Handgun Home Practice

LloydXmas250 · October 16, 2010, 01:55 AM

I've been practicing with my gun and snap caps a lot but I've been running out of drills. I was wondering if I (and others who will see this) know of any good home drills to practice with. These are the drills I know and do:
-Placing a coin on the slide and dry firing
-Just plain old dry firing
-FTF/FTE drills
-Reloading drills
-Drawing from a holster (although I don't have a holster yet, I just use the pants pocket in the meantime)
-The pencil drill (although that one is my least favorite and I don't really feel like it's helping)

Any other drills I should be doing? Thanks

jersey_emt · October 16, 2010, 01:42 PM

Have you considered a nice-quality gas blowback airsoft gun? While it can't completely replace dry fire drills, it's a lot more fun and you'll want to train more because of that. Being able to just set up a target in your basement/garage/back yard, and shooting for under a penny for each round, is great. No need to drive to the range, and no need for ear protection (eye protection is still necessary though).

LloydXmas250 · October 16, 2010, 01:55 PM

How realistic could the recoil be though?

Amin Parker · October 16, 2010, 03:15 PM

I guess dry firing is all you can realisticly do at home unless you have a range at home.

What is the pencil test? Is that like checking the firing pin?

LloydXmas250 · October 16, 2010, 10:19 PM

Someone said to tap a piece of paper on the wall, draw a dot and then put the pencil down the barrel. Get close to the paper and aim at the dot. When you fire, the pencil will shoot out and make a mark under the one you were aiming at. Repeat and if you're aiming correctly and not flinching or pulling then all of the marks should be in the same spot. Not my favorite but I've done it a few times.

g.willikers · October 17, 2010, 06:55 PM

Airguns, with the blowback feature, recoil pretty good.
Some about par with a .22.
Definitely more than dryfiring.
Better for running scenarios, too.
Multiple targets, shooting around obstacles, all with actual feedback.
Very good practice.
Try it, you'll see.

Jbb6811 · October 17, 2010, 07:04 PM

so the firing pin pushes the pecil out? how close to the wall do you need to be?

and how does the coin on the slide work?

rsxr22 · October 17, 2010, 07:40 PM

set a coin on the slide, if it falls off, you have to much finger in the trigger guard or are slapping at the trigger. It teaches you to slowly press the trigger to the rear instead of "pulling".

I do a lot of the drills you do, but on top of that i put a lot of focus on my reaction hand drills( most people call "Weakhand only"). Basically drawing and clearing malfunctions with one hand only. Some could call it overkill, but i prefer training for the worst and hoping for the best.

LloydXmas250 · October 17, 2010, 09:08 PM

Yeah I do the coin on the slide. I should start practicing support hand techniques. Haven't really worked on those yet.

Dave R · October 17, 2010, 09:22 PM

I use Speer's plastic training bullets. They're powered by primer only, no powder.

I shoot in the garage (windows open) or outdoors. There is no recoil, but the bullets do shoot to point of aim. I use them to practice drawing from concealment and putting the first round on target as quickly and accurately as possible. The practice has REALLY helped improve both draw speed and first shot accuracy. I just hang a heavy jusk blanket over a support, and it collects the bullets for re-use. Don't use a good blanket, cuz they go about 400fps and will tear the blanket at times.

I also practice tap-rack-bang drills with my semi's, cuz the plastic training bullets won't cycle the action.

It helps to have some reloading fear for punching out the old primers and putting in new primers, but I have seen guys do it without any reloading gear. Just use a slender nail on a board to knock out the old primer, and use a soft mallet to seat a new primer.

I use the .38 training bullets for 9mm and .380acp, and the .45 for a .45acp.

Highly recommended.

rsxr22 · October 17, 2010, 10:33 PM

if you guys want some GREAT live fire drills go to pistol-training.com and print out all of the drills Todd has on their...

