Got New Training Aid

[MW surveyor]

Just saw one of these today at one of the 4 LGS's in the neighborhood. Thought I get it for the 45 but after seeing the price.......Think I'll just keep on dry firing with the penny on top of the slide.

[Joe L]

I just ordered a SureStrike laser device to train with. Even though it is expensive, its cheaper than ammo. Should work in all my pistols, and I have three trigger systems to master--Kahr DAO, SIG DA/SA, and now a 1911. I think I can justify it for the Kahr triggers alone, since those are the ones I don't shoot as much and they are the carry guns. I'll post up what results I have with the device in a few weeks.
Joe

[jocko]

I know most all are aware that with a kahr just a 1/4" back pull on the slide resets the trigger system, so snap caps or this laser bullet should work really nice, no ejection needed..

[Bill K]

LaserLyte also makes a product that will work for multiple calibers. It fits the muzzle end of the pistol and, I believe, uses the sound to trigger the laser.

I believe that this device to be particularly useful practicing your clear, draw, point and shoot out of the holster. I believe that for most of us that first SD shot will be the most important and will likely be pointed not aimed. What a great tool for doing that type of training, well worth the the money. There aren't likely to be many ranges that will allow you to stand 14" from a target, draw from your holster and put a shot from your hip up into the center mass.

Will likely one day get one myself. Right now my Airsoft G26 serves well for this type of training.

Bill K.

[DBP9]

My question is regarding the insertion of the training cartridge into the barrel, and then dropping the slide. How is this not going to beat up my extractor any more than doing this with a live round. I'm going to be honest, I used to load my 1st round that way, rather than using the mag and topping off until I read that this is going to break my extractor. If I was really going to use this as a training aid, I would immagine the frequency of using the training cartridge would be just as often or more than when I'm reloading my defensive rounds back into the gun after practice sessions at the range.

[wayneo1]

I am against anything that might make you use the gun as a fun way to shoot the pets, or people or objects. It breaks down the 4 golden rules of gun handling. Use it strickly on targets in a proper setting I think its cool. I had a buddy laying on the sofa watching TV, he was cleaning his python and when a politician came on he didnt like he would aim and shoot. Later in the night he loaded his pistol to get it ready. The politician came on again and without thinking he picked the python up and shot his new TV, on the otherside of that wall his wife was sleeping. Fortunately she was fine,and Sears replaced the TV.

[OldLincoln]

DB, the LaserLyte fits into the chamber without a rim for the extractor to touch. Using it is that same as dry fire which is okay. The striker system uses an inertia firing pin that hits the primer and bounces back. With the LaserLyte it hits the laser switch and bounces back making the LaserLyte in fact a snap cap and it only lights up for about 200ms to give an accurate picture of where the shot would have hit.

Wayne, I am painfully aware of the dangers. I have a tray where I keep the LaserLyte and when practicing I leave my mag and chamber round in it. I try not to leave it laying around with the laser in it but try to have a practice session and remove it immediately.

I say try because last night dinner came in the middle and I broke my rule. When loaded I keep the gun in my pocket holster as a flag. Gosh, as I read over what I just wrote I need to add another layer in there. That is a weak spot but I don't see how anybody can practice gun handling at home any safer. But I do use it only on targets which I have taped here and there. Once I get better I'll have my wife move them and "clear the room."

[Joe L]

I think the insertable cartridge is undercut to prevent any contact with the extractor. The Laserlyte was the first thing I looked at but I wanted something without much extension so that I could draw it from an IDPA match holster. I also didn't want a sound trigger, although that isn't a deal breaker.

[garyb]

I always dry fire practice when I am alone in the house. The reason for this is because handling any firearm in the home always makes my wife nervous and I receive unusual (dramatic) expressions and reactions from her even though she is very familiar and proficient with firearms. Therefore, we have a simple agreement between eachother. I handle the firearms when she is away and she is fine with the whole firearm and carry issues. When I am carrying, the gun is out of sight and she is OK with my safety rules. It works for us. It makes us both conscious and aware. I do ALL my firearm handling (cleaning and dry fire practice) when she is gone from the home (shopping or at work). I do not handle firearms openly when she is in the home or outside doing yard work.

Secondly, I physically and mentally divide the gun handling event I am doing by assigning an area of the home. This "physically" and mentally maintains complete consciousness and focus on what I am doing safely. I always perform dry fire practice alone in the finished basement of my home against an outside concrete wall. I clean my firearm in my garage at my shop bench. I reload ammunition in another area of the home. I store live ammo in a locked vault. I keep my carry CD ammo (and ONLY what set aside for immediate carry needs) in the upstairs bedroom where I store my holsters. Each area of the home is physically assigned a conscious function for a specific event. It makes me physically think safety.

In praparation for dry fire, BEFORE I go to the basement, I unload my carry CD ammo upstairs and leave all ammo upstairs in a designated carry drawer. I consciously tell myself that I am preparing for dry fire. Changing the location in the home, physically tells me that this is where the CD ammo is kept when I am not in carry mode. The first thing that happens before dry fire practice is the ammo is physically separated from the gun in a separate area of the home. For this moment, I am empty and vulnerable. I check the gun 3X in the bedroom, then again 3X in the dry fire area of the basement. It is over doing it for safety.

I believe that dry fire practice should be done in the same safety conscious manner as range practice. Range practice is physically performed at the range. Dry fire practice is physically performed in my basement. If for some reason I have a mental fart resulting in an AD, this will happen when I am ALONE in a safe area of the home. Accidents happen, but I try to prepare for them. I feel it is very important to find a safe area of the home, designated as dry fire practice area. My basement is finished and is surrounded outside by concrete walls and dirt. To me, dry fire locations are not the living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, near windows, nor using a TV for a target, etc... But that is just me!

The basement becomes my temporary dry fire range. I lock the doors to this area when I practice dry fire, even though I am alone in the home. No one can see nor interfere with what I am doing. Practicing dry fire by a window where neighbors might see you is NOT a wise practice. The basement is where I store my snap caps (if used). I never co-mingle ammo and snap caps. Snap caps in basement training area and CD ammo in my designated upstairs CD ammo storage area. Two separate areas of the home. For certain practice sessions I use no snap caps. Other practice I use snap caps. It depends on what I am doing. I complete my 5 min (or more) dry fire practice a day, by concentrating on one or two specialty things (draw, indexing, trigger control, etc...) or combinations of special focus areas - what I refer to as a 'synergistic practice runs'.

When the dry fire session is completed, I remove my target(s) and dry fire mode is ended. I make a physical change in locations to the garage shop (cleaning area)where I go to cleaning mode, automatically check for empty again and wipe down my firearm. Then I physically shift my mental mode to live carry by returning to the ammo storage location of the upstairs bedroom where I reload and holster. Now my focus is back to my mental carry or loaded CD mode.

I find that having a different and specific physical location to conduct each mode of function, separates what I am doing. It makes the operation very conscious and lessons the chance of making a mistake. In other words, my focus is mainly on safety by breaking down the events into manageable components (live fire at a range, dry fire in the basement, loaded for carry beginning in the bedroom, cleaning mode in the garage, etc....). I consciously and physically distinguish between the event I am doing for focus and safety and I do the event ONLY when I am alone.

YES, this is going over board on the safety and 5+ min a day of dry fire might be considered excessive practice by some. But this is not just what I do...it's what I am. Bottom Line: The laser is a wonderful training tool to consider utilizing safely!

[JFootin]

Cudos, garyb! You get an A+ in the safety class!

I like the LT-PRO because it doesn't have to be loaded in the chamber like a bullet, and it doesn't stick out in front enough to interfere with practicing draw and fire from a holster. I plan to get one. Thanks, guys, for the info!

[Joe L]

GaryB--I don't think you are overboard at all. I had a close call yesterday that was a wake up call. I nearly removed a slide from my CM9 while there was a round in the chamber. I caught it, but it scared me pretty badly. I will not go the shop again without safety checking my carry gun, because I just may have forgotten that I reloaded the gun with carry ammo.

Again, thanks for taking the time to write up your safety concerns. I don't think your routine is too much at all. Good food for thought. I've been as close to an AD as I ever want to get.

Joe

[TucsonMTB]

Great thread, guys! Thanks for sharing! I can't justify the cost right now, but the video on the LT-Pro plus your comments make me a believer.

Link to LaserLyte LT-Pro page with video: http://www.laserlyte.com/New_Products/New_LT-PRO.html

[MikeyKahr]

Replacement?

Fortunately she was fine,and Sears replaced the TV.

So why did Sears replace the TV?

[ltxi]

Yeah, I'm kinda curious about that, too.