Dry practice is the act of manipulating and practicing with an UNLOADED firearm in a safe manner; identical to the skills you practice on the range with live ammunition.  You should dry practice on the range, or other appropriate locations.

You should be implementing dry practice into your firearm’s routine, as it will drastically improve your firearm handling skills. Dry Practice IS the Skill Builder!  Shooting well is NOT an inherited trait – or perhaps a “natural” talent?  As with any accomplishment in life, you have to work for it.  Your ability to shoot well with a firearm is related to your hand-eye coordination and the effort you spend dry practicing your skills over and over again while those skills develop into the learned skill recorded by your brain, some people call it “Muscle Memory”. (Muscle memory is the increased accuracy of an activity through repetition, programming your brain.)  Advanced levels and techniques are the mastery of the basic fundamentals. You must first master these basics, which takes time, effort and lots of practice.

While practicing with the firearm platform, ALL SAFETY RULES APPLY and all ammunition must be removed from the training area.  Dry practice becomes dangerous if you get lazy or comfortable and complacent with the learning process.  You do not want an accidental discharge with your firearm, and/or nervously tracking the path of your bullet through your house.

Always abide by the four rules of gun safety:

1. All guns are loaded. (Treated as such)

2. Do not point the muzzle at anything you are not willing to destroy.

3. Finger off the trigger, out of the trigger guard until sights are on target.

4. Be sure of your target and foreground/background

So why not just go shooting more often?  It is fun to shoot, but burning through cases of ammunition could be non-productive to your skills, There are many great benefits of dry practicing you would miss if all you do is shoot live cartridges.  Practice the entire sequence of shooting, which includes presentation from the holster, sight alignment, sight picture, trigger control and follow through.  As you dry practice, pressing straight back the trigger, 100% focused on the front sight, you must pay attention to any slight movement of the front sight, which will affect the accuracy of the shot, resulting from a mash, flinching or bad trigger control.  You must to be 100% focused as you dry practice, or it becomes a waste of time, or much worse, ingraining bad habits that are hard to fix.

Dry-Practice each skill you would normally perform while shooting with live ammo, whether you are training for a fight or just shooting paper targets at the local range.  Will it make you a better shooter?  Yes!  For each shot taken on the range, you should be dry pressing your trigger – or whatever skill you are working on – at least 50 times more than you do when shooting with live ammo.  It takes dedication to continue the hard work required for accurate dry practice. Good things happen for people who have the desire and determination to increase their skill levels!  It will help to take 20-30 minutes time out of your day for unbelievable advancement of your shooting skills and ammunition costs nothing.

Try this:  Practice “perfect” trigger presses 10 minutes each day for 2 weeks. Clear your firearm and get the ammunition out of the area, chamber check again telling yourself out loud “This gun is not loaded”, align sights on your target, focus 100% on the front sight, place the center of the pad of your index finger on the trigger and take the slack out, start to build the pressure until you achieve a surprise break (gun goes CLICK).  The front sight should not move.  Repeat as many times as you can concentrate and focus. If you are distracted, stop training and pick it up later when you can.

This would be the only time that getting a “CLICK” instead of a “BANG” is a good thing. The effort you put into your training will surface as you continue to increase your skills through different avenues of learning. Dry practice will absolutely make you a much better shooter.

Check out the Dry Practice programs for many of the weapons platforms on ATAC TV Firearms Channel for more tips and hints.

ATAC TV, TOM CLARKE, MARK FLINN, LENNY BOLTON, JIM FULLER, GLENN JUSTICE, VENOM TACTICAL, RIFLE DYNAMICS, DRY PRACTICE, BANG, TRAINING, HANDGUN,

What to Do Before an Earthquake

You will normally not have any forewarning that an earthquake is about to strike. They can come on suddenly and violently. It is therefore imperative that you plan ahead for such a disaster. By planning in advance you can minimize the potential risk to yourself and your family.

Earthquakes release stress, which will create / cause a permanent change in the Earth’s crust. The Earths way a releasing “stress”. The Plates move against each other’s until the lithosphere breaks or moves.  If the force is large enough the “crust” is forced to break. The force then travels in the form of waves, which we feel and identify as an Earthquake.

