB holster isn’t going to count for much unless OWB is how you carry. Of course, if you’re going to be shooting a match, OWB could be perfect. It is a matter of personal needs. When you’re working on draw stroke, don’t just draw the gun and aim it randomly into space. Choose an aiming point—always in a safe direction—and use it. Everything you do should have a purpose.
Also, keep in mind that dry fire isn’t only for handguns. Many clay and trap shooters find it useful for practicing shouldering shotguns. Doing that in front of a mirror can be helpful to keep an eye on form, too. And while it might be a bit more complex, you can also work on transitions from rifle to handgun—and vice versa—during dry fire.
Dry Fire – Why
Even if ammunition weren’t expensive, dry fire would be worth it. It allows you to work on shooting skills at home. There’s no packing for a trip to the range, let alone driving there and then back home. It also effectively removes whatever excuse you might have for skipping practice.
Indeed, dry fire cannot mimic the recoil and muzzle rise of live fire, but that doesn’t negate its usefulness. Skills acquired during dry fire directly transfer to your live fire time. There’s no reason not to incorporate it into your gun time.
READ MORE HERE: Comprehensive Guide to Handgun Types
Aside from snap caps, which are fairly self-explanatory, there are other dry fire tools you can utilize. Tools range from lasers that fit into the chamber of your handgun to devices that mount to the accessory rail of your gun. Some work with special targets to record data, while others sync with your smartphone through an app. There are now numerous ways to enhance dry fire training and track results in real time. Tools like the MantisX can also be used during live fire, giving you the ability to monitor your training at all times. It’s also okay to not use any tools at all, but to simply run your gun empty.
Take a look at the MantisX here.
Find dummy rounds here and snap caps here.
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