Dry Firing in the Dark

[Calamity Jane]

I like to sometimes dry fire in front of our large master bathroom mirror. The other night I went upstairs to do so with my OPEN gun and went into the bathroom but did not turn on the light. I had my dot on because I was doing some other dry fire work downstairs before I came upstairs. I stepped into the dark bathroom and saw the glow of the dot in the mirror and said to myself, "I wonder if I can dry fire in the pitch black dark?" SOOO I shut the door behind me to keep all the light out and did it.

Interesting stuff. The dark takes everything out BUT the dot. There is no distraction of anything only the dot. That's the cool part. I just did my draws and watched, observed, and then thought about what I was seeing and what I could learn from it.

Anyway....has anyone else tried this out? What did you learn?

Edited January 17, 2009 by Calamity Jane

[Bigpops]

I like to sometimes dry fire in front of our large master bathroom mirror. The other night I went upstairs to do so with my OPEN gun and went into the bathroom but did not turn on the light. I had my dot on because I was doing some other dry fire work downstairs before I came upstairs. I stepped into the dark bathroom and saw the glow of the dot in the mirror and said to myself, "I wonder if I can dry fire in the pitch black dark?" SOOO I such the door behind me to keep all the light out and did it.

Interesting stuff. The dark takes everything out BUT the dot. There is no distraction of anything only the dot. That's the cool part. I just did my draws and watched, observed, and then thought about what I was seeing and what I could learn from it.

Anyway....has anyone else tried this out? What did you learn?

Have not tried it...but I will now!

[dleat]

While still a relative newbe to the world of USPSA but an older guy I have found anything which eliminates distractions from what you are trying to accomplish has to be good. This one I will try also just to see what is there for me.

[TFin04]

I do this with my defensive guns to practice using the night sights. I put up a target and hang a really dim AAA light around it so it is barely illuminated. All other lights are turned off. I can still see the target, but nothing on my gun shows up except the tritium inserts. I do mag changes, malfunction clearing drills, use of a tac light, etc.

[DonT]

Never tried this one but I used to practice my reloads in the dark.

[Calamity Jane]

I wasn't really being fair in my first post. I didn't tell you what I learned from the experience.

One of the things that I want to improve is the movement from where I put my left hand onto the gun and then press out towards the target. The 'J" motion. Dry firing in the dark allows me to really see what is going on with the dot at the J point.

I also did reloads in the dark. I do this skill pretty well in the dark.

Taking the lights out also lets me feel more. By taking my sight away I'm more in tune with the motion of my body. I'm drawing and indexing by feel.

It's hard for me to believe that I've stumbled onto a training technique that someone else hasn't thought of. I'm sure there are others who have tried this technique. I don't know if it is a valid technique but it's teaching me a few things and that's all that really matters.

[JThompson]

I also did reloads in the dark. I do this skill pretty well in the dark.

Taking the lights out also lets me feel more.

Sorry Ms. B I couldn't help myself.

Edited January 18, 2009 by JThompson

[1911user]

I use it some for dry fire practice.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=57075

[Chris Keen]

The 'J" motion.

"J" Motion ?

[Calamity Jane]

The 'J" motion.

"J" Motion ?

What letter of the alphabet would you describe the motion of the gun meeting the left hand and then moving forward to the target. The letter "L" is to abrupt...it's more smooth like a "J".

You're just messing with me right???

[Calamity Jane]

I use it some for dry fire practice.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=57075

Yep...I knew I couldn't be the only one. Thanks for the validation.

[benos]

I like to sometimes dry fire in front of our large master bathroom mirror. The other night I went upstairs to do so with my OPEN gun and went into the bathroom but did not turn on the light. I had my dot on because I was doing some other dry fire work downstairs before I came upstairs. I stepped into the dark bathroom and saw the glow of the dot in the mirror and said to myself, "I wonder if I can dry fire in the pitch black dark?" SOOO I shut the door behind me to keep all the light out and did it.

Interesting stuff. The dark takes everything out BUT the dot. There is no distraction of anything only the dot. That's the cool part. I just did my draws and watched, observed, and then thought about what I was seeing and what I could learn from it.

Anyway....has anyone else tried this out? What did you learn?

I never tried that with a dot, but I would have if I would have thought of it!

But I did practice mag changes in the dark - great stuff.

This reminds me... I've been doing more and more things with my eyes closed lately. And I'm learning to do some things better with my eyes closed than with them open. Closing your eyes removes distractions thereby changing where your attention rests, so other senses begin functioning more acutely.

be

[Dalmas]

When practicing technical fundamentals I agree less distractions are better but when switching over to more scenario based training I turn the TV on, loud. Ignoring the TV while practicing is great for mental match preparedness, a match is never silent ..