Before you dry fire, it is essential to make sure you are dry practicing with proper form. Read these blogs as a prerequisite before you get started.
"If I could normalize one thing about teaching new shooters, it would be dedicating day one to dry fire." -MISS.TACTICAL
Think about it, you don't simply get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle for lesson 1. You learn the laws of the road and all your controls first. I think many people's first-time shooting would have been more positive if we had applied a similar procedure. My biggest pet peeve is people who put big guns and new shooters' hands because they want to get off on their scared reaction because they didn't prepare them at all for what's to come. With proper technique and safety protocols, shooting is easy, and anyone can do it, but without knowledge, it can be a scary first experience. I went to eliminate that.
New shooters can benefit greatly from starting with dry firing before moving on to live fire practice. Dry firing allows new shooters to get comfortable with handling their firearm, practice proper trigger control and aiming, and develop muscle memory without the added pressure and noise of live fire. Once they have mastered the basics through dry firing, they can then move on to live fire practice with more confidence and skill.
SO, WHAT IS DRY FIRING?
Dry firing is a great way for gun owners to improve their shooting skills without spending time and money on going to the range. It refers to the practice of practicing trigger control and aiming without live ammunition. While dry firing is a safe practice, it is important to follow some safety rules to avoid accidents. In this blog, we will discuss how to dry fire safely and effectively.
HOW TO DRY FIRE
1. Check your gun: Before dry firing, make sure your gun is unloaded. Remove the magazine and check the chamber to ensure that there is no ammunition. Also, check the barrel for obstructions.
2. Choose a safe location: Find a safe location to dry fire where there is no risk of injury or damage to property. Make sure there are no people or animals in the area or beyond walls. You must still follow the firearm safety rule of "Do not point your firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy." After you have cleared your firearm and pulled a dry trigger pull at the floor, now remove any live ammunition in the room and all ammo from any magazines you might be practicing with.
3. Set up your area: Using painter's tape or a Post-it, set up at least two staged targets on the wall in front of you. Alternatively, you can mentally select two small objects in your home as targets, such as a light switch or a small decor item in your home.
Your targets can be as simple as two post-its.
Try to keep your point of aim as small as possible to better focus stillness of your trigger pull.
4. Use snap caps: Dry firing without snap caps can damage your gun's firing pin. Snap caps are dummy rounds that protect your firing pin by absorbing the impact of the hammer. They also help you to practice reloading and clearing malfunctions.
5. Reset the trigger: Unless you have a DASA firearm like the SIG P226, most firearms triggers need live ammunition to reset the trigger. So you will have to manually rack your slide after every trigger pull unless you want to invest in a dry-fire magazine. However, they are pricey, so I don't recommend investing in fancy equipment unless you have already purchased all your necessary self-defense items, like a MEDKIT!
POINTS OF FOCUS TO PRACTICE DRY FIRING
6. Focus on trigger control: Dry firing is an excellent way to improve your trigger control. Focus on your grip, sight picture, and trigger squeeze. Practice pulling the trigger without disturbing your sight picture. Another trick people like to add to this is balancing a coin on the front of their barrel.
7. Practice with different positions: Try dry firing from different positions, such as standing, kneeling, taking cover, one-handed, prone, and whatever else you can think of. This will help you develop muscle memory and improve your shooting accuracy.
8. Draw and holster practice: Dry firing is an excellent way to practice your drawing and holstering skills. Practice drawing your firearm from your holster smoothly and quickly and then re-holstering it without flagging your body. Remember always to look when re-holstering. It might be a race to get on target, but it is never a race to re-holster; this is how many self-inflected GSW (Gunshot Wounds) happen.
TIP: Draw how you carry, If your EDC is a fanny pack, draw that way. If your EDC is concealed in the appendix, draw that way. Don't only practice your draw from a fun OWB tactical belt! Your draw should be one of the elements of shooting you practice during every dry fire session. Getting your firearm unholstered and on target quickly is one of the best things you can do to improve your defensive shooting skills.
TIP: For drawing is to record yourself when drawing from tricky compartments such as bags and fanny packs to ensure the method of drawing you are engraining into muscle memory does not flag your body in any way. Recording and watching yourself, in general, is always a good idea. This is not only to address safety concerns but also to track your progress.
9. Nail down transitions: When transferring from target to target quickly, practice maintaining form and sights on your target. See how quickly you can get your aim on target and take a shot without sacrificing shot quality.
10. Practice reloading: Dry firing is an excellent way to practice reloading your firearm. Focus on smooth and quick reloads, and make sure you are putting yoiur reload where you would carry it in real life. You might find that the bottom of your bag is not the best idea. If you dont carry in a side car try your back pocket or side pocket of leggings.
BEGINNERS DRY FIRE ROUTINE
Start from the desired EDC holster
Draw on the first target, take two shots
Transition to target 2, take two-shot
INTERMEDIATE DRY FIRE ROUTINE
Start from the desired EDC holster
Draw on the first target, take two shots
Reload *on the move
Move Positions
Draw on target 2, take two shots
ADVANCED DRY FIRE ROUTINE
Test your trigger press and time your draw.
Exercise 1: Don't drop the penny
Place a penny on the top of your barrel. The goal is not to let it fall during your trigger press. This helps train a nice and sturdy trigger pull.
Exercise 2: Quickdraw
The goal is to draw your firearm, get on target, and execute one shot as fast as possible without sacrificing form. Record yourself; this will tell you your time and allow you to check your form. Analyze your motion and see if there is any unnecessary movement or something you can improve. Track your improvements in draw time, always trying to beat your previous record.
GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY TRAINING
Dry firing is an excellent way to improve your shooting skills. By following these safety tips, you can practice safely and effectively. Remember, dry firing is not a substitute for live fire practice, but it can complement your regular training routine. Happy dry firing!
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