Quote:
Originally Posted by rickyrick
Trigger control is an important part of accuracy. Dry firing is great for this. The laser is not needed.
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Yep. I use the laser less than half the time. I try to remember to set a goal when I go to practice, whether dry fire at home or live fire at the range. If I'm working on NPOA then I don't need the laser at all and I don't use it. I may not even pull the trigger if I'm practicing with a semi-auto. But if I'm practicing with my 30-06 then I most certainly cycle the bolt between 'shots'. What I get from the laser is (1) follow up feedback. The laser stays on long enough that if it wiggles on the target then I know my follow up stinks and I'm not holding the rifle steady after the trigger pull. A wiggling dot might also mean that I'm jerking the trigger. And (2) the laser gives me feedback on the shot's accuracy. I have mixed feelings about this, as it's not the same as 'calling the shot'. The feedback is too immediate and sometimes I catch myself focused on the target, so I can watch the laser, rather than focusing on my front sight. Then again, sometimes I focus on the target, and not my front sight, during live fire. But I'm much better at staying focused on the front sight than I used to be. I just hope I can keep my focus on the sights when I have an animal in the sights :-)
Quote:
Originally Posted by rickyrick
Another part of the equation is being able to shoulder the rifle accurately. So I believe that the act of re-cocking the rifle and bringing back to firing position is beneficial. Do this; dry fire, cock, close eyes, shoulder rifle, open eyes and see how well the sights are lined up. You can practice without dry firing also.
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Absolutely! Checking my NPOA is always part of the process. Dry fire practice, even without pulling the trigger has been incredibly helpful with this discipline. I can dry fire on a regular basis at home. When I do get the chance to go to the range then I am NOT just learning; I am validating what I already practiced and learned at home.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rickyrick
If you plan on putting your skills to some utilitarian purpose such as; hunting coyotes or tactical like stuff, then this is important. Practice shouldering and u should be able to get into firing position and everything is lined up to shoot.
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Well, I don't do tactical stuff, at least not the pray and spray I commonly see. Every shot I take is intended to be aimed well enough to accomplish its goal. Hunting is my primary goal, even though I do enjoy plinking just for plinking's sake. So yes, my practice is mostly standing, sitting, or using a support of one type or another. I don't practice a lot of prone and (at least not now) and I don't use a bipod, because that's not the kind of hunting I'll be doing.
All that said, I agree with all the benefits everyone has expressed about dry firing without a laser and without an auto-cock mechanism - and I either already practiced or have since adopted the suggestions made here into my practice. I just think an auto-cock mechanism would add one more element of live fire to dry fire practice when simulating semi-auto use, nothing more. In Appleseed terms, it would let my practice 'the rifleman's cadence'.
I certainly appreciate the suggestions people are making and hope they keep coming. I'm learning a lot.
Thanks again,
Andrew
NRA Life Member
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"There are some ideas so preposterous that only an intellectual will believe them." - Malcolm Muggeridge