Home Target Practice

Hey guys-

I am a first time gun buyer. Just purchased a Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm 2.0. I was able to get two boxes of ammo with it, but as many of you are aware, ammo is pricey and scarce right now. So I've had this gun for a couple of weeks and have not even been able to fire it yet. So far I've cleaned it and I've been breaking it down and putting it back together every day. Trying to familiarize myself with it as much as possible.

So my question is this, until I can get to the range, I was looking at some home laser targeting systems. Yes, I am fully aware that there is no substitute for range time. This is just something I want to do at home in the meantime and probably continue to do once ammo becomes more readily available and I am able to hit the range. Anyway, I know nothing about these systems or which one is best. I'm wondering if anyone of the gun folks here can recommend one. I think being able to practice drawling, aiming and pulling the trigger, even without live ammo, has to have some benefit.

Thanks!

a reply to: Rasputin13

Like you said, there is nothing like the real thing but one of these couldn't hurt.

www.opticsplanet.com... ign=affiliate-2107011

Send a PM to projectvxn. He's our resident expert.

a reply to: Rasputin13 You might ant to hold off until you've been to the range. Firstly, don't trust the firearm until you've actually fired it. I had an officer under my command purchase and carry a new firearm for a month before he took it to quarterly firearm qualifications. When he pulled the trigger for the first time, nothing happened. Seems the firing pin was damaged during the manufactures test shot, shipping, or after it had been received at the gun store. The the pistol was not functional and could have cost him his life or that of another person.

As to laser systems, anything that develops your ability to capture the sight picture is a positive. However, drawing, stance, profile, and reloading are learned activities. You can develop some really bad habits without practical training. Save these for later. Oh, and practice, practice, practice until your firearm handling becomes instinctual. Don't let ammo cost or availability shortchange you on experience and ability.

www.itargetpro.com...

I have one of these. Very cool.

Snap caps...they used to be called. So you can dry fire without wrecking gun.
It looks like a bullet, but has a spring the firing pin can hit.
Then maybe a laser aim like crimson trace, if it has mounts, or works w trigger guard.
You can practice your draw without shooting your leg off your leg.

Dry fire drills.

Also, if you have the money, there are laser based trainers with recoil kits.

Most of shooting a gun accurately resides in trigger manipulation. So dry fire a lot.

a reply to: projectvxn
Is it good to dry fire a lot? or are you talking about a dummy round in the chamber?

a reply to: vonclod

Looks like it's ok except on rimfire guns..interesting

originally posted by: Mandroid7
a reply to: vonclod

Looks like it's ok except on rimfire guns..interesting

For sure..never knew!

originally posted by: vonclod
a reply to: projectvxn
Is it good to dry fire a lot? or are you talking about a dummy round in the chamber?

Modern semi automatic pistols don't have issues with dry fire.

Spend a some time looking up dry fire drills and follow them. 30 minutes a day of dry fire practice will definitely pay off.

a reply to: projectvxn

the link I offered is a laser cartridge that lights up when the hammer hits it. So you can shoot the dog, shoot the cat, shoot the wall, and never have to clean up any mess. And the Dog and cat will still be around. there is a target system as well, but the laser is pretty cool by itself.

a reply to: network dude

That's pretty cool too.

There is a company that makes training Glock copies that fire a laser, they have an app to track training time and set up drills.

You can even shoot competition with people over the internet.

a reply to: Rasputin13

Is this an anti gun advert?

Get an AIRGUN and learn to shoot BEFORE you kill yourself or someone you love with a machine designed to KILL.

Pellets don't usually go through much flesh.

a reply to: nerbot

The OP isn't doing or saying anything wrong and he/she is seeking further training and looking for alternatives to range time as ammunition is scarce right now.

Christ. Read the OP.

Others don't and shouldn't have to train to your sensibilities. No one is getting hurt or killed here.

originally posted by: nerbot
a reply to: Rasputin13

Is this an anti gun advert?

Get an AIRGUN and learn to shoot BEFORE you kill yourself or someone you love with a machine designed to KILL.

Pellets don't usually go through much flesh.

Mm. I'm reminiscing on the days of my childhood of having to dig pellets out of my arms, back, and ass cheeks.

a reply to: AutomateThis1

lol I try not to reminisce about trauma.

Still get jumpy around a compressed air can?

Shoot'em in the dick.

a reply to: projectvxn

The first few times playing airsoft people were joking about how it looked like I going through Nam flashbacks.

As for home drills, practicing unholstering, dry firing, trigger squeezes, getting into the habit of scanning for threats before holsterinf, and getting into the habit of taking your time holstering are good habits.

You want to be quick to draw your weapon, but there's no reason to be quick to holster, just to potentially unholster again.

Practice drawing and bringing the weapon up to your chest in seouls or chest ready, and then punching straight out, dry fire, then back to chest ready, scan for threats, then slow holster.

Practice sight picture, front sight first then bring rear sight up into alignment

Snap caps on anything other than a 22 is pointless in my opinion. The biggest issue with dry firing besides the lack of recoil is that after you pull the trigger you will have to rack the slide back every time. Which is pretty unrealistic.

Practice clearing jams. Learn how to clear stovepipes and double feeds which you may be able to do with snapcaps.

One thing we use to do for snips and giggles is put a spent casing on the front sight and practice pulling the trigger without making the casing fall off.

Laser systems are pretty neat. Not the be all end all, but better than nothing. There are some that test your threat response time and judgment, but they aren't all that spectacular in actual shooting in my opinion. There is a lot that goes into where your round goes.

Generally a round will go where you out it if you have a good sight picture, but shooting longer distances, especially with a pistol there's a few other things that can affect accuracy, although I wouldn't worry too much about it as it's kind of minimal for the most part.

Shooting is a skill that diminishes. I've only gone to the range like twice in the past year, and my shooting is horrendous compared to when I used to go every weekend.

Don't worry too much about the people who will rag on you and say they can drive multiple rounds through dime sized holes. Most of the time those guys are taking their time, one round at a time. In a real situation you won't be able to take your time, so as long as your shots are going center mass who cares.

And when you do start going to the range take your time.

There's a saying slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Take your time, practice having a good grip, slow and steady trigger pulls, only let the trigger out to it's reset, don't slap or jerk the trigger, watch your breathing. Watch your stance. If you start shaking put the gun down and shake it out.

Once you get to where you have the fundamentals down and can reliably get each round to go where you want it then you can go on to getting a little quicker.

I DM'd you...