Practicing with your firearms using live ammunition is often not practical from a safety and/or financial perspective. If you are unable to go to a shooting range, you DO NOT want to be completing dry fire practice using live ammunition. Financially, you may not have the money for the range, ammunition, targets, etc. One easy way to practice is the use of training aids that are available for purchase at a fairly cheap price and if treated properly, will last indefinitely (except for batteries).
In this article I will discuss three forms of training aids that I regularly use.
-Dummy/Snap cap rounds
-Tap/Rack trainers
-SIRT Pistol
The first two aids are fairly cheap and can be purchased across multiple calibers. The SIRT pistol has a much higher cost but is an extremely valuable tool. First, we'll discuss the Dummy/Snap cap rounds.
Dummy/Snap Cap Rounds
I have dummy rounds in .22, 9mm, .45, .223/5.56, 12 and 20 Gauge shotgun. When first introducing someone to handling a firearm, I use these training aids to show them the basic procedures of loading/unloading magazines as well as, loading/unloading the firearm itself. Rather than having a person use live ammunition their first time out, I remove any room for error by using dummy rounds or snap caps. If a person is not adhering to firearm safety rule #3 (keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire) then you remove any possibility of a negligent discharge.
Also, for rimfire firearms, it is good to have a dummy or snap cap round in the chamber to protect the firing pin during dry fire training. Typically you can purchase packages of these rounds at your local gun shop or online for fairly cheap prices. I personally recommend buying these training aids for each caliber you own. You can't go wrong being prepared to handle your firearms safely.
Tap/Rack Trainers
Tap/Rack trainers are a key tool in practicing your malfunction drills. When shooting, you may find yourself up against a failure to fire, failure to eject, or double feed. It is difficult to practice these drills at home with no training aids since you can't simulate the malfunctions without using ammunition in the magazine or other additional training aids. Though dummy rounds/snap caps can be used, you will quickly find yourself reloading magazines over and over again since the rounds will eject each time you rack the slide.
The Tap/Rack trainer allows you to depress the follower of the magazine, allowing you to rack the slide repeatedly with no additional aid needed. I use this to practice my level one and two malfunction drills and also to practice loading my firearms from magazine holders. For example, while using a pistol, I can lock the slide to the rear, put an empty magazine in the pistol, put a magazine with the tap/rack trainer in my magazine pouch and practice reloading. I can drop the magazine from the pistol, load the magazine with the tap/rack trainer from the magazine carrier, then hit the slide release allowing the slide to go forward. This can also be done for rifles.
Utilizing this tool allows me to have more productive dry fire training sessions both from a malfunction training perspective and overall firearms manipulation perspective. Tap/Rack trainers are also very inexpensive and are a one time purchase. I own them in 9mm, .45 and .223/5.56. They are a great gift idea to give a firearms enthusiast or first time owner.
SIRT Pistol
The SIRT laser pistol is by far my most valuable training aid. Though I must say, it does involve a several hundred dollar initial investment. The SIRT platform is a pistol (and rifle based platform that I do not own) that is created to mimic the exact specs of several different types of very popular pistol manufacturers. Since I own Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm pistols, I bought the SIRT pistol that meets those specs.
The SIRT Pistol has two built in lasers, and comes with weighted magazines that can eject. Using the pistol's two lasers, you can practice the proper trigger squeeze and break. If you opt to turn off the initial laser, you can simply squeeze the trigger and a red or green dot (depending on which laser color you choose to purchase) will appear on your intended target.
There is no movement with the slide. This will not help you with recoil management, but you will be able to perfect your initial grip and trigger squeeze. The availability of the weighted magazines is also helpful. You can practice loading and unloading the pistol then putting your sights back on target. For new gun owners, this tool is very easy to use and allows you to go over grip, stance, trigger squeeze, magazine changes, etc. without needing any live ammunition or a shooting range.
For my purposes, I like to use the SIRT pistol while teaching but also while working on basic manipulation drills and movement drills in my home. I practice home defense skills and will use the SIRT pistol to work on movement through my home going in and out of rooms and down hallways.
Overall, though the initial investment is much higher than the other training aids, you won't regret the purchase.
Conclusion
Training aids can help greatly enhance your shooting abilities. There is no doubt that you will be able to increase your skills while at home safely using no live ammunition. Go to your local gun shop or go online and at the minimum make a small investment into dummy/snap cap rounds and/or the Tap/Rack trainers. You won't regret your purchase.
Stay safe. Stay educated. Stay practical.
-Pat
Commentaires