3 Tools to Aid in Dry Fire Training
Dry fire practice can be as intricate or as simple as you want it to be. With anything, the more intricate you go, the more extensive and expensive the rabbit hole becomes. The less things you need to practice with, the more apt you’ll be to practice consistently. It also means the more likely you’ll be to practice even if you’re not at home. Regardless, it’s good to know what to look for with dry fire “add-on’s” and which ones apply for your price range. Just remember that just as with live fire, simply having the “thing’s” don’t guarantee that you’ll become a better shooter. It takes time, effort, diligence, and most importantly, consistency.
Rangefox
What would be better than having a library of live fire drills that can measure your metrics over time? Well, how about having it built into a mobile app on your phone that also has dry fire drills? Here’s where Rangefox comes in. Currently only available for iOS (expect Android early-’21), this app boasts a plethora of accountability options. Ranging from a completely customizable user set up, a customizable “clipboard” where you can add any drill from the library to in order to pre-plan your range day, and a pie graph that shows you your balance – or lack thereof – of your live and dry fire. Whether in the context of competition or personal protection, accountability is key. Without it, we have no reference as to where our skills diminish or increase. Rangefox gives you a constantly updating library of drills that are even broken into categories, a leaderboard standing within the live fire portion that tells you who’s beating your par time/accuracy, editable “loadout” so you can train exactly how and what you carry, a dry fire section with editable par times, and just simply having an on the go accountability partner that can be taken literally anywhere.
$10/month
Mantis X2
The biggest issue with any form of dry fire is the obvious issue that you have zero visual ability to see if your point of aim (POA) has in turn shifted your point of impact (POI). There is no “impact” in dry fire hence it takes a lot of self-honesty and diligence. Without it, you may in turn develop bad habits that you’re oblivious to until you finally get to a range. Visual feedback can shorten the learning curve of your dry fire practice simply because there’s a known “penalty” for missing. With systems such as the Mantis X2, it allows the end user to have instant feedback by using their smartphone or tablet as the target. From there, you can instantly see your shooting “history” in the form of “hit” locations and other metrics that can be used to critique your mechanics later on. The unfortunate downside is that every time you press the trigger you have to cycle the slide to reset the trigger. This is commonplace with dry fire, as one of the many purposes is to gain an intimate understanding as to how your trigger feels and works. The other is that the sensor attaches to the rail on your handgun like a pistol mounted light. Due to this, you may have to purchase a light compatible holster if you decide to do holster reps with the Mantis X2. Overall, this would be a great addition to deepen the use of not only the Mantis system but also utilizing Rangefox with it.
$99.99
CoolFire Trainer
The biggest gripe I hear when trying to get others into a consistent dry fire routine, is there’s no stimulus feedback if using either their own gun or even the Mantis X2. The slide doesn’t cycle on its own, therefore you have to do it manually in order to reset the trigger. The CoolFire Trainer is a great option for those who have the extra funding to spend if they desire instant feedback within their dry fire practice. Each kit includes:
- A CO2 powered CoolFire Trainer barrel replacement for your model
- A recoil spring and/or rod that replaces your gun's recoil system
- 2 slide release inserts for your gun's magazine to prevent slide lock
- 2 spare striker tips, grease, hex key for adjustment or purging
- A Soda Maker or Paint Ball adapter (for CO2 refill)
A laser is not included in the original package but can be added on as an additional charge. Personally, if I was going through the lengths to add this to my training regime, I’d spend the extra change and go all in. This is not a necessary tool to participate in dry fire, but it may keep your mind more “active” when you now have a slide that cycles.
Starts at $329.00
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