Is dry fire better practice than live fire

[pawe]

Question for centerfire users. Do you use snap caps for dry firing or is it just a waste of time and money?

[ktm300]

I loaded up a set with dead primers and no powder painted so I know what they are. Even then I don't put one in the chamber, I just want the gun and mags to weigh the correct amount.

[stick]

Dry fire and live fire practice complement each other, to do well in the sport both are necessary. A good dry fire program will do wonders for your whole skill set. Gun timing and recoil control come from live fire. Since most of us have limited range access and components are scarce now, we have to make the most of whatever live fire practice we can manage. A good dryfire program with some focused live fire practice will produce results.

What he said

[blaster113]

the dryfire program I use involves taking up the slack of the trigger and pressing through right up to the point where it breaks, so snap caps aren't necessary as the hammer is actually not being released. learned trigger control and how to prep the trigger by doing this instead of pulling all the way through to release the sear.

and saved a little wear on the gun in the process

Edited June 29, 2013 by blaster113

[clintv]

I use snap caps as they aren't that expensive and it helps to dry fire with a magazine in the gun with close to the correct weight. Also with nothing in the chamber the gun stays in slide lock with any movement of the slide. That makes it harder to dry fire.

I agree that both live fire and dry fire complement each other, you need both.

[greatlakes08]

Dry fire is still not as fun as live fire though!

[Psynapse]

I use dummy rounds during dry fire primarily to get the gun at it's shooting weight and balance.

I loaded up some rounds with no powder and filled the primer holes with orange ATV silicone. Then drilled some holes in the side of the brass. The orange ATV and the holes define them as dummy rounds.

[jkrispies]

When dry firing, I use dummy rounds I hand loaded with no primer (a visual reference I check everytime I start the dry fire) as well as bullets of a different contour than my live rounds (ie, I shoot LSWC in .45acp so I load the dummies with FMJ round nose) for another visual reference.

The big lesson I learned is to make sure that I'm ABSOLUTELY calling my shots when dry firing; this means dry firing a notch or two slower than max speed, which also forces me to follow through with each shot. If I feel like I didn't call that last shot or follow through properly, I put the gun down for a minute until I can come back to it with a proper focus.

Just my $.02

[a matt]

The more I dry fire, the more I think I get more from that time than I do the time I live fire. Of course I need the live fire but not near as much as I thought. Now when I live fire it is a confirmation that I am doing my dry fire drills correctly, working on recoil control, and timing.

If you have unlimited time, ammo, and range access. You would find live fire is always better. But with what most all of us have to work with or without, Dry fire the way you are doing it is the best way to practice.

[shilberry]

The big lesson I learned is to make sure that I'm ABSOLUTELY calling my shots when dry firing; this means dry firing a notch or two slower than max speed, which also forces me to follow through with each shot. If I feel like I didn't call that last shot or follow through properly, I put the gun down for a minute until I can come back to it with a proper focus.

Just my $.02

I've subscribed to the Steve Anderson method of accuracy and speed modes. There's a time when I do like you mention, and be sure I call every shot and get the A. Then there's the time when I go all out and see how fast I can go until the wheels fall off. There have been times I've surprised myself at how much faster I can really go, while still calling my shots, and without doing these speed tests I would have been slowing my progress.

[HeyChris]

I'm not reloading yet, does anyone know of a place online where one could purchase 9mm dummy rounds.. not the plastic kind, but ones that include brass/bullet no powder or primer?

Thanks!

[Bevenue]

I'm not reloading yet, does anyone know of a place online where one could purchase 9mm dummy rounds.. not the plastic kind, but ones that include brass/bullet no powder or primer?

Thanks!

Right here on this great forum!

PM me your address and how many you want.

[HeyChris]

In the middle of dry fire practice today, I got a package in the mail.

Much thanks to Bevenue, true to his word.. he hooked me up. Respect!

Great group of members here.. I'll be sure to pay it forward to someone else in the future.

[Isurg]

Sounds like I need to dry fire a lot more.

[Maxximuss]

Yep, you can DRYFIRE all you want, and it is scary powerful. But, you can only get recoil control and gun driving one way, live fire.

There it is.

You cannot dry fire too much, as long as you do not ingrain bad habits.

Nor can you live fire too much, as long as you stop before you get sloppy.

Admin. couldn't have said it better. +1!

[billy396]

Yep, you can DRYFIRE all you want, and it is scary powerful. But, you can only get recoil control and gun driving one way, live fire.

I think that statement is 100% true, for me. I do have a friend who basically keeps his gun in his hand as much as possible. He dry fires every night, as long and as much as possible, and does live fire as often as he can. This formula has him just a few points shy of making grandmaster. I know that I'll never be the shot I used to be. I've been shooting for over 40 years now, and I can clearly see the degradation of my skills as I age. I have severe arthritis, and I pay dearly if I shoot too much. Just 10 years ago, I was going to the range two to three times a week, every week. I shoot a steel match once a month, but I'm simply not physically able to shoot as much as I feel I need to. I can only guess that I'm going to be forced to start range trips with a .22. I've never been a big fan of rimfires, but they do have the lack of recoil that I need. I don't think I can load 9MM or anything else light enough to work for me and still run the action. My last steel match was shot with a STI 2011 with the lightest loads that would run the gun. The empties were literally lying straight below the point where the gun was held. It's a hard balance, and I still haven't figured how to stay in practice and not kill my wrist and my back. One piece of advice: never break your back, in particular if you already have a bad back. I'm open to suggestions.

