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Dry Fire Drills for Highpower Competitors
by Stuart A. Leach a.k.a. "the Colorado Gray Fox"
"Dry firing", i.e. without ammunition, can be a very
valuable training technique for the across the
course NRA Highpower Rifle competitor. Dry firing
makes use of an old training principle- frequent
repetition at short intervals builds and maintains
skills better than long sessions widely spaced.
The following exercises are designed to ingrain
proper position building and rebuilding, sight
alignment, sight picture, focus, trigger release and
calling the shot.
Dry firing can be done indoors or outside. To get
the most benefit, use all your usual equipment. This
will teach you to set up your gear quickly and
efficiently, and get you accustomed to the feel of
the coat, glove, sling, etc. Shooters with M14- and
M16- type rifles will want to insert a coin under
the lips of the magazine to hold the follower down
and simplify operation. For targets, a 3/8" diameter
black thumbtack centered in a 2¼" square of manila
file folder gives the right perspective at 18 feet.
At 36 feet, a black ¾" round target paster on a 4½"
square is excellent.
Offhand: Set up scope and stool as usual.
Concentrate on building a good position, and testing
the Natural Point of Aim (NPA). Test by building,
aiming, and then closing your eyes for 4-5 seconds.
When you open your eyes, where was your front sight?
If high, bring feet closer together; spread 'em if
you were low. Move your rear foot forward or back
slightly to move the NPA horizontally. Test again.
When you get it right, dry fire at least ten times.
Go through the same motions as would be used in live
fire. Focus on sight alignment, and reducing your
wobble area. When the trigger releases, maintain the
hold for two or three more seconds to build a good
follow through pattern. Call each shot out loud.
Really!- say "9 at 3 o'clock" (or whatever) right
out loud. Plot in data book. Be honest.
Sitting: Set up as usual. Build a good position, and
test the NPA. Rise, and drop back down in a
controlled fashion at least five times. Concentrate
on getting smoothly back to position, with a quick
test of NPA. Each time, do what you would do in a
match. As getting back to the same position after
reloading is critical to good rapid fire scores, do
at least five more reps where you reload and rebuild
the position. Call your shots. Simulate the
breathing and trigger stroke of strings of 2 & 8 or
5 & 5.
Prone rapid: Same as sitting. Pay attention to
rebuilding, and a quick test of NPA after the
reload.
Prone slow: Similar to offhand drill. Be sure to set
up all your gear, including the spotting scope.
Practice scoping the target, loading and mounting
the rifle, and firing with follow through. After a
few repetitions, test your NPA again. Does the front
sight still move straight up and down through the
target? Or did your position change slightly as you
went through the motions? You may find that you have
to build and test the position for each shot.
Finish by doing ten more offhand. Everyone can
improve their offhand performance. |
