Strange times these are. We understand that a variety of forces can result in our shooting areas becoming off limits. Now, while America is in the grips of a Pandemic and many are ordered to “Shelter in Place” getting to the range is either difficult or impossible. The politics of not being able to maintain proficiency of arms in such times is not lost on us. However, we recognize that is a fight for another place, not this venue.
What we want to do here is provide you with the means to stay proficient in the comfort of your own home or quarantine location. The answer to this problem has been, and will almost always be simple. Dry Practice.
Dry Practice is the single best method of improving shooting proficiency, and will frequently surpass live fire for creating better shooting habits. Almost anything you practice in live fire, you can practice in Dry Practice. The one thing you cannot do is work on recoil control. Because there is no recoil in Dry Practice.
Before you being Dry Practice, you might be well served to review the fundamental rules of Firearms Safety.
- Treat all guns as if they are loaded.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
- Never let the muzzle cover anything you don’t want to put a hole in.
- Be aware of your target and what is beyond it.
The thing about Dry Practice is you are likely to violate these rules. Therefore, it is critical that before you proceed, you must get past Rule 1. The only way to do that is ensure, through check, double and triple check, that the gun is empty. Furthermore, ensure there is no live ammunition in the room where you are engaging in Dry Practice. No live ammunition in the magazines you might be suing for Dry Practice. A mistake in this regard can be fatal. If your home is constructed like many in America, you cannot reasonably expect your walls to contain a bullet. Even exterior walls. So, once you have ensured your gun is empty, check it again. The entire process will take less than 30 seconds but can save you a lifetime of misery.
For many Dry Practice exercises you will want a “target” of sorts to aim at. I like to print targets from the internet and use these. I tape them on the wall at a reduced size to simulate further engagements. Be creative.
Begin with fundamentals. Work on the grip, your stance and aligning the sights. Work on a smooth trigger press so that you can press the trigger without disturbing the sights. Presentations from the holster, reloads and malfunction clearances can all be practiced using Dry Practice techniques. Almost any skill with a firearm can be improved with Dry Practice.
Five minutes a day, several days a week will yield excellent results.
So, during this down time, don’t think you cannot work on your shooting. You can and should. So, when America settles down, you can come to the range as an improved shooter. We’ll see you at the range.
About the writer
Mike Lazarus
Military and Law Enforcement Veteran
FBI certified firearm instructor
MP5 and Sub Machine gun instructor
Defensive tactics instructor
