The Importance of Dry-Firing

Hello, my name is J. Anderson, the Chief Security Operations Officer for CopTimeandaHalf.com. I also serve as both a member of the Armed Services as a Special Forces soldier and a Special Agent in the law enforcement community.

I understand more than anyone the importance of maintaining a high level of proficiency with your service weapon, but in this day and age, budget cuts and lack of ample range time can make this critical task much more difficult. No matter how frustrating this situation is, there is always time to practice with your weapon using one of the most basic techniques that is taught to all combat shooters, dry-firing.

This simple technique will in no way replace the application of putting rounds on a target, but, it will greatly assist the shooter with maintaining proficiency with any weapon. Simply drawing from the holster numerous times, wearing different types of clothing while drawing from the holster, magazine changes, trigger squeeze, strong hand/ support hand techniques, downed person shooting techniques, or one-handed weapon handling skills while dry-firing will greatly enhance any shooter’s ability to perform much more smoothly and efficiently in the heat of battle.

Of course, the most important rule when conducting this type of training is always, Safety First. It wouldn’t do the shooter any good if he/ she forgot to unload his or her weapon while conducting this training, nor would it be of any use if one simply forgot to reload the weapon after dry-fire training has concluded. Don’t forget to always conduct this type of training in a relatively safe environment. The front porch of your front yard or the nearby playground is no place to conduct this type of training unless you own the neighborhood and l just so happen to be the only resident living in your community. I don’t know how many times that simply dry-firing for approximately 20 – 30 minutes prior to a qualification made the difference between a good score and a great score. It works for me, it may just work for you. Just remember to always be safety conscience whenever you handle a handgun or any weapon for that matter. Be safe and good luck!