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Safe and Effective Dry-Fire Training at Home [Guide]

Do you feel like a gunfight is likely to hinge on what you gained in dry fire practice? Just curious.

Personally, I will dry fire a gun a few times when first take it out of the box. I will dry fire it as required in cleaning or storage but the rest of my trigger time has always been life fire training. I dont feel that I am missing anything and I certainly have not encountered any problems as a result of an absence of dry firing.

I doubt I would ever win any bullseye contest but that is not really what I am going for.
 
KASHIRA-3 said:
Do you feel like a gunfight is likely to hinge on what you gained in dry fire practice? Just curious.

Personally, I will dry fire a gun a few times when first take it out of the box. I will dry fire it as required in cleaning or storage but the rest of my trigger time has always been life fire training. I dont feel that I am missing anything and I certainly have not encountered any problems as a result of an absence of dry firing.

I doubt I would ever win any bullseye contest but that is not really what I am
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It was better than sitting around watching tv...

And it certainly does not hurt, trigger control is trigger control, especially da revolver trigger manipulation, drawing and getting a sight picture and using the trigger. Won't beat live fire but it certainly won't hurt.
 
KASHIRA-3 said:
Do you feel like a gunfight is likely to hinge on what you gained in dry fire practice? Just curious.

Personally, I will dry fire a gun a few times when first take it out of the box. I will dry fire it as required in cleaning or storage but the rest of my trigger time has always been life fire training. I dont feel that I am missing anything and I certainly have not encountered any problems as a result of an absence of dry firing.

I doubt I would ever win any bullseye contest but that is not really what I am going for.
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That depends on how often you shoot. Post covid I shoot a lot less than normal. I don't do a lot of dryfire practice, but I do a lot of repetitive drawing from concealment with 4 different carry guns. I go through all the motions except pulling the trigger and frankly if I had snap caps or laser cartridges I would follow through with the "shot" simply because it instantly gives you feedback as to your trigger control. After you "Shoot" are you still on target ?

But pre-covid I shot enough that I didn't feel the need to dryfire.
 
Dry fire! Dry fire! Dry fire!, is the most used suggestion for recruits when I taught firearms at the local police academy. Dry firing is both economical and effective in getting down the muscle memory needed to accurately use firearms. Trigger time on the firing line is essential but when you can't proper dry firing will keep you sharp.

While dry firing you can go through a mental checklist. Do I have the stance I want? Do I have the proper grip? is my strong hand extended and my weak hand supporting the weapon? Are my sights properly aligned? Keeping my sights aligned now I need to press the trigger until the gun fires. Then recheck my sights in case I need a follow up shot. If you do all this dry firing when the SHTF you will automatically do this and you will have the muscle memory to do it properly.
Just my 2 cents. :)
 
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That all sounds great but I do not dry fire and manage to do all of that now. I do just fine in force on force, dynamic training and static practice. At once every 3 months, I probably train less than anyone here.

I accept that dry firing can be a positive thing but I also believe that dry firing is something that quickly meets that point of diminished returns.

Putting a key in the ignition might be important in an emergency but I do not sit in my driveway practicing the task. A person could probably describe all sorts of trained habit action or muscle memory which could be associated with putting a key in the ignition. One might even suggest that a person should be able to do it blindfolded or whatever. Still, I think we must keep things in proper perspective. My original query was merely an attempt to gauge how much someone thinks they are actually achieving and how much it will likely matter when it comes to self defense.

To me, its not likely to ever matter enough to sit around dry firing a gun. Sure, pulling the trigger on a gun is something you need to understand and I do not argue that a person should probably be familiar with the specific nuances of their weapon. That said, my pistol crapped out one weekend and I completed a pistol class with a pistol borrowed from an instructor. I never shot the gun( a sig) before and slapped the hell out of the trigger plenty. I did just fine but I felt like the trigger reach was a little more than I care for. I doubt I would have been much better with my own gun.

If someone is looking to be a bullseye shooter or intends to participate in some sort of comp, maybe dry firing might be there gig. Speaking just for myself, a person who carried a gun for self defense.. its not really something that appeals to me. When I see these threads I do often ask to that I might get a consensus on what people are actually expecting to achieve and for what purpose. Thanks for the reponses.
 
