GOTTA START SOMEWHERE: PICKING UP YOUR GUN

You might find yourself in situations where your starting position is “gun on table.” Sounds easy enough, right? Well, there’s actually a way to pick up your gun properly so you can maximize speed in getting the right grip.

So here’s how you go about practicing for that so you’re prepared to do it safely and correctly when your firearm is loaded.

For this drill, make sure your gun is empty. Remove your magazine. And manually check to make sure nothing is in the chamber. Even when you’re sure it’s empty, always assume it isn’t. That way, safe firearm handling will become engrained in you so it becomes second nature.

As you repeat this drill, the most important thing to keep in mind is the position of your trigger finger. You don’t ever want to put yourself in a position where your finger is on the trigger before you’re ready.

Once you’re ready to start, use your support hand to lift the backside of the pistol using the slide as your first point of contact. This will make room for the thumb of your shooting hand to slide under the grip so you can firmly grasp the back of the grip.

Repeat that motion until it becomes muscle memory and run through this drill periodically so you stay sharp.

Want to see this in action? Team Armscor’s Gabby Franco shows you how it’s done”

CONSISTENCY IS KEY WHEN TRAINING

When it comes to your dry fire training, rushing to get a faster time shouldn’t necessarily be your goal. What’s important is consistency.

Where do you draw the line? Look for the point where doing something faster starts to feel like you’re about to lose control of your accuracy and work backward from there. That’s the speed at which you should be consistently practicing your dry fire techniques at home.

Start by getting a good grip on your firearm and firing off an accurate shot. That should be your starting point. Work with that time consistently so you can fine-tune your accuracy. Run through a series of reps from the holster. And also run through reps from a reload position.

If your goal is speed, chances are you’ll make mistakes. So make consistency your goal. But instead of practicing at your maximum time for speed, try working at 90-95% of that time so you get good repetition. For example, if your ideal time for speed is 1.2 seconds, try practicing between 1.26 and 1.3 seconds so you don’t feel rushed.

Remember, consistency wins matches, not speed.

Team Armscor pro, John McClain shows you how it’s done:

DON'T FORGET TRIGGER CONTROL

Know your trigger break. These are important words to live by as they will help you become a better shooter.

For beginners who may not know, the point where the trigger causes the gun to fire and the amount the trigger can travel forward after firing are two different points on the continuum of the trigger’s travels.

By practicing trigger-reset drills, you’ll learn how to press the trigger smoothly while getting the feel of your trigger. It also teaches you to not let the trigger go all the way forward and to maintain steady contact and tension so you’re in the ready position for your next shot.

Once you know your gun is clear, point it in a safe direction and cycle the slide. Then squeeze the trigger and hold it to the rear after the shot. Without releasing pressure on the trigger, cycle the slide again. Then slowly allow the trigger to travel forward, stopping when the gun clicks. That point is as far forward as the trigger should travel.

Repeat this process several times while you increase the speed at which you do it. Enough repetition will make you more comfortable with your trigger feel so you get faster and more consistent trigger sets.

That’s a lot to digest, so take a look at how Team Armscor’s Eric Grauffel does it:

WORK THE FUNDAMENTALS

Whether you’re getting ready for a competition or just want to become a more accurate shooter, it’s good to focus on the fundamentals with your dry fire training.

First things first – safety! Before you begin any dry fire exercise, make sure your firearm is not loaded.

Grab a timer to make sure you work on increasing your speed, but it’s a good idea to start slow as you’re warming up. This will allow you to focus on your grip, your draw, and getting a good sight picture before dry firing. Maybe set your timer for 1.2 to 1.5 seconds to start.

Go through 20-30 reps of the same motion to try to develop good habits through repetition.

After you feel warmed up, try speeding up. If you go too fast, it may feel like you’re rushing. You’ll know when your shooting becomes sloppy. Then adjust your timer accordingly to find a nice sweet spot where you can maintain good habits while still challenging yourself on speed.

Watch our very own Athena Lee from Team Armscor show you how it’s done:

MASTER THE ART OF RELOADING

Even high capacity magazines will eventually run dry. So to be as smooth, efficient and comfortable with reloads as possible, run through several reps of reloading drills.

With an empty gun in your home, find your point of aim on the wall. Cock the hammer and acquire your target. Then drop your magazine and draw a new one. Quickly (and properly) insert the magazine and reacquire your target.

To work on efficiency, start by trying to accomplish the steps above in about 2 seconds, then decreasing your time as you get the feel for it.

Do several reps of this drill and before you know it, you’ll master those reloading skills.

Casey Ryan from Team Armscor shows you how to do it here:

IT'S ALL IN THE GRIP

When it comes to proper grip technique, there are two principles at work:  leverage and friction. The more you practice each, the better your grip will be.

When it comes to leverage, it’s important to get your shooting hand as high as you possibly can right up next to the beavertail. Then, wrap your support hand around as high as possible to create almost a C-Clamp effect so the gun won’t flop around when you fire. Then, bend your elbows a bit to create a shock absorber for any recoil.

For friction, try to put as much skin as you can onto the frame of the firearm. This will create enough friction, or pressure, to smooth out your shot without having to rely on pressure from your trigger finger.

To see how it’s done, watch how Team Armscor’s JJ Racaza does it: