Practicing in times when components are scarce

[nmbarta]

We use a combination of dry and live firing, that has proven to be very effective. You can take it what ever level you want, but generally speaking we use about a 5:1 ratio of dry fires to live fires, which results in shooting 20% of the ammo you normally would.
I do this with kids all the time, but like to do it myself as well.

Pretty simple, have somebody else load the rifle where you can't see, then have them give the rifle to you. Keep it random. You don't know if there is a live round or empty chamber. Dry firing is great practice, but when you know the rifle is not going to go off, it's easy not to flinch. When you don't know if it's going to go off, you treat every shot like an actual shot. You might be surprised what shows up even with experienced shooters. This also takes you out of your shooting position every time, so you have to practice getting back on your grip, cheek weld, sight picture, etc.

It's a good way to save on ammo, still have some fun, and point out some potential issues that are otherwise hard to find.

I did this with my stepson when he was 11 with his .308. He was shooting about 10" groups at 100. I did this over and over one afternoon until his form was boringly near perfection. At the end of the day, he was consistently shooting 2" groups with a gun that wouldn't shoot much better than 1". Not bad for a days work and a few boxes of ammo.

 

[Pro2A]

We use a combination of dry and live firing, that has proven to be very effective. You can take it what ever level you want, but generally speaking we use about a 5:1 ratio of dry fires to live fires, which results in shooting 20% of the ammo you normally would.
I do this with kids all the time, but like to do it myself as well.

Pretty simple, have somebody else load the rifle where you can't see, then have them give the rifle to you. Keep it random. You don't know if there is a live round or empty chamber. Dry firing is great practice, but when you know the rifle is not going to go off, it's easy not to flinch. When you don't know if it's going to go off, you treat every shot like an actual shot. You might be surprised what shows up even with experienced shooters. This also takes you out of your shooting position every time, so you have to practice getting back on your grip, cheek weld, sight picture, etc.

It's a good way to save on ammo, still have some fun, and point out some potential issues that are otherwise hard to find.

I did this with my stepson when he was 11 with his .308. He was shooting about 10" groups at 100. I did this over and over one afternoon until his form was boringly near perfection. At the end of the day, he was consistently shooting 2" groups with a gun that wouldn't shoot much better than 1". Not bad for a days work and a few boxes of ammo.

Really good suggestion. This "flinch" really shows up on the Mantis X10 Elite equipped set up. With the Mantis, one can actually see and study/compare the affect of finch and all other errors of one's way. When behind the gun, it is really difficult to appreciate the errors of our way. Using a video camera and the Mantis, one can really study one';s own technique and monitor progress, compare techniques.

 

[nmbarta]

I'm going to look into that. Rain, snow, and wind today, it'd be a good day to have something like that.

 

[Joefrazell]

I'm using this time to build another rifle. O and to shoot the others haha. I actually found some norma urp and am gunna load up some hornady 140 bthp for the Cm to keep me out shooting. Keeping the 147 eldms in that rifle for hunting and practice closer to hunting.

 

[Pro2A]

We use a combination of dry and live firing, that has proven to be very effective. You can take it what ever level you want, but generally speaking we use about a 5:1 ratio of dry fires to live fires, which results in shooting 20% of the ammo you normally would.
I do this with kids all the time, but like to do it myself as well.

Pretty simple, have somebody else load the rifle where you can't see, then have them give the rifle to you. Keep it random. You don't know if there is a live round or empty chamber. Dry firing is great practice, but when you know the rifle is not going to go off, it's easy not to flinch. When you don't know if it's going to go off, you treat every shot like an actual shot. You might be surprised what shows up even with experienced shooters. This also takes you out of your shooting position every time, so you have to practice getting back on your grip, cheek weld, sight picture, etc.

It's a good way to save on ammo, still have some fun, and point out some potential issues that are otherwise hard to find.

I did this with my stepson when he was 11 with his .308. He was shooting about 10" groups at 100. I did this over and over one afternoon until his form was boringly near perfection. At the end of the day, he was consistently shooting 2" groups with a gun that wouldn't shoot much better than 1". Not bad for a days work and a few boxes of ammo.

I see a 5:1 ratio as shooting all the ammo one normally would, and dry firing 5 times that count...... But, that's just a really, really old guy's take.....and warped humor.