Three types of Earthquakes are: Tectonic, Volcanic, Explosive and Collapse earthquakes.

Safety Check Your Home

• Shut off any gas main including propane tanks
• Put away all flammable and volatile chemicals and liquids on a low shelf or floor and away from people.
• Take down any hanging pictures and mirrors from walls and doors and store them securely.
• All glass and breakable items should be stored in a box or in a place that restricts them from falling on people and pets.
• If you are able, secure light fixtures. If not, make sure you are not standing directly under any of them during a quake or tremor.
• If time permits, fasten all shelving securely to walls.
• Repair any defective electrical wiring-this would be deemed a fire hazard.
• If there are any leaks in any gas system such as natural or propane, get them fixed. This is also an incendiary hazard.
• Secure a water heater by strapping it to the wall studs and bolting it to the floor.
• If your foundation or home has signs of structural damage or defects, you may want to seek out an expert and get them repaired.

Identify Safe Spots

• Stay away from all glass, windows, mirrors, hanging wall pictures and heavy bookcases.
• Use strong furniture such as a heavy desk or table to help shield you.
• Against an inside wall of your home, office or other structure.
• If you are caught out in the open stay away from buildings, trees, and telephone and electrical lines, overpasses, or elevated expressways.

Educate Yourself and Family Members

• Contact your local Emergency Management Office to ask for more information.
• Teach children how, why and when to call 9-1-1 for police or fire.
• Teach children which radio station to tune into for emergency information.
• Teach all family members how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water.

Have Disaster Supplies on Hand

• Flashlight, battery lanterns and extra batteries.
• Portable crank or battery-operated radio and extra batteries.
• First aid kit and guidebook.
• Emergency food and water.
• Non-electric can opener.
• Essential medicines.
• Cash and credit cards.
• Extra clothing and supportive shoe wear for all family members.

Develop an Emergency Communication Plan

• In case family members are separated from one another during an earthquake (this is a real possibility if a quake should strike during daytime hours when adults are at work and children are at school); develop a communication plan and chain calling system for reuniting after the disaster.
• Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the “designated family contact.” After a disaster, it’s often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.

Help Your Community Get Ready

• Publish a special section in your local newspaper with emergency information on earthquakes. Localize the information by printing the phone numbers of local emergency services offices, the American Red Cross, and hospitals.
• Conduct a week-long series on locating hazards in the home.
• Work with local emergency services and American Red Cross officials to prepare special reports for people with mobility impairments on what to do during an earthquake.
• Provide tips on conducting earthquake drills in the home.
• Interview representatives of the gas, electric, and water companies about shutting off utilities.
• Work together in your community to apply your knowledge to building codes, retrofitting programs, hazard hunts, and neighborhood and family emergency plans.

Personal Defense

• Consider having some type of personal defense tools or weapons with you after the earthquake. History has demonstrated that there is the possibility of lawlessness for a while amidst the chaos following disasters.

What to Do After an Earthquake

• Expect aftershocks. These secondary shockwaves are usually less violent than the main quake but can be strong enough to do additional damage to weakened structures and can occur in the first hours, days, weeks, or even months after the quake.
• Listen for the latest emergency information. on your battery or crank powered radio or television.
• Seek safe shelter. If your home or other structure has been badly damaged you must vacate the premises and find other shelter.
• Be aware of possible tsunamis if you live on or near water. Tsunamis are a real potential danger after earthquakes. Listen to your emergency broadcast stations for any possible tsunami warnings.
• Phones may not work after an earthquake. If they are working, use it for emergency purposes only.
• Help injured or trapped persons. Remember to help your neighbors who may require special assistance such as infants, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Give first aid where appropriate. Do not move seriously injured people unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Call for help.
• Be aware of hazardous chemicals or liquid spills. Clean up all flammable and toxic substances immediately. If you smell fumes, leave the area.
• Inspect utilities
• Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the home or building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company once you are a safe distance from the structure. If you turn off the gas for any reason, do not turn it back on. Let a trained inspector come and do it.
• Look for electrical damage. If your main fuse box looks burnt from the outside, call immediately for assistance. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call a licensed electrician first.
• Sewage and water lines damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. Use your emergency drinking water. Local stores will likely open and you may be able to buy bottled water. If you had ice cubes in your freezer prior to the quake, you can let them melt for potable drinking water.
• Inspect chimneys for damage. Unchecked damage could be a fire hazard.

