Staying Proficient with Your Weapon When Your Ammo is Limited
For almost two years ammunition has been limited and at times nonexistent. Gun sales have skyrocketed, many people being first time gun buyers. However, if you’re going to carry a weapon it is your duty to know how to use it safely, I can’t count how many times I have been flagged with the weapons of new shooters (They point their weapon at you).
So, the question is with limited ammunition how can I stay proficient with my weapon?
There are drills that you can practice that don’t require a lot of ammo. You can get a lot of practice with just a box of bullets, by practicing the basics. The basics are the platform for all shooting once you master the basics then you will be able to shoot faster more accurately. Let’s look at those basics for handgun shooting now then we will discuss some drills to help you practice them.
The Six Fundamentals of Marksmanship:
- Grip
- Stance
- Sight Alignment
- Trigger Control
- Breathing
- Follow-Through
Some of these are self-explanatory, however if you are new to shooting get with a qualified person to teach you.
Drill 1: Dry Firing **
Dry Firing doesn’t require any ammo and can be done at home. Make sure to remove your magazine and all ammo from your weapon and place it in another part of your house (you don’t want to be that person that squeezes off a round and has a negligent discharge). Once your weapon is unloaded move the slide forward and holster. Focusing on a point on your wall stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your left leg forward (if you are left handed your right leg will be forward) both feet need to be facing forward also with your rear heal slightly bent with your heal off the ground (this is your drive brace leg and where your power comes from) Be sure not to bend at the waist (keep your core strait but not tense or ridged) This is a basic explanation of your stance.
Place your support hand on your core while drawing your weapon bring it up while bringing your support hand over to also grab the weapon, pushing out towards your target.
Breathe in and let it half out while getting a good sight picture. Gently press the trigger so it is a surprise when it clicks. While your finger is still pressing the trigger rack the slide and focus on your target, find the reset and squeeze. Holster your weapon and repeat.
Many shooters do this exercise daily to aid in their accuracy.
At the Range:
Take a piece of 8×11 paper and draw several 2” circles I use a snuff can and can fit approximately 6 circles on a piece of paper (the snuff can is a little over 2”). Put the paper on your target stand and stand back 3 yards.
Using the Six Fundamentals of Marksmanship draw your handgun and place one round in the center of one of the circles holster your weapon and repeat. Do this for all 6 circles. (If it is too easy move back to the 5-yard mark) not only does this aid in your accuracy it will also improve your draw.
Once you have fired 6 rounds into your target replace it with a new one. Using the same 6 Fundamentals of Marksmanship begin again, only this time work on placing two bullets in each circle. At this point you will have fired 18 rounds.
At this point you can continue the same drill and pick up the speed in which you shoot or move on to another drill with other targets.
This drill is nice for the holster work since none of us walk around with our handguns drawn.
Remember before you can get into the really “Tacti-cool” drills you need to become proficient in the basics. There is a saying “you can’t miss fast enough” and as good guys we must be responsible for each round we send down range.
I would just like to end with the Four Firearms Safety Rules:
- All guns are always loaded
- Always point the muzzle in a safe direction
- Always keep your finger straight along the frame until you are on target and have made the decision to fire.
- Always be sure of your target and it’s surroundings
** Dry fire is not recommended for some rimfire guns. – Jim Arroyo, USCPT