So you disagree with the statement that shooting well is a perishable skill or that training is not effective unless you take it home and practice it? Muscle memory is not a thing?

It occurs to me that you may be specifically referring to dryfire and not practicing or training in general. I think most people dryfire when they can't get to the range to train or practice as often as they would like or should.
 
Bassbob said:
So you disagree with the statement that shooting well is a perishable skill or that training is not effective unless you take it home and practice it? Muscle memory is not a thing?
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I think that in a literal sense, of course it is a perishable skill. Riding a bike is a perishable skill and so are many other things. That said, I think that much of what is attributed to shooting as a perishable skill is a little dramatic. When a fraction of a second counts or when a millimeter counts, sure.. its perishable. I think those numbers can likely grow a little as time goes on, I dont argue that. Do I think that I may become bumbling or deficient if I do not shoot for 6 months or 12 months or if I do not sit around my home dry firing a handgun? NOPE, I dont.

When it comes to the difference between being victorious in a lawful self defense action ( or not), I do not think it will likely hinge on what you may have lost from not shooting for 6 month, 12 months or whatever Could it? Sure. Should a person train? Yep, I think so.

I went nearly 7 years without shooting my AR and guess what.. I ran a local run and gun out to about 150 yards and I didnt flub anything. Was I as good as when I was shooting AR's every weekend? Probably not, did I forget or become bumbling in nearly 7 years of not shooting the rifle?

I havent ridden a bicycle in 40 years but I am sure I can get on one right now and ride it just fine. Its a perishable skill but how perishable is the question ( and will the level if diminished skill likely matter).



Bassbob said:
Muscle memory is not a thing?
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I believe that what people commonly refer to as muscle memory, is real. Personally, I think that I can thoughtfully and purposefully pull a trigger in a proficient manner based on my having done it plenty of times in life fire and from what I know and understand of trigger mechanisms. At least to the degree that I am seeking and not someone pursuing bullseyes or sharpshooting endeavors.

As I said, I am not trying to talk anyone out of doing it and I dont necessarily consider it a bad thing. I am just not convinced that it is what I need to do in my specific circumstance. I may change my mind at some point and I do ask these questions out of a merited interest in the Reponses.

I am a proponent of training and I feel that people should train. I am just not so concerned that I am going to lose something if I dont sit around my house pulling a trigger on a snap cap. Others might feel different and that is fine.

good luck and train safe
 
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Bassbob said:
So you disagree with the statement that shooting well is a perishable skill or that training is not effective unless you take it home and practice it? Muscle memory is not a thing?

It occurs to me that you may be specifically referring to dryfire and not practicing or training in general. I think most people dryfire when they can't get to the range to train or practice as often as they would like or should.
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Agreed. Training is important whether shooting, swimming, riding a bike, digging ditches or whatever. In many cases as people get older, the mind may be willing, but the body isn't quite ready for something it hasn't done in a while and sometimes will let a person know with various aches and pains. To me, regular training or refreshing it is and should be considered important because it refreshes both the body and the mind behind it.
 
I think that without somewhat regularly practicing it, drawing smoothly and efficiently from concealment could easily be something you flub up. When you are in the midst of a threat your reaction is going to be to get your gun out and up as soon as possible. If you don't have it ingrained in muscle memory to sweep the garment, rotate the gun immediately upon pulling it out of the holster and raising it up to your other hand in front of your face, in a smooth and timely manner, all sorts of things could happen. You could get tangled in your shirt, drop your gun, end up with a terrible sight picture because you F'ed up your grip straight off the draw, etc... Does that guarantee you're gonna die ? No, but it isn't helping anything. I think all proficient gunfighters have one thing in common. They train hard and often. What that training entails personal choice and is open to interpretation.

