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Introduction

Ammo is expensive these days, this month (May 2024) I dropped about $450 on an online order, and it put quite a dent in my wallet.

I bit the bullet, but told myself I’m going to make every damn one of those rounds count, no more just going to the range and blasting off a few boxes, without some kind of training plan.

(I’ve had that sentiment last time I went to the shooting range. I shot probably $50 of ammo and thought… what am I actually training for? Time is money, money is time, and in 2024 we know more than ever time is not a resource we can waste.)

(Only) blasting holes in paper targets doesn’t have the best return-on-investment in improving your shooting skills.

One of the best things you can do (to improve your skills AND save money AND optimize range time) is practice dry firing at home.

Each dry-fire round costs exactly $0.00 (just need to first invest in a laser bullet or a dry-fire system like the Mantis X10) and you can go to town with training.

There’s a cheap and more expensive way to do it (I’ll explain both below), but basically you post up a target anywhere and an app on your phone/tablet will track your hits with the laser.

This way you’re getting in reps drawing your pistol and shooting, which is invaluable to train if you actually plan to carry your gun. Having a quick draw and accurate first shot can potentially save your life one day, in a defensive situation.

Whether it’s during work-from-home bathroom breaks, during commercials on TV, or a few minutes daily right before bed, consistency is key, and it’s easy to get those dry-fire reps in.

Practicing only the draw and first shot with a snap-cap is a good start, but using a laser bullet with a app to track your accuracy takes it to the next level.

How Does a Laser Dry Fire Training System Work?

This whole concept can be a bit confusing at first, but let me break it down to the bare essentials that you need:

• Your carry pistol / rifle
• A laser bullet in your gun’s caliber
• A target (can be a paper target you print out for free)
• An smartphone / tablet with a free dry-fire training app

The dry-fire training app uses your phone’s camera to pick up the laser’s “hits” on your target, and gives you useful feedback.

You then:

• Put the dry-fire laser bullet in your gun
• Post up the target on the wall
• Open your dry-fire training app on your phone
• Point your smartphone at the target (you might need a phone stand or tripod)
• Practice your draw and shooting technique, get feedback from your dry-fire training app

That’s it!

(There’s the best way to do this, and a much cheaper way. Both are great options and much more fun than traditional dry fire training.)

Congrats, you now have an effective way to practice your defensive shooting skills! This makes sure that once you do make it out to the range, all that’s left will be to put those skills to use with real ammo.

(Because waiting to develop all of your skills only at the range is not an effective use of your time or money.)

Best Laser Dry Fire Training System

The best laser dry fire training system is hands down the Mantis X10 Elite Shooting Performance System.

It’s definitely pricey, but has a way higher cost-to-benefit ratio than spending that money on ammo and blasting paper targets, or even taking a shooting course with a professional instructor.

This is because the Mantis X10 system uses a motion-sensing device that you attach to any gun that can pick up tiny movements you make, that are nearly impossible for the best shooting instructor to even see. (And when I say any gun, I mean any pistol, rifle, shotgun, air rifle, and even bow.)

That’s because a shooting instructor can’t see what you see directly behind your gun, and that’s what the Mantis X10 system does best: tracks the movement of your firearm before, during, and after each shot.

The accompanying MantisX smartphone app analyzes all these movements, and gives you feedback on how exactly to improve your shooting.

Given firearms shooting courses often cost around between $100 – $250, I would definitely invest in the Mantis X10 Elite before you take your first class, as they cost the same as one or two courses.

The Mantis X10 will help you drastically improve your fundamental skills, so when you do finally pay for an in-person class you’ll get much more useful feedback from your instructors. Otherwise you’re instructor will just be correcting you on the basics, and you’ll go home and practice what the Mantis X10 would have told you to do anyways (if you can even remember the lessons).

The X10 is a pricey investment, you can get started for around $30 and some paper printed targets (see below for a cheaper setup), but if you’re serious about becoming a good shooter, the X10 is truly a great investment. (Or a great gift for a loved one who likes guns!)

You never know, the improvement in shooting skills you get from the Mantis X10 Elite could save your life in a defensive situation.

Cheapest Laser Dry Fire Training System

Here’s how to get started:

• Buy the G-Sight Dry Fire Laser Snap Cap in your caliber
• Download the free Mantis Laser Academy app
• Print out some free targets
• Put the Dry Fire Laser in your gun
• Follow the instructions on the Mantis app and start training!

All you really need to buy is the laser, and the G-Sight shouldn’t cost you more than the price of a box of ammo or two.

(Another good dry fire laser snap cap is the LaserLyte Laser Trainer Cartridge. It’s a few times more expensive than the G-Sight, but some also like it as an alternative. Personally I just went with the G-Sight).

Best Books on Dry Fire Training

Two invaluable sources on dry fire training are DryFire Reloaded (2017) and Practical Shooting Training (2021), written by Ben Stoeger, a firearms instructor and IPSC champion competitive shooting champion with multiple gold medals under his belt.

You should read DryFire Reloaded first, to fully understand the concepts covered in his second book. In this book, Ben provides you a comprehensive set of drills to significantly improve your skills. Each individual drill is described in detail, and has a specific skill to improve.

Conclusion

Dry fire training is one of the best ways to consistently train drawing and shooting, and is free, beyond the initial investment of your dry fire setup.

So if you’re ready to take your dry fire training to the next level, get yourself a Mantis X10 system. Or if you want to start, but are on a budget, go with the G-Sight Dry Fire Laser Snap Caps and the free Mantis App, print out some paper targets, and start training to be the next IPSC champion.

Featured image: Karolina Grabowska @ Pexels.com