Why not dry fire?

[StevenC.]

In line with the question as to why people don't train (attend classes)....


Why so little dry-fire?

The poll over in CHL fourm indicates people are dry-firing a lot less than they are live-firing. And, I don't grasp why that is.

Dry fire is free.
It is done is a far realistic environment.
Requires no travel, no eye and ear-pro, and has no 180 rule.

 

[Younggun]

Some worry about damaging the gun.

I used to aim at the Tv and do it, but at this point I don't want to give my kids ideas (not that I intend to let them get their hands on a gun unsupervised).

 

[Dawico]

I believe dry fire is the leading cause of NDs (negligent discharges). Pull, pull, pull, ah, good enough. Reload and put away. Ah, one more pull for good measure.............

 

[SIG_Fiend]

People can do a hell of a lot of repetition and gain a hell of a lot of neural memory, to the point of achieving subconscious competence, with dry fire, and entirely for free. It's a win win. There are only a few things you can't train with it, obviously, such as recoil control.

 

[BRD@66]

I believe dry fire is the leading cause of NDs (negligent discharges). Pull, pull, pull, ah, good enough. Reload and put away. Ah, one more pull for good measure.............

Yeah, a horrible example of this: the TX state police lost an L&W captain in 1983 to this very thing.

 

[breakingcontact]

It is less "fun". People like to go to the range and make noise.

 

[StevenC.]

I believe dry fire is the leading cause of NDs (negligent discharges). Pull, pull, pull, ah, good enough. Reload and put away. Ah, one more pull for good measure.............

I think negligence in the leading cause of negligence discharges... not dry-fire.

 

[StevenC.]

Some worry about damaging the gun.

I used to aim at the Tv and do it, but at this point I don't want to give my kids ideas (not that I intend to let them get their hands on a gun unsupervised).

Thousands (tens of thousands) of USPSA shooters are dry-firing their guns tens of thousands of times a year. If it were damaging their guns they wouldn't be doing it. (Shared to alleviate said fear)

 

[navyguy]

I dry fire but have a strict regimen which involves no ammo in the room and a triple check of the gun, and always pointing at something that could absorb a round like a round chair. I've not shot a chair yet, but the one I point at is scared shit-less.

 

[breakingcontact]

I dry fire but have a strict regimen which involves no ammo in the room and a triple check of the gun, and always pointing at something that could absorb a round like a round chair. I've not shot a chair yet, but the one I point at is scared shit-less.

Right. I dont have live ammo in the same room. Disrupted by anything or if I set the gun down I make sure it is clear again.

I also have dedicated magazines for dry fire that are marked and bullets never go into.

 

[StevenC.]

So... fear is the main reason for not dry-firing. Fear of damaging the gun... or a chair. Got it.

 

[breakingcontact]

Ah I also dont dry fire if ive had any adult beverages. I dont drink much anyways but guns and booze dont mix. Perhaps thats a good reason folks dont dry fire?

Really I think its because it isnt "fun" like going to the range. It feels more like exercise or work.

 

[Couyon]

For me, it's the feedback loop. I want to be able to see my progress and make adjustments based on the grouping. That said, I've recently started to do some dry fire practice and now use it to augment my range time.

 

[Tejano Scott]

I also think lots of people don't understand the impact it can have on their fundamentals, or they don't care. Too many people think having a gun is all they need for self-defense.


ETA: I'm as guilty as anyone on training, but I know it.

 

[Younggun]

Thousands (tens of thousands) of USPSA shooters are dry-firing their guns tens of thousands of times a year. If it were damaging their guns they wouldn't be doing it. (Shared to alleviate said fear)

I agree, but some will remain convinced it will destroy them.

 

[ROGER4314]

I dry fire everything that I own or have ever owned. I had to do a bit of maintenance on a few of them but there's never been any damage to my firearms. A lone exception was with a friend. I recommended that he dry fire for practice and he broke the firing pin on his CZ pistol. It took $18 to fix it.

My first 1911 ever was obtained (used) in 1968. It has been dry fired tens of thousands of times since then. It was still the pistol that I picked to shoot my CHL test target.

Yes, I dry fire. It is effective training and it has helped me train as a marksman.

Flash

 

[Younggun]

So... fear is the main reason for not dry-firing. Fear of damaging the gun... or a chair. Got it.

And the children. Think of the children!

Bet seriously, I think it is something to consider with youngsters around. My kids know the gun rules, it doesn't include any sort of dry fire at this point and u teach them by example. I don't want to send mixed messages.

 

[TX69]

I use Snap Caps in my revolver but dry fire my Glocks. Snap Caps are not expensive.

 

[ROGER4314]

I do have some personal rules or dry firing.

I do not use snap caps. If there's anything in the chamber, it's a live round. I don't care if the gun suffers minor damage. I can repair that.

First, my carry guns are never unloaded. When not on use, they are locked in a small safe- loaded. No mistakes there. If a carry gun is out....it's loaded.

If I've been dry firing and I set the pistol down or walk away for a while, I always recheck it again for a loaded round. No exceptions.

Children are not allowed in my house. If they were present, the guns would be locked up. Jake is too small to rack the slide back....snicker.

Flash

 

[benenglish]

Start at about 0:50 and give a listen. This guy is an Olympian. He knows whereof he speaks. He says the ratio of dry fire to live fire should be about 100-to-1. I'm a nobody but, for the record, I entirely agree.