Dry Fire Practice

[Kanewpadle]

Many who are serious about conceal carry and the ability to shoot effectively practice dry firing on a regular basis.

But, there is a right and a wrong way to do so.

Friend called me today. Wants to borrow my spare TV.

Yup, he shot his. Blew a BIG hole in the middle with his 45.

When you dry fire, put your live ammo in another room. If the phone rings and you want to resume practicing, CHECK THE GUN!

Once your done dry firing and load the live ammo, YOUR DONE DRY FIRING!!

No exceptions.

This is what happened to my friend. He was dry firing. He finished and loaded the gun. He then holstered the gun.

Phone rang and he answered. After a 30 minute conversation not remembering that his dry fire session was OVER! He resumed dry firing.

BANG!!!!

Nice hole in the front and a big hole out the back of his 55" plasma TV. I think it's dead.

 

[jlrhiner]

Two words, "Snap Cap".

And while I perfectly understand the seriousness of what happened, I am snickering.

You friend learned a very valuable lesson I bet he will never forget for the cost of a TV.

 

[venomballistics]

I think Elvis was a pioneer in this activity .. one down .. many more to go

 

[venomballistics]

well ok .. all jokes aside.
Iv'e never had an ND .. despite this, I try to avoid handling a firearm if something else will do just as well.
airsoft guns are modeled after most common real steel counterparts often with astonishing accuracy of detail. If you can get by with one for some parts of practice .. by all means do so. even the most expensive ones are far less than repair and replacement of the stuff you stand to perforate

 

[old bear]

Nice hole in the front and a big hole out the back of his 55" plasma TV

Oh man that's gotta leave a mark, Ok, really always unload the weapon you are going to be dry firing in a different room than the one you practice in. I learned this the hard way 40+ years ago.

 

[riverrat38]

"Nice hole in the front and a big hole out the back of his 55" plasma TV. I think it's dead."

Another one shot stop for Marshall & Sanow!

Rick

 

[venomballistics]

"Nice hole in the front and a big hole out the back of his 55" plasma TV. I think it's dead."

Another one shot stop for Marshall & Sanow!

Rick

but was it justifiable ... Hopefully it was tuned to Jersey shore at the time ... thats your best chance for an acquittal

 

[jlrhiner]

but was it justifiable ... Hopefully it was tuned to Jersey shore at the time ... thats your best chance for an acquittal

If that's the case, he's gonna have a hard time proving accident

 

[venomballistics]

If that's the case, he's gonna have a hard time proving accident

why ... that is probably THE dry fire practice show if ever there was one, Dancing with the stars ranking second, which offers practice on moving targets

 

[Kanewpadle]

but was it justifiable ... Hopefully it was tuned to Jersey shore at the time ... thats your best chance for an acquittal

No, Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

 

[Old cop]

This is why I don't practice this way. My range is close by and doing this would scare the devil out of my wife.

 

[snubbyfan]

I just put my red laser dot on the belly of my wife's stuffed Pooh bear and try to keep it there through the trigger pull.

 

[TStick]

When I dry fire, it takes TWO sets of eyes to ensure the gun is clear or has snap caps in it.

If the gun leaves my hand or holster for any reason, then TWO sets of eyes have to recheck the gun before there is another trigger press.

No exceptions.

 

[tops]

Several years ago my uncle (by marriage, not real blood) killed a tv with a .25 baby Browning. I think a .45 is over kill. Larry

 

[cochise]

My TV died a death from a .45 acp. I had it in my back pocket of my jeans. I sat down, moved a little, placed my feet up and BLAM! Through my hip pocket, creased my butt and into the tv. It was on safe. It had an ambi safety and a extended safety. I'm sure that was the cause. I use my other colt with the standard safety now.

 

[ralph7]

My TV died a death from a .45 acp. I had it in my back pocket of my jeans. I sat down, moved a little, placed my feet up and BLAM! Through my hip pocket, creased my butt and into the tv. It was on safe. It had an ambi safety and a extended safety. I'm sure that was the cause. I use my other colt with the standard safety now.

so it was a Colt?
why did the grip safety not work?

 

[cochise]

so it was a Colt?
why did the grip safety not work?

It was a Les Baer Concept V with the large grip safety.
It puzzled me too!

I always use a holster with that pistol now. I told my son when he was buying a 1911 not to get an ambi safety or extened safety and the large grip safety if he was going to CC the pistol. He bought a Colt 1911, and a Kimber witout the "do-dads".