October 16, 2010, 01:55 AM	#1
LloydXmas250 Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 334	Handgun Home Practice I've been practicing with my gun and snap caps a lot but I've been running out of drills. I was wondering if I (and others who will see this) know of any good home drills to practice with. These are the drills I know and do: -Placing a coin on the slide and dry firing -Just plain old dry firing -FTF/FTE drills -Reloading drills -Drawing from a holster (although I don't have a holster yet, I just use the pants pocket in the meantime) -The pencil drill (although that one is my least favorite and I don't really feel like it's helping) Any other drills I should be doing? Thanks

October 16, 2010, 01:42 PM	#2
jersey_emt Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Posts: 440	Have you considered a nice-quality gas blowback airsoft gun? While it can't completely replace dry fire drills, it's a lot more fun and you'll want to train more because of that. Being able to just set up a target in your basement/garage/back yard, and shooting for under a penny for each round, is great. No need to drive to the range, and no need for ear protection (eye protection is still necessary though). __________________ A liberal firearms owner and 2A supporter from New Jersey (yes, we do exist). SIG Sauer P6, S&W Model 59, Ruger Mark II "NRA Endowment" special edition, Mossberg 500 12-gauge. Please check out WhichGun.com, a firearms reference and buying guide.

October 17, 2010, 07:04 PM	#7
Jbb6811 Member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South carolina Posts: 95	so the firing pin pushes the pecil out? how close to the wall do you need to be? and how does the coin on the slide work? __________________ Bersa 380(wives ccw), Walther P22,S&W M&P.40(full) & .357sig compact,S&W BG380

October 17, 2010, 09:22 PM	#10
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 6,073	I use Speer's plastic training bullets. They're powered by primer only, no powder. I shoot in the garage (windows open) or outdoors. There is no recoil, but the bullets do shoot to point of aim. I use them to practice drawing from concealment and putting the first round on target as quickly and accurately as possible. The practice has REALLY helped improve both draw speed and first shot accuracy. I just hang a heavy jusk blanket over a support, and it collects the bullets for re-use. Don't use a good blanket, cuz they go about 400fps and will tear the blanket at times. I also practice tap-rack-bang drills with my semi's, cuz the plastic training bullets won't cycle the action. It helps to have some reloading fear for punching out the old primers and putting in new primers, but I have seen guys do it without any reloading gear. Just use a slender nail on a board to knock out the old primer, and use a soft mallet to seat a new primer. I use the .38 training bullets for 9mm and .380acp, and the .45 for a .45acp. Highly recommended. __________________ I am Pro-Rights (on gun issues).

October 16, 2010, 01:55 PM	#3
LloydXmas250 Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 334	How realistic could the recoil be though?

October 16, 2010, 03:15 PM	#4
Amin Parker Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2010 Posts: 1,118	I guess dry firing is all you can realisticly do at home unless you have a range at home. What is the pencil test? Is that like checking the firing pin?

October 16, 2010, 10:19 PM	#5
LloydXmas250 Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 334	Someone said to tap a piece of paper on the wall, draw a dot and then put the pencil down the barrel. Get close to the paper and aim at the dot. When you fire, the pencil will shoot out and make a mark under the one you were aiming at. Repeat and if you're aiming correctly and not flinching or pulling then all of the marks should be in the same spot. Not my favorite but I've done it a few times.

October 17, 2010, 06:55 PM	#6
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Airguns, with the blowback feature, recoil pretty good. Some about par with a .22. Definitely more than dryfiring. Better for running scenarios, too. Multiple targets, shooting around obstacles, all with actual feedback. Very good practice. Try it, you'll see.

October 17, 2010, 07:40 PM	#8
rsxr22 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Youngstown, OH Posts: 1,825	set a coin on the slide, if it falls off, you have to much finger in the trigger guard or are slapping at the trigger. It teaches you to slowly press the trigger to the rear instead of "pulling". I do a lot of the drills you do, but on top of that i put a lot of focus on my reaction hand drills( most people call "Weakhand only"). Basically drawing and clearing malfunctions with one hand only. Some could call it overkill, but i prefer training for the worst and hoping for the best.

October 17, 2010, 09:08 PM	#9
LloydXmas250 Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 334	Yeah I do the coin on the slide. I should start practicing support hand techniques. Haven't really worked on those yet.

October 17, 2010, 10:33 PM	#11
rsxr22 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Youngstown, OH Posts: 1,825	if you guys want some GREAT live fire drills go to pistol-training.com and print out all of the drills Todd has on their...