Demo Dick Marcincko, Frogman of the Delta, UDT original and founder and leader of Seal Team 6 made his Seals shoot every day, run every day, swim every day. There's a reason for that. Do us mere mortals need to train like that? Need to be the best? Elite? No, but some of us strive to become as close as we can. Not because we think it's necessary, but because we enjoy it, we enjoy pushing ourselves to be the best we can be and because we want to be as prepared as we can for something that most likely will never happen anyway.
 
BobM said:
Agreed. Training is important whether shooting, swimming, riding a bike, digging ditches or whatever.
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I dont think anyone is suggesting that training is not important. Pulling a trigger is a minor nuance, not rocket science. Sure, you probably shouldnt be a stranger but plenty of people seem to manage while having received no training at all. I have always been a proponent of training and training certainly helps. I simply question how much benefit you are receiving from sitting around your living room pulling a trigger. I question whether or not what you do gain ( if anything), is actually likely to matter in a self defense encounter. I question this simply because so many people seemingly tout the practice and are a personal champions of dry firing. I dont get it but I am open to being educated.

If someone wants to do it .. I have no beef with them. I am simply asking the question.

Much of this (dry fire) as with so many other things related gun handling ( press checks, overly robotic draw strokes.. yadda yadda), I feel that a good many people simply want to do it, are entertained by it, like it and perhaps manifest some positive "vibes" by simply doing something. Naturally I would expect there to be a desire and want for any efforts made by an individual to be deemed relevant.

I am no expert but simply wanting and desiring something to be relevant, productive and worth the effort, begs qualification. If someone wants to say that they are endeavoring to be an elite shooter who measures their skill in millimeters and milliseconds, I completely understand why they would spend alot of time mastering a trigger pull. As a guy who simply wants to carry a gun to mitigate the potential for falling prey to a deadly threat in public, I dont think this practice of dry firing is for me. I dont ride a reset ( never have) and I generally slap the trigger. I started out with revolvers and my trigger method has not changed. I slap away.. slap the heck out of it and have experienced no problems. I carry a single action pistol, one that notoriously has a poor trigger and I have never experienced one issue or problem in training, practice or practical skill exhibition. I am familiar with most triggers and I just pull it. If training and practice is pursued, I will carry out those pursuits on the training field, not in my living room.

This is just my personal sentiment based on my on circumstances and situations. I accept that these things vary widely from person to person and from place to place.
 
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The idea of the "Overly robotic" drawstroke as you put it is efficiency and accuracy. The fastest route to someplace is a straight line. And training your body to have your gun resting on target as quickly as possible, along with smooth trigger press and follow through without having to think about it is the pinnacle of mechanics as far as concealed carry goes. Yeah, it's probably not necessary because A) you are very unlikely to ever need to shoot someone and B) there's at least a fair chance if you do that the person who is the threat is an idiot. But when the time comes you will have to rely on your training because you aren't going to have time to think about your reaction, trust me.
 
Bassbob said:
The idea of the "Overly robotic" drawstroke as you put it is efficiency and accuracy
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ok Brother.. people can do what they want but I will simply move the weapon forward as soon as clearance allows and onto its natural presentation point without bringing it high and pushing it out. I also will not suck it instantaneously back to high chest after each volley of shots.
 
Thanks for the link, @Annihilator - I thought it was a well-written and remarkably comprehensive piece. :)

For others interested in dry-fire, Annette Evans' "The Dry Fire Primer" and Claude Werner's "The Tactical Professor" blog (which has an archive retrieval search function for "dryfire" - https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/category/dryfire/ ) are two other excellent resources.

As with any other training tool, there are some who believe more/less than its effectiveness.

Ken Hackathorn suggests that dry-fire is most helpful to novices and beginners while Robert Vogel openly confesses to putting in at least twice as many rounds of dry-fire as he live-fires after each competition, specifically so that he can work to eliminate any bad habits he may have picked up while live-firing under the stresses of competition.

It's really no different than similar individuals' views on sub-caliber training, airsoft cross-training, etc.

Find what works best for you, and understand the compromises that your chosen training method(s) entail.

