Dry Firing

[Fatman]

Hi:

It always seemed like dry-firing would be a waste of time.  Seemed that if you went to the trouble of getting out your gear, setting up a target and settling into position, you ought to at least send a few pellets downrange.

Some time ago the light came on.  I came across a statement supposedly attributed to Michelangelo who, when asked how he created such a perfect sculpture as his statue of David.  The reply was that he simply removed all of the unnecessary marble to reveal it.  (I know it seems like a stretch and I’m certainly no Michelangelo, but bear with me).  

This got me to thinking …….. Here was a man of such incredible skill that he had no doubt what the final result would be when he set to work.   His vision was of the final statue, but his focus was on the technique and skill needed  to remove the unnecessary marble that made it happen.  

Back to shooting.  When  I send a pellet down range my mind is focused on the hit, where the pellet will impact the target.  The “perfect shot“. Wrong, wrong, wrong.  The pellet will hit where it will hit.  What makes the difference is the technique used in sending the pellet on it’s way.

In dry-firing there is no pellet hit.  This simple fact forces you to focus on the your technique.  It’s your technique that determines where the pellet will hit the target.  Focus on improving your technique, and your groups will improve.  You need to have the image of the “perfect shot” in your mind, but your focus has to be on improving your technique to make it happen.  

Sure it takes practice (a lot of practice), but you will improve faster by adding dry-firing to your routine than by endlessly sending pellets down range, making the same mistakes over and over, waiting for your scores to somehow magically improve.   Sounds obvious, but a lot shooters, myself included do (did) just that.  Give it a try, it might work for you as well.

I have far too much time on my hands.

Cheers,
Fatman

[ac12basis]

FM
I know what you mean.  I have a Daisy 747 air pistol, which like the x53 air rifles, you can cock the hammer w/o charging it with air.  So you can dry fire all you want.  Unfortunately, there are only a few air guns that can be safely dry fired.  

Being able to dry fire w/o the noise and vibration of the gun firing makes it a heck of a lot easier to concentrate on technique.  In my case it was the trigger pull.  I was not pulling it STRAIGHT BACK, and I only saw it when the only thing that happened when I pulled the trigger is the hammer falls.  With the noise and vibration of firing a charged gun, I could not see that I was pulling the trigger to the side.

[TCups]

I oppose dry firing on principle.  I try to always have liquid refreshment at hand when I am doing serious shooting.

[gamo2hammerli]

I tried that and the feet placement quite a few months ago....when Riflejunkie or ronbeaux suggested it.....I think it really does help.  But as Fatman says...it`s abit time consuming.  I only did that for about 3 weeks.....2 or 3 times a week, then I got bored and impatient.  (

[Fatman]

Hi ac12basis:

You're lucky, my problems are legion but I'm getting them sorted bit by bit.  I doubt that I will ever compete again so it's just for fun.  I have as much fun tinkering with them as shooting them.  

Something new:
I wear glasses and the prescription is probably over 5 years old, so I have been blaming the fuzziness I see in the rear diopter (both the 753 and 853 rear sights) down to old age and deteriorating vision.  I always felt there was a fine hair or bit of fuzz in there and kept blowing them out but the fuzziness remained.

Got bored last night and took a 10 power loupe (Harbor Freight $3.99 for a set of 5 - 2x to10x and yes they have plastic lenses but hey, we're not watchmaking or diamond cutting here).  Wow, there were several  tiny hair like burrs at two or three points in both aperatures.  Removed the aperatures from the sights and blew them out really good .....still there.  Ran a tooth pick inside.......still there.  Took a very fine round needle file (yes, Harbor Frieght, and no they aren't very well hardened) and very lightly and carefully drew it in and out while rotating it slowly.  Just one pass with virtually no pressure at all.  Hey presto no more burrs.  Put them back on the sights and that annoying fuzziness is gone (well most of it, the eyes are still the same).  Funny thing was, even with a desk magnifier the aperatures looked fine.  Go figure.

I have far too much time on my hands.

Cheers,
Fatman

[Fatman]

TCups:

I'm liking that.  Relax, chill out and don't sweat the flyers.  I may have to take up drinking.  See if it improves my scores.

I have far too much time on my hands.

Cheers,
Fatma

[Fatman]

Hi gamo2hammerli:

It can be boring.  My solution is to dry fire about 10 or15 rounds at the beginning of a shooting session.  It focuses attention on my natural point of aim, breathing, hold and shot release.  Going straight to live fire has me using what I learned right away which reinforces the experience.  It also shows up what does o doesn't work immediately.  

I have far too much time on my hands.

Cheers,
Fatman

[gamo2hammerli]

Actually that's a very excellent idea.....I never thought of that. Yeah, 10 to 15 dry-fires.....just slowly squeeze the trigger.....before a shooting session. It won't be too time consuming and boring.