Dry Fire Practice With A Long Gun

[Matt]

OK - I'm starting to understand how to get the most out of my dry-fire practice with a timer and my pistol, but what kind of drills do you do with your rifle/shotgun?

For the shotgun, I've been working on my reloads, but I'm hard-pressed to come up with any shooting drills that do much good at home.

For the rifle, my dry-firing usually consists of Highpower-type practice ("shooting" a Highpower course of fire at a dot on the wall) as I shoot that as well, but how do you suggest practicing for faster transitions and more run-n-gun type stuff?

[Nik Habicht]

I'd work on mounting the gun, moving to a prescribed position, mounting the gun and finding a target on the wall, transitions between variably spaced dots, etc....

For shotgun definitely work the reloads....

[George]

For rifle homework reload drills are effective. Use a timer set on par and go from sight picture to sight picture on various size target points. Introduce movement after reloads get smooth and times stabilize while standing in place. Use a padded surface to prevent mag damage from prolonged practice dropping.

Practice going prone and working multiple small aiming points by quickly transitioning to each of the rest of the aiming points after dry firing on the first one. Practice the same getting into various kneeling and squatting positions using something like a kitchen chair to simulate various height support situations like ports and barricades. Practice getting into stable sitting and kneeling positions with & without slings real quickly. Practice getting "out" of sitting, kneeling and prone positions fast too.

Practicing a "shoot on approach" rifle technique can be done at home. This means lining up just to one side on a target in the vertical plane and then approaching it horizontally and breaking the shot as you enter the target area.This is a dynamic method as opposed to the static method of holding until you see what you need and hoping the shot breaks while you are still holding in the zone. In multiple target engagement you would just slide across them pulling the trigger just as you entered the zone for each target but never stopping for a real hold. This technique will speed up your shooting a lot if properly mastered (I'm still working on it).

For shotgun, I practice port arms standing start to sight picture/dry snap on single aim point with a par timer. Tip, put the tip of the barrel on the first aim point for a port arms start, then you are only lifting the stock into place at your shoulder. I wouldn't practice reloading at home without well marked dummy rounds, but if you got em' then do so. As in rifle, lining up quickly on the first of a series of aiming points on an opposite wall (large post-it's notes work well), snapping a dry fire shot on the first one then lining up on each of the next aim points as quickly as possible. Repeat until your arms hurt, then repeat some more.

Learn to mount each long gun weakhand (opposite shoulder & eye) quickly and smoothly because you will have to do it at a match sooner or later.

Do not accept bad sight pictures when dry firing at home, then you will not learn sloppy. Validate all things practiced at home at the range with live fire and a timer to see if improvements are really being made.

Regards,

[uscbigdawg]

George,

Having only shot club level and regional 3-Gun matches, my exposure is to a degree limited. We really have to shoot weak/opposite handed?

Crap, as if it wasn't hard enough!

Rich

[TMC]

uscbigdawg,

I've come across a couple of local matches where baracades were involved and the only way to engage was on the left side. We've done this with both rifle and shotguns. I've even had to shoot under a desk with a vanity panel leaving only about 8" of opening to shoot though. With these variables in stages it never hurts to know how to shoot from both sides. Just like pistol shooting, if you only shoot well freestyle, eventually it well get you and in most matches, one lousy stage will do you in.

If you're going to practice, you should work on what you don't do good, as well as improving on what you do good.

[George]

TMC is right and you can take it from me too, if it's difficult and you haven't practiced it you will be required to do it at some point. Practice everything you can think of, especially if it isn't what you can do well already because "you will not be tested on your strong points as often as your weaknesses will be exposed" and I know that for a fact :-)

Regards,

[uscbigdawg]

So thanks to George, my dry fire routine has gotten fully silly now.

Thanks for the tips buddy. In live fire practice sessions, the dry firing is paying off tremendously. If nothing else, it's coming down to simply handling the firearms more. Weak hand shotgun is still quite goofy (technical term), but I'm working out some alternatives and testing if I can get into various positions without having to transition weak (however, when need be, I do switch).

Anyone else have any other ideas?

Thanks and Happy Holidays,

Rich

[Les Snyder]

uscbigdawg.....if you plan on shooting Jeff's shotgun match, or Kyle's NC match get a wooden chair and shoot from above and below bottom rungs....then stick the thing in a 4 x 4 box and try it without grounding yourself outside the box.... then for Kyle's match add about 2inches of mud..... hope to see you at both matches... regards Les

[benelli2]

Les, I'm not sure if I should be flattered or insulted but I enjoy the daylights out of both matchs so thats all that counts to me, and by the way be sure to practice clays from your truck goiing across the field! Simulate that in your house by trying to hold a steady sight picture and reload while the kids jump up and down on the bed you are sitting on! Jeff

[stingerjg]

on rifle and shotgun practice reloads, reloads, reloads. cant strees that enough. the easiest way to clear a malfunction on the rifle is to change mags. On a 30+round stage i carry at least 4mags. its faster changing mags than fiddling with a mag that wont work right.

as far as shotgun, reloads feel like an eternity at a match, the more you do them the faster you will be.

[uscbigdawg]

Les - I'm sensing a theme with Kyle's match. From what I can tell, it's basically Kyle's chance to beat the piss out of everyone that dare show up to his match.

Jeff - Based on the write up from last year, I'll definitely be at your match. Hopefully I'll have a few folks in tow. Limited only though...crap!!!! More reload practice.

Rich

[benelli2]

OK, I give we can have open class too! But prize tables are based on entries to each division and open has proven to be a much smaller field. So remember rule one; I don't care if you whine if you were forwarned, it is not constructive critisism, by the way does anyone want to shoot out of the moving vehicle again this year?

[uscbigdawg]

Hi Jeff,

For a lot of folks, thanks for adding Open. Although, I'm kind of motivated to shoot Limited now. What the hell. If we're going to be shooting from a moving vehicle, there's a great excuse for bobbling reloads.

Seriously though, I'm there and I'm looking forward to it.

Rich

[George]

They had a stage at the 2003 IronMan that had you shooting all three guns standing in a cage in the back of a moving pickup truck as it circled the range multiple times. It was about 150-170 rounds total, man what a blast. We all would have gladly paid to run it again just for fun. It's kinda tough to practice this without any kids around the house

[Les Snyder]

Jeff... nothing but compliments... btw... just took possession of a 21inch M1S90 field (do you know how to cook crow?... Mikey is intolerable).... you are my hero....bring on the truck... that was a blast..... whats with the Browning?

Kyle's match.... to the comment on Kyle wanting to set up a match that he can win... definitely to the contrary .... he produces the most challenging mental test for all 3 guns...the courses are practical problems designed to show you what you know and dont know about your ability.... the pistol shots are realistic at realistic distances ... likewise for the rifle and shotgun... the physical challenge is afforded by the range conditions... I've shot the last 3 matches, and had mud for 2.... due to the number of participants I sense that the physical challenge has been lessened to a degree just to accomidate the number of shooters.... his match has exceptional course design, and outstanding range officers.... just hope he keeps letting old farts play