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3 Dry Fire Tools You Should Be Using Now!

July 29, 2021
Gary Killingsworth

There's no doubt that the ammo "situation" of 2020-21 has decreased your opportunity to rain brass at the range. I know it has for me. Hopefully, you've taken to dry fire training to stay sharp as we wait for ammo production to meet demand. If you haven't, you're missing a golden opportunity to not just maintain your skills - but to actually increase them.

Dry fire training, sometimes referred to as "dry practice", is just that - simply shooting your firearm without ammunition. You can accomplish quite a bit of work without ammo including: presentations, sight picture, sight alignment, slide manipulation, trigger press and more.

As with ANYTHING firearms related, the Four Rules apply. In fact, with dry fire, additional steps should also be taken.

• Remove all ammunition from the area or room. All of it. Every. Single. Round.
• Verbally talk to yourself, out loud. "I am going to do dry fire training now."
• Be 100% present. Zero distractions. Should something arise, stop immediately.
• Repeat.

I could spend so much more time on dry training protocol, and will in a different article.

The firearms industry is full of great thinkers and there are tools that can be extremely beneficial to your dry fire training. I've heavily used many that are in the marketplace, and I wanted to share three items that I have found very helpful to making those dry fire reps count.

1 - Mantis X X10 Shooting Performance System

If you like "tech" in your training, you'll love the Mantis X X10 Shooting Performance System. The X10 unit itself is a small Picatinny attachment. Install it, download the Mantis X smartphone app, and wirelessly sync the two. The app will record your shots, keep track of your progress, and help you understand what you're doing wrong. There are many drills and training features in the software, and I've found it to be very responsive - and very intuitive to use regularly. Also, if you're an archer, you can also use the X10 with your bow after a little bit of data entry.

$249.99 HERE

2 - DryFireMag Training Magazines

Dry fire training can be, shall we say...boring? It can also lead to unintended skill degradation if done on "autopilot". To truly feel your trigger press on a semi-auto striker-fired pistol, you would need to reset your slide with each press of the trigger. Press, rack slide, press, rack slide, press...see where I'm going? This can cause your muscle memory to want to manipulate your slide after each trigger press. Enter DryFireMags. These handy devices, (sorry, limited to GLOCK and Smith & Wesson M&P), use an audible and tactile reset process to reset your striker. This allows you to dry practice strings of fire for a more realistic training experience. You may also customize your spring weights with DryFireMag's Spring Pak.

$104.99 HERE

3 - Laser Sights

Yes, this is a "general category". I will often sing the praises of laser sights and I am a true believer in them, especially for defensive pistols. Not all agree with me and that is OK. However, beyond their intended uses, lasers can be an extremely effective training tool for shooters and instructors alike. Lasers give a real world visual indicator of muzzle direction, can help streamline drawstroke, and make sense of sight alignment, but really come into their own as a trigger control device during dry fire. A laser dot will give instant visual feedback on trigger press errors.

Save 10% at Crimson Trace w/Code: GUNTALK10 (at checkout)

Stay safe. Train often. Send your thoughts, and thanks for reading.

Gary Killingsworth
Gary is the Digital Manager for Gun Talk Media and is a proud “Oregunian”. A lifelong shooter, gear hound and student of the gun, he is a staunch advocate for quality, consistent training. When not trying to perfect his trigger press, Killingsworth is an avid baseball fan, bowhunter and salmon & steelhead angler.

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