[jkrispies]

Yep, you can DRYFIRE all you want, and it is scary powerful. But, you can only get recoil control and gun driving one way, live fire.

I think that statement is 100% true, for me. I do have a friend who basically keeps his gun in his hand as much as possible. He dry fires every night, as long and as much as possible, and does live fire as often as he can. This formula has him just a few points shy of making grandmaster. I know that I'll never be the shot I used to be. I've been shooting for over 40 years now, and I can clearly see the degradation of my skills as I age. I have severe arthritis, and I pay dearly if I shoot too much. Just 10 years ago, I was going to the range two to three times a week, every week. I shoot a steel match once a month, but I'm simply not physically able to shoot as much as I feel I need to. I can only guess that I'm going to be forced to start range trips with a .22. I've never been a big fan of rimfires, but they do have the lack of recoil that I need. I don't think I can load 9MM or anything else light enough to work for me and still run the action. My last steel match was shot with a STI 2011 with the lightest loads that would run the gun. The empties were literally lying straight below the point where the gun was held. It's a hard balance, and I still haven't figured how to stay in practice and not kill my wrist and my back. One piece of advice: never break your back, in particular if you already have a bad back. I'm open to suggestions.

I'm finally on the tail end of recovering from back surgery. It's weird to say, but there were some blessings coming out of that for me with regards to my shooting. One of them was me discovering that shooting a 10/22 in a steel match is a ton of fun. The other thing I found is that dryfiring the .22lr that you also use in competition is extremely effective practice for that gun. As Brian pointed out, you need to do live fire to practice "recoil control." Well, guess what: a 10/22 doesn't have recoil, so (in my opinion) it requires A LOT less live fire than a centerfire. It's also way easier on the joints... and the pocket book. Nowadays, I shoot run-n-gun once a month to stay up on my skills but mainly just for giggles--I don't worry about being in the top whatever of the match, but just having fun--and I concentrate much of my dryfire on the 10/22, which is now the match I concentrate on being truly competitive in. To me, if it has a trigger and makes a bang, it's fun. Now that I'm shooting just for fun... whatdayaknow, I'm having fun shooting again the way I was years ago before my competitive nature kinda sorta took over. And whatdayaknow on top of that... I'm doing some of the best shooting of my life. That transition back to the simple joy of shooting made a lot of my self-imposed tension melt away, and that helps way more than anything else. Just something to consider.

Edited July 26, 2013 by jkrispies

[Not-So-Mad Matt]

I know that I'll never be the shot I used to be. I've been shooting for over 40 years now, and I can clearly see the degradation of my skills as I age. I have severe arthritis, and I pay dearly if I shoot too much. [...] I'm open to suggestions.

Find out which elements of shooting don't aggravate your injuries and your arthritis, and practice those. For instance, dry-firing wide transitions on far targets is challenging but not physically demanding.

Also, try to build your body back up with rehab-style weight-lifting.

Edited July 27, 2013 by Not-So-Mad Matt

[BEC]

After reading all of these posts, I just ordered Steve Andersons book on Dry Firing....... from Brian Enos............. I expect to be a GM within 3 months........

[J.P. Thomas]

Yes, if you are lazy about dry-fire and do it wrong, it may not help as much. *Every* time I do dry-fire practice (15 mins or so every day) I remind myself to grip hard. This has helped reinforce a good grip.

You can't just go through the motions.

+1

[chuckols]

I second that as well.

Camille and I spent several hours a couple of Saturday's ago with Paul Forgey, 4G Tactical (http://www.4gtactical.com/) and in discussions about good shooting techniques etc.., he really emphasized getting a firm-solid grip on the weapon with the dominant hand. For me it makes a world of difference in the dry fire muscle memory that carries over to live fire which is the only end point that makes any difference. Each week I get a little better being more athletically poised and balanced, alert, intentioned, deliberate and focused. For me pace is very important as for all "A" type personalities. A day at a time!

Chuck

[wmiller11]

If u build quality presses and follow thru dry fire is a powerful tool

[Bart Solo]

I dry fire to learn the draw, reloads and transitions. It doesn't do a thing to help control recoil, and rapid acquistion of the second shot in a double tap. Basic grip can be learned with dry fire, but it has to be tested with live fire. You can use dry fire to install a grip you have read about in a book or seen on the web that is wonderful for the grand master author, but if your hands are different, the grand master's grip might not work for you. Live fire is required to determine if a grip is really good for you.

Edited August 8, 2013 by Bart Solo

[BEC]

I just bought Steve Anderson's Refinement and Repetition book............. I haven't noticed any change in my shooting.............. Maybe I should open the book and start doing the drills?

[TheDude27]

I just bought Steve Anderson's Refinement and Repetition book............. I haven't noticed any change in my shooting.............. Maybe I should open the book and start doing the drills?

May I suggest:

1) open book

2) get timer and gun

3) skip to around drill #8 or so

4) do the full speed drill, check your time

5) look at steve's times

6) Think "Hrm that must be a misprint"

7) Go to next drill

8) Look at steve's times

6) cry into your pillow till you fall asleep.