dry firing Effective dry fire practice habits?

[Wyo Joe]

Hi y’all, new shooter just got my first rig, practicing transitioning between pistols. I cut up some neoprene strips from an old wet suit so I can dry fire the crap out of my Vaqueros (I know I know, some are going to say you can dry fire them no worries). 
 

anybody have any links or vids they can recommend for a newer shooter? Ammo price kicking my butt

[Widder, SASS #59054]

For the record, AFTER my original Vaquero's were properly tuned, I dry fired those babies

1.5 million times each.

One of the transfer bars broke at approx 250,000 cycles.  The replacement never did break.

The transfer bar in the other Vaq broke at approx 350,000 cycles.  And that replacement bar never broke.

 

Mileage varies, for sure.   But I can attest that dry firing Vaquero's, especially Original Vaq., ain't

gonna do nothing but wear a callus on your thumbs.

 

..........Widder

 

[Warden Callaway]

I'm like Tuco. When you have to shoot shoot. I don't dry fire.

 

 

[Wyo Joe]

1 hour ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

For the record, AFTER my original Vaquero's were properly tuned, I dry fired those babies

1.5 million times each.

One of the transfer bars broke at approx 250,000 cycles.  The replacement never did break.

The transfer bar in the other Vaq broke at approx 350,000 cycles.  And that replacement bar never broke.

 

Mileage varies, for sure.   But I can attest that dry firing Vaquero's, especially Original Vaq., ain't

gonna do nothing but wear a callus on your thumbs.

 

..........Widder

 

Mine are indeed OMV, but with no transfer bar. 

[Tennessee williams]

I'm just over here trying to figure out what kind of sticker is on the back of your phone in the reflection on the vaquero. 

 

When I started out dry firing I would put post-it notes on the wall on the other side of the room in different target arrays. 

 

Word of caution-for me atleast too much dry firing without live firing results in an uptick in misses at a match. 

Don't cheat the targets while dry firing either. Aquire your targets the same way you do live firing.

[J-BAR #18287]

I worry, perhaps unnecessarily, about putting too much wear and tear on my match guns with dry firing.  Particularly percussion revolvers; we are not supposed to dry fire those because the nipples can be damaged.  So most of my revolver dry fire practice is done  with a pair of Ruger Single-Six .22s.  The differences between those and my main match guns might become a hindrance if I were capable of joining the elites of our sport, but let’s get realistic.  Using a different pair of revolvers than my main match guns has still helped me improve my times.  At my level of performance, I doubt they will become limiting factors.

[Singin' Sue 71615]

Kathouse Kelli does this...

And Jakaroo, correct me if I'm wrong...

She tacks solo cups on the wall...and sights in to the center of the cup. I assume at the stick/tack?

I thought that was a pretty smart idea.

Tbone put up small paper plates about, and practiced with those.

[Warden Callaway]

1 hour ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

So most of my revolver dry fire practice is done  with a pair of Ruger Single-Six .22s.  

 

You don't worry about dinging up the edge of the chamber? 

[twelve mile REB]

Dry fire is effective if as already stated you back it up with live fire.   Dry fire is an important part of my practice.  However I have to state that good initial instruction is very effective because if you are dry firing mistakes then what's the point.  Hire a coach someone of proven ability then dry fire their instructions.  Dry fire in front of a mirror helps keep you honest and reinforces the instruction.   

[J-BAR #18287]

2 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said:

 

You don't worry about dinging up the edge of the chamber? 

So far no problem.  Ruger says you can dry fire Single Sixes.  And even if dings happened, better than damaging my ROAs.

[Warden Callaway]

1 minute ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

So far no problem.  Ruger says you can dry fire Single Sixes.  And even if dings happened, better than damaging my ROAs.

 

Can you just remove the nipples?   

[Singin' Sue 71615]

4 minutes ago, twelve mile REB said:

Dry fire is effective if as already stated you back it up with live fire.   Dry fire is an important part of my practice.  However I have to state that good initial instruction is very effective because if you are dry firing mistakes then what's the point.  Hire a coach someone of proven ability then dry fire their instructions.  Dry fire in front of a mirror helps keep you honest and reinforces the instruction.   

Several videos by Longhunter I like...Evil Roy and now DeadEye...

All fantastic for drills, transitions, tips.

