Advanced Marksmanship How many people here "snap in"?

C

Capt Beach

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 1, 2011
355
13
66
Virginia Beach Va
#1
So how many snap in? Or practice on a 1000 inch range?

Its a holdover from my USMC days..."Snap in", "Snappin In" slow steady dry fire to perfect/hone the basics...the week before every Marine goes to the range for "qual" they spend a week or so with mandatory practice, usually on a 55 gal barrel painted white with rows and rows of targets painted on in black to simulate the 200/300/500 yd targets...the barrel affords dozens of Marines sitting around in a large circle shooting at the barrel in the center...all positions are practiced...offhand, kneeling, sitting and prone.

When I started shooting long gun again (bolts, not M14's) I got some targets shrunk them way down and set up a 1000 inch practice range where I spend a couple of hours a week prone working on sight alignment, sight picture, breathing, trigger control and follow thru (bolting)...my aim is to put hundreds more rounds (imaginary) downrange without the expense of ammo...yes live firing is extremely important but I saw my improvement soar to levels not seen in decades..maybe it was all just coming back to me...

So...how many practice dry fire to continually hone there skilz?
 
#3
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

Not as much as I should.

here's a thought though...practice doesn't make perfect...perfect practice makes perfect.

wonder if dry firing without knowledge of what to be mindful of can't make things worse (muscle memory of how not to align yourself behind the rifle).

Why I like .22LR training, feedback on difference between called shots and actual shots.
 
#4
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

Yup.

There are many, many examples of guys getting assigned overseas (Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan) who kept up with their practice by dry-firing, and on return to the States go into service, nationals, and Olympic trials to make the grade and score to win titles and medals.

Fundamentals reinforcement.

I hadn't shot from August 2002 to spring 2003 when I got back from Iraq. Did hundreds of dry snaps standing with a heavy match M16 in my wife's kitchen aiming at an air rifle target. Came in 20th at the 2003 President's Match at Perry at the end of July with a score of 293-7X of 300. Shot a 200-yard 99 standing; 300 yard prone 95 (five 9s high); and a 600-yard slow fire prone 99.
 
#6
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

Dry practice is probably more important than actual shooting. Hardly anyone can afford the ammo and range time to practice enought to get really good using live fire only. It's often easier to detect problems dry, since recoil does not obscure the error.

I encourage dry practice even on the range, prior to the first shots of the day and in between shots when zeroing. Pretty hard to do too much of it.
 
#7
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

Agreed: Live practice confirms what you do dry. I dry-fire at the range, using live ammo to confirm that what I am doing is working.

Occasionally other people around me tell me that my rifle is having trouble feeding live rounds. I just smile and nod.
laugh.gif
 
#9
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

When i'm sitting at home watching tv or just not much going on, i'll grab one of my guns (either 1911, glock, noveske n4, bolt gun, or 870 shotty) and just practice the basics..

Same thing at the range before i start firing the rifle, pistol or shotgun, i'll dry fire and before i'm dailed in before just blasting away. Do the same thing while training, do a dry run and live fire runs
 
#10
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

The only thing I can add here is if dry firing is about motor memory development for competition on scorable targets, be sure to scale your target correctly; and, if possible, get the lighting on your miniature range right too.
 
#11
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

Dry-firing also teaches your neurons that the gun doesn't always go bang. This helps to reduce trigger-associative twitching (TAT! I just made that up but it sounds good).
 
#12
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

I "snap in" every day. I work a few too many hours to be at the range as often as I'd like, so I spend a little time every day dry-firing; just 15 or 20 minutes after a workout routine. It definitely keeps the skills from slipping, and it has led to some good improvements on paper. Sadly, the range I'm at is bench only, so prone practice translating to bench has some limitations.
 
#17
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

All the time, including warm-ups before rifle shooting.

Every time before I go on duty, I do 20 draw/dry fires with my Glock, check the light, etc.

Muscle memory is king. And dry fire builds that muscle memory.

One of the guys around here has a great 'sig' line: "An amateur trains until he gets it right. A professional trains until he can't get it wrong." IMHO, truer words have never been spoken.

Cheers,

Sirhr
 
#19
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

I run a lot of stages while dry firing. It's great for practice due to barrel life, ammo savings, and learning how to build your position rapidly and consistently. Just don't forget to practice with rounds down range so you can also learn recoil management.
 
#20
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

It is SO boring!

When I shot service rifle, I spent alot of time dry firing. Especially offhand. Snapping in and doing holding exercises with a 15lb AR was key to picking up points.

It is more a mental exercise, especially if you are trying to practice shot calling along with the basics.

If I did it faithfully it always seemed to payoff in a match.
 
#21
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

I do. I try to get in some snap in time twice a week. I also have my students snap in. By using dry firing drills I have had poor shooters signifcantly improve there scores. Its great training as long as the shooter takes it seriously and doesnt just go through the motions.
 
