Dry fire is extremely important at getting better on the range. However, what also gets you better is actually shooting. People have the tendency to do one of two things when they hit the range. They either go without a plan of what they want to work on (you wouldn’t go to the gym without a plan), or do drills that they have repeatedly done in the past. While certain drills are important to practice (up drills, rifle transition) it’s important that we don’t do the same drill, at the same distance, and pat ourselves on the back when our times are ridiculously fast. Muscle memory is important in many cases. However what is important is training our bodies to react to stimuli and situations rather than running through the motions of a choreographed drill.
Targets
There are tons of different training programs and targets out there. I would encourage you to try them out. Haley strategic, Baer Solutions, TREX Arms, LuckyGunner and many more have free ones that can be printed from your computer.
Round Count
Besides trying out different types of targets try altering the round count. If you’re a competition shooter, chances are you may have become comfortable with a 2 shot cadence then moving on. Try pushing yourself to a 3 or 4 shot cadence on targets. Work on controlling the firearm through longer strings of fire.
Distance
A simple two to the chest one to the head drill can become much more interesting depending on the distances used. Try running the drill at 3 yards, then 50. By altering the distance we change how we bring the weapon to bear and how much we have to drive the weapon to get the hits we need
HHV Helmet with DD MK18 and Crye JPC
Stance
Dry fire is extremely important at getting better on the range. However, what also gets you better is actually shooting. People have the tendency to do one of two things when they hit the range. They either go without a plan of what they want to work on (you wouldn’t go to the gym without a plan), or do drills that they have repeatedly done in the past. While certain drills are important to practice (up drills, rifle transition) it’s important that we don’t do the same drill, at the same distance, and pat ourselves on the back when our times are ridiculously fast. Muscle memory is important in many cases. However what is important is training our bodies to react to stimuli and situations rather than running through the motions of a choreographed drill.
Targets
There are tons of different training programs and targets out there. I would encourage you to try them out. Haley strategic, Baer Solutions, TREX Arms, LuckyGunner and many more have free ones that can be printed from your computer.
Round Count
Besides trying out different types of targets try altering the round count. If you’re a competition shooter, chances are you may have become comfortable with a 2 shot cadence then moving on. Try pushing yourself to a 3 or 4 shot cadence on targets. Work on controlling the firearm through longer strings of fire.
Distance
A simple two to the chest one to the head drill can become much more interesting depending on the distances used. Try running the drill at 3 yards, then 50. By altering the distance we change how we bring the weapon to bear and how much we have to drive the weapon to get the hits we need
HHV Helmet with DD MK18 and Crye JPC
Stance
Change up your stance, bring a small element of physicality to your range sessions. Start standing then drop to the prone and try the drill, or drop to a kneeling position. Start sitting in your car or sitting in a chair, small changes in stance can drastically alter your body mechanics while shooting.
Movement
Most of us could stand to move some more. Add sprints in to your shooting drills, sprint to pre set distance then engage targets. Sprint into cover, sprint away from a car. By adding movement you drive your heart rate up and force yourself to learn to deal with a fast heart rate while pulling a trigger.
This list isn’t all-inclusive. There are a multitude of different things that you can do to make shooting more interesting and to break through a plateau. Feel free to comment with some of the things you do to keep your training from stagnating.
As someone who’s seen what happens when the truth is distorted, I know how unfair it feels when those who’ve sacrificed the most lose their voice. At SOFREP, our veteran journalists, who once fought for freedom, now fight to bring you unfiltered, real-world intel. But without your support, we risk losing this vital source of truth. By subscribing, you’re not just leveling the playing field—you’re standing with those who’ve already given so much, ensuring they continue to serve by delivering stories that matter. Every subscription means we can hire more veterans and keep their hard-earned knowledge in the fight. Don’t let their voices be silenced. Please consider subscribing now.
One team, one fight,
Brandon Webb former Navy SEAL, Bestselling Author and Editor-in-Chief
Barrett is the world leader in long-range, large-caliber, precision rifle design and manufacturing. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world.
PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States
Scrubba Wash Bag
Our ultra-portable washing machine makes your journey easier. This convenient, pocket-sized travel companion allows you to travel lighter while helping you save money, time and water.
Our roots in shooting sports started off back in 1996 with our founder and CEO, Josh Ungier. His love of airguns took hold of our company from day one and we became the first e-commerce retailer dedicated to airguns, optics, ammo, and accessories. Over the next 25 years, customers turned to us for our unmatched product selection, great advice, education, and continued support of the sport and airgun industry.
COMMENTS
There are on this article.
You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article.