(And you can tell by my times, I watch them...but don't use the knowledge)

1 minute ago, Warden Callaway said:

 

Can you just remove the nipples?   

Ouch!!!

[twelve mile REB]

The tapes are great aids but can not replace a human eye that has the skill to spot ineffective movement.  Not everyone has that skill or the skill to translate the observation into language.  So good coaches are as rare as good shooters but a good coach can make a good shooter a great one.

[Wyo Joe]

1 hour ago, Singin' Sue 71615 said:

Several videos by Longhunter I like...Evil Roy and now DeadEye...

All fantastic for drills, transitions, tips.

(And you can tell by my times, I watch them...but don't use the knowledge)

Ouch!!!

I watched every deadeye video a few times. Long hunter as well, really good info

[Doc Shapiro]

Suggest you read this: https://cagunslingers.com/errata/BreakingShot/BreakingTheShot.html

[Tennessee williams]

Hey Wyo Joe, if you shoot a 97 look at Widders dry fire videos on you tube. Great videos

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

12 hours ago, Tennessee williams said:

I'm just over here trying to figure out what kind of sticker is on the back of your phone in the reflection on the vaquero. 

 

When I started out dry firing I would put post-it notes on the wall on the other side of the room in different target arrays. 

 

Word of caution-for me at least too much dry firing without live firing results in an uptick in misses at a match. 

Don't cheat the targets while dry firing either. Acquire your targets the same way you do live firing.

I agree with Tennessee, be careful about to much dry firing. You have to be honest with yourself, I never missed a target dry firing but when I went back to live fire that changed!  You can definitely do a lot practicing transitions at home. I'm sure I'll get some argument but early on good transitions are the easiest way to lower your stage times, unless you're shooting Silver Senior Duelist, then ignore good transitions!

 

Randy

[doc roy l. pain]

45 minutes ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

I agree with Tennessee, be careful about to much dry firing. You have to be honest with yourself, I never missed a target dry firing but when I went back to live fire that changed!  You can definitely do a lot practicing transitions at home. I'm sure I'll get some argument but early on good transitions are the easiest way to lower your stage times, unless you're shooting Silver Senior Duelist, then ignore good transitions!

 

Randy

Agree. You have to be honest with yourself on sight alignment with the target. Also, when you do live fire practice it helped me to go faster by shooting paper targets and not just steel. When I started out, if I shot steel all the time, I caught myself waiting for the feedback from the target ringing which slowed me down going to the next target. You have to train yourself to ignore that if you want to get faster. Once you break the shot, you need to move on to the next target and not listen for feedback. 

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

Where do you dry fire? And do you eject your rifle and SG (for 97s) snap caps?

Hard to find a place where I can do it and not have stuff flyin under furniture or into the walls.

Considered the back yard, just don't want to freak out the neighbors.

[Artemus Von Schutze]

Use a laser training system to keep yourself honest in dry firing. One like this will work with you Vaqueros and most any gun:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016599029?pid=916810

 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

37 minutes ago, The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 said:

Where do you dry fire? And do you eject your rifle and SG (for 97s) snap caps?

Hard to find a place where I can do it and not have stuff flyin under furniture or into the walls.

Considered the back yard, just don't want to freak out the neighbors.

 

On the 97, I use an OLD bed spread on the floor to catch the empties.

That way, it really doesn't matter if I dry fire in the bed room, basement or garage.

 

..........Widder

 

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

I've tried a couple different places; seems I spend more time chasing ejected rds than practicing. Lol

[Singin' Sue 71615]

1 hour ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

I agree with Tennessee, be careful about to much dry firing. You have to be honest with yourself, I never missed a target dry firing but when I went back to live fire that changed!  You can definitely do a lot practicing transitions at home. I'm sure I'll get some argument but early on good transitions are the easiest way to lower your stage times, unless you're shooting Silver Senior Duelist, then ignore good transitions!

 

Randy

I have been told, that should I ever practice (shudder, shudder) one shot drills....and work (what's that?) on my transitions....that I "could be a continder"

[Tennessee williams]

13 minutes ago, The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 said:

I've tried a couple different places; seems I spend more time chasing ejected rds than practicing. Lol

I don't eject empties from the rifle or revolvers. Only the sg

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

I'll probly try that. Maybe even in the back yard.

Look out neighbors! 

