Revolver Dryfire

[JimmyZip]

Recently with my pistols in the shop I have been practicing dryfire with a 4" S&W K frame .38. My forearms are sore after three nights in a row. Strange as the trigger pull on this pistol is not heavy. It seems I'm using muscles that I do not normally use, and reloads are alot more difficult than I remember. ( I started with a revo when I was a kid)

Weakhand is the real kicker. My left forearm is the sorest. What do you think I am gaining by working with a revo? Things I have noticed are:

Sight picture and trigger movement, the relationship is crazy. Pulling through smooth and maintaining alignment, well all those years of auto have spoiled me!

Like I said, I actually broke a sweat!

The ergonomics are different, but I can reload almost as fast left-handed as right handed, opening the cylinder and operating the release with the same hand.

The one day I went to the range with this pistol, my weak-hand shooting seems to be improving. Strange as shooting this pistol is much more difficult than any of my autos weak-handed.

Lastly, my shoulders, and neck are so cramped-up that I think I will abstain for a couple of days before I get back at it.

I am interested if any of you have had the same experience.

JZ

Edited August 27, 2008 by JimmyZip

[BBoyle]

I always break a sweat while dryfiring. I think it is from the concentration and focus that I try and have.

As far as everything else it sounds like you are to tense and bringing your head down to the gun. Stay relaxed while you dryfire and go through the motions slowly at first. You do not have to go through the whole draw at one time.. You can work on elements by themselves i.e. Get solid grip first and then work on sight picture. It is a different platform and I am sure it will work out.

Brian

[JimmyZip]

BBoyle,

You are so correct. I realized that I was suffering from an injury that I got body-sufing earlier in the month. While dryfiring I was tensing-up and aggravating the injury. I laid off a couple of days until the tightness went away and the last few nights it hasn't been an issue.

I do not normally get as sweaty dryfiring an auto. Reloads with speed loaders are more difficult than with a mag, at least for me. It just is more physically involved for me in general. OTOH, it would seem to be building up my trigger strength and my visual patience as you are getting more physical imputs and visual imputs.

I do appreciate the Pachmayers when my hands get sweaty though.

[Rocket35]

If you ain't sweaten, you ain't working hard enough!

[Micah]

I have always held the opinion that dryfire with a revolver will take the shooter extremely far, as the trigger pull in practice is exactly that of dropping the hammer in a match.

When doing anything alot that you are not used to, you are bound to become sore as you are pushing muscles that you don't always push. The soreness and stiffness is common at first, but with daily practice your body will adjust to the workouts.

[Service Desk]

Dry firing is the health-food of pistol shooting, your muscles are telling you that they have been starved for revolver work.

I normally dryfire for 40 minutes a night with a PPC revolver - mainly as exercise for the shoulders and lower back.

Try a little stretching before and after, I find it usually helps the forearms and elbows - but then I will be 52 next birthday.

[pskys2]

Welcome to the world of "Spin".

At last years Nationals a certain GM from California kept up many at the Hotel with the click, click, click of his dryfires!

You definitely need to work up those muscles before a long field course. Try to "Not" worry about speed though, keep the sights square and the stroke smooth.

So we going to see you at a match soon with a Revolver?

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

OK, if you keep going, the next thing you will be posting at a thread on Elbow pain so I will give you a tip now, you are exercising the flexors in your forearm. You need to exercise the extensors also to avoid the elbow pain.

These work for me along with This I use the medium but I think the firmer would be better.

[David Sinko]

It is normal to be tense while shooting a revolver. Miculek does not fire eight shots in one second while being "relaxed." Shooting a revolver with any degree of speed and accuracy causes great strain and the photos of the elite shooters (especially those of times past when there was no such thing as a 5 lb. DA trigger job) will bear this out. The problem is most shooters get frustrated and quit before they can reach anywhere near their potential.

Dave Sinko