Should You Dry Fire Your Gun? 6 Things to Know
Whether you want to conserve ammo or just have a few minutes of downtime at home, dry firing can be a great way to practice using your gun. It typically requires nothing more than your gun, so grab your Taurus 1911, AR 15, or other firearm and practice dry firing. Here is what you need to know to help build your skills when not at the range.
What Is Dry Firing?
Dry firing simulates firing your weapon but without any ammunition. You do everything you would when shooting a gun other than loading up the ammo. In fact, it is best not to have any ammo nearby, preferably not even in the same room. You might have an empty mag but otherwise, keep the ammo and magazines far away. Squeeze the trigger, rack the slide if necessary, and repeat.
Get Snap Caps
It is important to note the caveats of dry firing. Some guns, especially rimfire guns, can be harmed when no round is present. Instead of the pin mushrooming or denting the chamber, use a snap cap, which is essentially a dummy round. It is perfect for practicing when you cannot use real ammo, such as when you are in your house.
Build Skills with Dry Firing
When dry firing, the core skill you are working on is your trigger pull. Dry firing also helps you hone other firearm handling skills, such as drawing, reloading, and malfunction drills. But the key is to pull the trigger on your CZ 75 SP 01 over and over. You will learn where the trigger breaks and fires, how it resets, and how much pressure you need to engage the firing mechanism. Through dry firing, you build muscle memory without having to use ammo. It also helps you reduce any flinching or blinking reflexes.
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Remember Gun Safety Rules
It is essential you follow the rules of gun safety while dry firing. Even if the ammo is in another room, treat the gun as if it is fully loaded. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire and be willing to destroy whatever you aim at. Whether at home or the range, gun safety rules still apply, and consistently following them is what will help keep you and others around you safe.
When Is the Right Time to Dry Fire?
It is best to dry fire right after live fire as your muscle memory will be fresh. However, whenever you are at home and have a couple of minutes to spare, you might as well dry fire a couple of times. This will keep your skills fresh.
Try the Coin Drill
While you are dry firing, try out the coin drill. Grab your HK USP, take a coin, and put it on the USP’s front sight. The drill is to keep it balanced as you practice grip control. Pull the trigger. If the coin falls off the USP, you have done something wrong, such as jerking your hand as you pull the trigger. It encourages proper trigger pull to re-enforce muscle memory better. Over time, this drill can help reduce muzzle rise and improve your accuracy.
More articles and videos on shooting fundamentals and getting range ready with GunBroker.com:
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The Importance of Gun Cleaning
How to Choose a Handgun: 5 Things you Didn’t Know
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