#23
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

^^^ Congratulations on getting your 102nd post. Amusingly, the rest of them are the same -- two word retorts or non-contributing fillers that look remarkably like you are trying to create an artificial post count. And 10 a day... remarkable coincidence given the rules here...

So, what great stuff are you about to post in the For Sale Section?

Cheers, Sirhr
 
#24
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: holdoff</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It is SO boring!

When I shot service rifle, I spent alot of time dry firing. Especially offhand. Snapping in and doing holding exercises with a 15lb AR was key to picking up points.

It is more a mental exercise, especially if you are trying to practice shot calling along with the basics.

If I did it faithfully it always seemed to payoff in a match.</div></div>

I used to snap in for standing position, about 50 minutes a day. It was indeed boring if not downright painful. I would not have done it were it not for the rewards it brought within reach in competition.
 
#25
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

I don't really do any dry fire practice besides right before I start shooting. I should definitely start practicing more often. even just 5 or 10 minutes a few days a week.

Maybe I could set up a mini range in my back yard this summer..
 
#26
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

I do. I mainly do it with handguns. I have problems building a position for a scoped rifle and being able to see threw the scope. I guess 5.5 power is a little too much for 15 feet. When I am at the range I do practice a few dry shots before firing.
 
#30
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

This 1000 inch range sounds nice... I do believe I'm going to set one up in my back yard!
 
#31
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

Anyone who wants improvement or, for that matter, maintenance, needs to dry fire and dry fire and dry fire. One caveat though for the handgunners - marksmanship is a perishable skill and I put at least 50 rounds downrange at a conventional target every session regardless of what else I'm practicing.

Of course long range shooting is all about accuracy, so that's less of a concern.
 
#32
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

Every time I get serious about dry-firing and do it consistently it has paid off when I attend a match. Like most of us I don't have the time or resources for as much live-fire as I would like and I have seen the difference between shooting a match cold with no dry-fire prior and the ones where I have dry-fired, even if it was just the night before.

I've also become a fan of training with an air rifle. A few nights a week in my garage with a Daisy 853 raised my standing score considerably.
 
#33
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

There is a great value of building muscle memory with dry firing. As long as one is careful to do it slow, smoothly, and ensure it's on target correctly. Otherwise there is a possibility of building-in errors into muscle memory if not checked.

I agree with the benefits of using a cheaper round to practice. I haven't gone to air rifles but I find the 22lr it to be cheap enough for training (and fun).
 
#36
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 87dixieboy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just a quick question and I may get accosted for it but does dry firing not damage the firing pin </div></div>
The way I understand it the pin and all related parts are made of hardened steel so dry fire all you want.

Just don't dry fire a rim fire chambered gun.

I try and dry fire rifle/pistol every day
 
#37
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

Oh buddy, I haven't done that crap since I was in the Marines. I hated that - just wanted to send rounds down range. I did alright, shot expert three times in a row. I know, I know, we are supposed to do that, but that was sixty pounds and twenty-five years ago for me. Needless to say, I don't do any snapping in.
grin.gif
 
#38
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

Well from what I have heard you can potentially shear your pin, or at least on bigger calibers. My dad uses some caps on his 500 nitro and just what he said
 
#40
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

It served my well in Parris Island in the 1960's, and long after when I shot H-P N/M.

It was always something of a discomfort, but that discomfort always paid off in a more comfortable shooting position when chips were down. More of my attention was available for concentrating on basics.

My ancient bod has betrayed me, and I no longer have the flexibility for it. Can't say I miss it inconsolably.

Greg
 
#45
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

I do a lot of dry fire practice I just use target patches That I have stuck up around my house, I never thought of shrinking a target.

I may have to look into this 1000yd range idea.


ETA: I found this info on 1000" range shooting Link any one else have any other good info.

Thanks for bringing this up.
 
#48
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 2clicks</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like to snatch in every chance I get... </div></div>Shankster, where are you??!!
laugh.gif
 
#49
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

Growing up the idea of dry firing any gun was strict "NO", it will damage this or that. All these years later I still find it a lingering though. Especial after replace the leaf spring and firing pins in my Perazzi. Living in the LA area you have a year around ATA schedule plus a club schedule. Shooting singles, handicap, and then doubles its 500rds a week plus. Perazzi had a small plastic case for parts, so anytime you went out to shoot you carried extra springs and firing pins. You would call up a target, picking it looking through the barrel and track until you see the bead, only to pull the trigger and watch the firing pin come out the barrel landing about 20' in front of you, then the kid would call it out "Loss". Being a AA singles shooter, a 199 out of 200 doesn't do anything but hurt your average for the year. Anything common to fail on the R700 SA?



 
#50
Re: How many people here "snap in"?

I also snap in a decent amount per week but its usually with pistol. Always do it before I live fire my rifle though.
 
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