Let's face it, 90% of you are not dry firing the way you are supposed to, or you have no idea how to even do it in a way that will help progress your skills on the flat range. That is fine, because it is understandable that dry firing is boring and almost like watching paint dry. However, I think that there is a way to use lasers to make it fun and engaging by actually SHOWING you when you are hitting and missing. There is a reason many people like myself are promoting the use of laser trainers to enhance your training and practice.
THE PRODUCT
A laser training bullet is a laser pointer that is only activated when the tail of it is struck by a firing pin. The one shown in the picture is simply dropped into the chamber and pushed in. The rubber O-rings maintain a consistent pressure on all sides of the laser trainer, and allow it to maintain near perfect alignment with your bore. A laser trainer like the one above can go for $40 if you want one that will last you a long time without needing to change batteries or rear caps.
SAFETY CONSIDERATION
Most laser trainers are rimless and therefore will stay in the chamber, even if you rack the slide. The only way to eject the laser trainer is with something like a ballpoint pen. If you were to try and load ammo while the trainer is in, you will be sorely disappointed. This is an inherent point of safety, but it is not a free pass for you to not practice safe gun handling and be 100% sure of the status of your firearm.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Once you have made the small investment into bettering yourself, you are ready to start. Simply lubricate your O-rings with a non-petroleum lubricant like SLIP2000 and push it into the chamber until it stops. Now it is time to have some productive fun. It is still dry firing, but now you know roughly where your rounds will be impacting and you can adjust accordingly. My recommendation is to start your practice at 10% of what you normally would. For instance, if you are going to practice the draw, get the gun out at full speed, but extend out and fire at 1/10th of the speed you normally would. This will help you see if you are hitting where you need to hit or not.
A FEW THINGS TO TRY OUT
In the time I have used a laser trainer for my pistols, I have found that there are a few things that can really help with my training and practice beyond just statically dry firing. Now that there is a way to project and show your shot impacts (Or at least a simulation), you can start analyzing and tracking your hits and misses whilst on the move or when doing close range threat focused shooting. The laser system will help you see where your natural aim is and whether you ARE holding your sights as steady as you think you are. There are also apps that plot your impacts using your phone, which helps remove that much more doubt and can help you dial in your practice that much more.
You can also use this as an opportunity to treat this laser training like 90% of your practice and let the last 10% be verification that you are on point with your dry firing. Realistically, I would say that it is best to dry fire 50-100 times for every live shot. This hammers into my brain a pattern of motion that you expect your body to follow, regardless of whether there is recoil. The brain controls the body, and intentional and deliberate repetition programs a specific action to the level of reflex. This is how you get your training to "kick in" when it counts. Also, this deliberate and high number of repetitions allows you to program your body to better accept the body mechanics of proper shooting, which is by its' very nature unnatural.
FINISHING UP
Once you are finished using the laser trainer, I recommend just using a Bic pen to remove it from the chamber by pushing from the muzzle end. When you get it out, you will probably notice an indent in the rubber-like rear cap. Even though the rear caps are cushioned, you will be able to see how much force a firing pin can deliver.
In my opinion, laser trainers are that perfect go between for your firearms training. It is a one time investment that can save you alot of frustration and money if used properly. My recommendation is to use this system as the second tier of verification that your practice is being done properly. First use a snap cap for learning the general motions and to iron out large movements of the sights. Graduate to the laser in order to finely iron out as much movement during your shots as possible. Once you have your shots right where you want them and can't seem to get it wrong, then use your hard earned cash and verify on the range with live ammo. Give laser trainers a shot and you might be surprised how much it can improve your performance while also saving you cash and frustration.
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