[Ranger Dan]

I use painters tape to put 3x5 cards on the wall in my basement. Different colors for pistol, rifle, and a big K for shotgun. This way I can set up any stage I need to work on. Couple folding tables for movement and transition practice. I do put snap caps in my Ruger OMV without issue, but I have broken 2 firing pins with the 73, so I limit how much I actually pull the trigger with it.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

1 hour ago, The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 said:

I'll probly try that. Maybe even in the back yard.

Look out neighbors! 

 

Rainmaker,

Do you use the 97?     Do you slam fire?

If you answer YES to both, call me at:  865 / 696-1996

 

If you've won a big Lottery lately, you can also call me.

If you are poor..... call TN Williams.

 

..........Widder

 

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

Yes and no. I have slam-fired but it was more of a mistake than planned.

I have a 1957 vintage, fat buttstock, wide forend, takedown SG and even though I do fine with it, it could probably be lighter and faster.

And no lottery, heck, I'm sendin' a kid off to private school. I'm lucky I can shoot at all. 

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

1 hour ago, Ranger Dan said:

I use painters tape to put 3x5 cards on the wall in my basement. Different colors for pistol, rifle, and a big K for shotgun. This way I can set up any stage I need to work on. Couple folding tables for movement and transition practice. I do put snap caps in my Ruger OMV without issue, but I have broken 2 firing pins with the 73, so I limit how much I actually pull the trigger with it.

Take a snap cap and file off the rim so the extractor won’t pull it out. Then you can lever and pull the trigger.

 

Randy

[Wyo Joe]

17 hours ago, Tennessee williams said:

I'm just over here trying to figure out what kind of sticker is on the back of your phone in the reflection on the vaquero. 

 

@Tennessee williams

 

Good eyes. My buddy is drawing a comic about a drunken jackalope detective, the sticker is him 

[Ranger Dan]

1 hour ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

Take a snap cap and file off the rim so the extractor won’t pull it out. Then you can lever and pull the trigger.

 

Randy

I did... still broke the firing pin 2x. Prolly need to put a new rubber cap in it LOL. Maybe I just do too much dry firing.

[Hendo]

4 hours ago, The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 said:

I've tried a couple different places; seems I spend more time chasing ejected rds than practicing. Lol

Just consider it as adding brass picking training to your repertoire. 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

I have never "Dry Fired" my Cap Guns for ANY reason.  With or Without nipples.  I also never dry fired my Open Tops.  Not recommended even with snap caps.  Never dry fired my Toggle Link Rifles either.  That ugly "P" wurd was always done at the range with live ammunition.  There is no substitute for Live Fire.

 

Besides, I'm way too old and crunchy to be picking up brass.

 

OH,  Almost forgot.  I never Dry Fire.  

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

3 hours ago, Hendo said:

Just consider it as adding brass picking training to your repertoire. 

Haha, after 8 knee surgeries and back fusion,I can do without that nonsense. 

[Shooting Bull]

Best aspects of shooting to concentrate on while dry firing (With the understanding these are all opinions, not facts.):

 

1) Acquiring the sights as soon as possible to get off a quick/accurate first shot. You SHOULD be able to pick up your front sight as the gun is coming up into the shooting position.  That way you can break the shot the instant you're on target. This is the single worst area of my game but I just can't seem to get the hang of it.  Guess I need more dry fire practice...............or better eyes.

2) Transitions between firearms, especially pistols.  As I stated in #1 pulling pistols has a very important component to it, the sights. But putting the pistols away is just as important.  I've seen more time lost from folks fumbling to put their pistols away than most any other maneuver outside of shucking empties from a SXS.

3) USE TWO HANDS............................for different things!  This is sort of a continuation of #2.  When you're done with one gun you should be putting it away with one hand while picking up the next gun with the other hand.  Unless you've got a physical limitation there's no way on Earth you should be setting one gun down with two hands or picking up the next one with two hands. Practice transitions where both hands are doing something different.

4) MOVE!!!  We have very few stages these days that are stand and deliver.  Most often you'll be moving from one shooting position to another between guns.  When gun A is empty at position A and it's time to move to position B MOVE!  Don't stand there at position A holstering your pistol or shucking empties from your SXS, you can do those while you're moving so MOVE!  This seems easy but it's something you need to practice. And practice going both left to right and right to left. If you don't practice these you're very likely to earn a 170 violation while under match pressure.