 

[ralph7]

It was a Les Baer Concept V with the large grip safety.
It puzzled me too!

I always use a holster with that pistol now. I told my son when he was buying a 1911 not to get an ambi safety or extened safety and the large grip safety if he was going to CC the pistol. He bought a Colt 1911, and a Kimber witout the "do-dads".

my guess would be that the exaggerated "duck bill" or whatever you want to call the new generation of oversize grip safetys was depressed with your weight on it.
i hate the way those things look.
give me a standard 1911 old school grip safety.
i have never been hammer bit by one, but i can understand those w/big hands that might require the bigger ones.

 

[tops]

so it was a Colt?
why did the grip safety not work?

A safety is a mechanical device and sometimes mechanical devices fail. When I carry my Colt Govt. model cocked and locked I use a holster with a safety strap between the hammer and frame. When I Mex. carry I have the hammer down. Larry

 

[bpeddicord]

Most of my practice for IDPA matches is dry firing. Not in the house!
Years ago, I had a large console RCA TV (the kind with tubes). Nice walnut cabinet. Couldn't stop the vertical hold from rolling. I would adjust the vertical hold button and it would play fine for a little while then start rolling again. This went on for hours every evening. Finally one night it was giving me a fit when Sarah Brady came on a news show with a public announcement, and I pulled my 686 and killed the TV! I needed a new TV anyway!

 

[jlrhiner]

A safety is a mechanical device and sometimes mechanical devices fail. When I carry my Colt Govt. model cocked and locked I use a holster with a safety strap between the hammer and frame. When I Mex. carry I have the hammer down. Larry

THREE safeties had to fail. The slide safety, the grip safety and then someone had to pull the trigger. Strange circumstances.

 

[cochise]

THREE safeties had to fail. The slide safety, the grip safety and then someone had to pull the trigger. Strange circumstances.

That is correct and it all happened in my back pocket. I told my friends this story and some looked at me like I was telling them a "story". I can understand if others who don't know me, doubt my experience. The fabric of the pants hand to "squeeze" the trigger. The safe probably moved when I shifted my weight, and the grip safety was held down by my wieght. I wanted to pass this along hoping it will help others.

Truth......stranger than fiction.

 

[tops]

THREE safeties had to fail. The slide safety, the grip safety and then someone had to pull the trigger. Strange circumstances.

When a gun is cocked the hammer (striker) is held back by some kind of notch. The hammer (striker) is under spring tension and if the notch gives way the gun can fire without the trigger being pulled. Larry

 

[TStick]

When a gun is cocked the hammer (striker) is held back by some kind of notch. The hammer (striker) is under spring tension and if the notch gives way the gun can fire without the trigger being pulled. Larry

If the notch gave way, the hammer would have fallen to the half-cocked position.

Interesting turn of events. Hope the "shooter" wasn't injured.

 

[jlrhiner]

When a gun is cocked the hammer (striker) is held back by some kind of notch. The hammer (striker) is under spring tension and if the notch gives way the gun can fire without the trigger being pulled. Larry

As said above, that's not how it works.

 

[18DAI]

Too bad he wasn't practicing with 9mm. According to some gunboard folks, his TV would still be OK.

Glad nobody was hurt. He was lucky it didn't cost him more than a TV. Regards 18DAI

 

[riverrat38]

I recently heard a news story on TV about a similar case, only the bullet went through the wall and also a neighbors wall. Neighbor called the cops. Haven't heard about the outcome. The news media loose interest in stories and don't do follow ups. They didn't give the caliber, either.

Rick

 

[BCDWYO]

I hate to admit it but since we are among friends I had a similar stupid ND years ago after dry firing and forgetting I reloaded...I was outside and instead of a tv I shot a tree, but you can bet it scared some sense into me and I'm pretty sure I'll never do that again!

 

[Moonman]

Concealed Carry Practice,

GET A "BLUE GUN" SIMULATOR FIREARM TO MATCH YOURS. (THEY ALSO COME IN RED).

They can be used for Holster Work, Rolling on the Ground for Cover, etc.

Get SNAP CAPS for your carry piece and ALWAYS 'TRIPLE' CHECK THE LOADING.

A life or death situation will alter your trigger control and other

actions, especially if rounds are being expended at you.

 

[MO_mule]

This is why I don't practice this way. My range is close by . . .

Old cop:

Well, your range is most certainly not as convenient as the living room.

Chris