For me, I typically dry-"draw/holster" a few times immediately before I arm/disarm for the day. This gives me daily practice that refreshes those important "muscle memory" pathways, and also accumulates quite quickly over time. In terms of dry-fire practice, I actually use my training/practice-gun which I keep clear after classes and range sessions (and re-check prior to each dry-fire session), but I do confess to not doing enough of it (this includes with the AR, too). :oops: That said, when I do keep in-practice through dry-fire, I find that my overall marksmanship is a lot better, and my weapons-manipulations smoother.

As to where to draw that line between practice and, er, obsession :p?

I think that this will differ for each individual involved. Our unique goals are not necessarily the same, and similarly, our individual experiences and innate talents/shortcomings are also different.

What I consider to be more important or needs more routine reinforcement may or may not mesh with that of any other shooter.
 
KASHIRA-3 said:
ok Brother.. people can do what they want but I will simply move the weapon forward as soon as clearance allows and onto its natural presentation point without bringing it high and pushing it out. I also will not suck it instantaneously back to high chest after each volley of shots.
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Brother, isn't it's natural presentation point eye level? And aren't your arms extended when you're in your shooting stance? You don't bring the gun up close to your chest and then push it out, you bring your gun up to your weak hand and then extend it to your natural shooting stance.

Think about it like this. If you're just standing there and a box falls off a shelf and is heading towards you how does your body naturally react? Your weak side leg moves slightly out and forward, you bend your knees in preparation for the weight and your hands go up. Your body naturally does this. The only thing you are changing is that you are drawing a pistol with your strong hand and bringing it up to your weak hand in a proper shooting grip. Utilizing your natural reaction is minimization of movement. Efficiency leads to accuracy.
 
For me, dry firing is an easy way to get "gun time", simply.
I think kashira, your focusing on the trigger pull aspect of dry fire. Which, In the literal sense, that's what it is. But in my instance, the loading ,reloading, grip, sight picture, and stance are the other benefits of dry fire.
I don't train like these guys on here, I don't get to the range as much as I like, and pistol shooting is not as intuitive as long guns IMO. So anything/anytime I can handle my weapon is time well spent.
 
My friend who I took with me to that class on the 10th, bought that iTarget Pro laser system. He loves it. His wife and kids love it. It's an excellent way to do draw from concealment, trigger control and reload drills without using precious ammo. Also a good way to help beginners safely work on fundamentals.

www.itargetpro.com

iTargetPro (Laser Firearm Training System) Shoot Your Gun in the House

iTarget allows you to practice dry fire training with an actual firearm by using the iTarget Pro app and a laser bullet. Safe, Fun and Effective Training. Firearm training at home using a laser bullet and a phone app. Save on ammo while developing better marksmanship. The best laser training...
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Or it's successor.

g-sight.com

Laser Dry Fire Training System by G-Sight Solutions

World Leader Laser Dry Fire Training Cartridges and Systems Supplier
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Bassbob said:
Brother, isn't it's natural presentation point eye level? And aren't your arms extended when you're in your shooting stance? You don't bring the gun up close to your chest and then push it out, you bring your gun up to your weak hand and then extend it to your natural shooting stance.

Think about it like this. If you're just standing there and a box falls off a shelf and is heading towards you how does your body naturally react? Your weak side leg moves slightly out and forward, you bend your knees in preparation for the weight and your hands go up. Your body naturally does this. The only thing you are changing is that you are drawing a pistol with your strong hand and bringing it up to your weak hand in a proper shooting grip. Utilizing your natural reaction is minimization of movement. Efficiency leads to accuracy.
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firstly, I dont count on utilizing a traditional shooting stance and I also do not count on utilizing a traditional sight picture in the middle of a fast moving self defense action. Lets say that I do have the luxury of being able to present a firearm in the way I most want. As I said previously, I will present the the weapon in as few a steps and as directly as possible. Its a basic philosophy that has been around since the 1800's. I have no beef with someone adopting a very robotic , high chest- push out technique. If they also want to incorporate press checks and several other nuances that basically spins their gun around in circles each time time they run it.. they can. In dire circumstances where lawful use of a weapon is needed, I will utilize that i see as the most efficient means for [me] to get my gun into a position where I can use. I see people do alot of things that seem over articulated and I call it like I see it.
 
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