Would you let your kid touch a machine gun?

SOURCE: FOX NEWS -

Photos of officers from the Santa Rosa Police Department letting kids handle the department’s SWAT team weaponry at a community event has sparked a debate over how much exposure to guns is healthy for kids.

Community organizer Attila Nagy, who took the photos, told FoxNews.com that he was concerned it might encourage kids to use guns in the future.

“My main concern is for kids who handle these things. They’re fascinated by them, and it makes them familiar with guns,” he said.

One city councilwoman, Marsha Vas Dupre, told her local paper that she was “alarmed and devastated” by the photos.

But the police department is pushing back, saying they see nothing wrong with how they handled the event.

“The weapons are rendered safe and are unloaded. We ensure the safety of those weapons,” Santa Rosa Police Capt. Gary Negri told FoxNews.com, adding that the police attend the event to build ties between the police and the community.

“Our goal is saying to people, ‘hey, don’t be intimidated by the police.’ We want to break down that barrier… Once these events are over, people will be more comfortable having conversations with officers.”

Another goal, Negri said, was to educate kids about guns.

“Education and gun safety is a component of what we do… We teach kids the difference between a real gun and a Toys R’ Us gun.”

But the department’s response hasn’t convinced everyone. One woman, Elaine Holtz, was so concerned by the SWAT team’s weapons that she approached the police officer at the community event and asked what was going on.

“I would not want my child to be involved with something like that… Those guns, they should have been behind glass — to teach the kids that you don’t want to deal with this gun, because it kills.” Holtz told FoxNews.com.

“I am coming from the heart of a woman, a mother, a grandmother,” she added.

Despite the complaints, some gun safety experts say the police are right — and that data shows kids who grow up with legal guns are actually less likely to get into trouble.

“A U.S. Department of Justice study showed that children introduced to firearms by their fathers had a lower rate of delinquency than children who learned about guns on the street, or even children who had no experience with guns at all,” Dr. Tim Wheeling, of the group Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership, told FoxNews.com.

The 1994 Justice Department report concluded: “Boys who own legal firearms… are even slightly less delinquent than nonowners of guns.” Specifically, 14 percent of kids with legal firearms committed street crimes, compared to 24 percent of kids with no guns at home.

Given that, Wheeling said, the response to the police actions seemed overblown.

“If this controlled lesson in firearms helped the kids understand that guns are not toys, some good could come from it. The knee-jerk rejection to the police outreach by locals was clearly excessive.”

The pro-gun control Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence declined to comment.

Whether the police event actually helped the kids understand that guns are not toys is a matter of debate.

“It wasn’t a safety thing,” Nagy said, contesting the police version of the story. “That’s misinformation. I was there. The gun was displayed, and kids just picked it up and played with it.”

Nagy cited his photos as evidence.

“In one of the photos I took, as Elaine Holtz was talking with the officer, you can see a little boy is reaching up to the table and grabbing a gun… the youngest kid there was maybe 5 years old.”

Holtz said that when she asked the officer what was going on, he replied that they were doing “training,” but that she did not find his answer convincing.

“I did not see any education going on; it looked like it was just fun,” she said. “And I think we generally have a good police department. But what happened here was poorly thought out.”

Police Capt. Negri said that the department is looking at “whether we want to change our tack in the future.” But for now, the police are sticking to their guns.

“Gun safety is a part of the discussions we have with the kids,” Negri said. “These kids, what do they learn about guns from video games, movies and TV? A lot of the questions we get from kids are way off base… So it’s helpful to have some realistic dialogue.”

Source: American DerringerFor as long as there have been firearms, there has been the need to protect and educate our children when it comes to safe use and storage. One of the biggest problems we have today is that there is not enough firearms safety training for children. Here at American Derringer Corp., we are as concerned about your children and their safety as you are. Here are some basic rules and suggestions for making your home a safe environment for both children and your firearms.

• Don’t try to hide a gun in the house, thinking that the child will never find it. They will. Children have the ability to find anything adults can hide. And, the better something is hidden, the harder the child will look for it, and the more importance it will have to the child once it is found.
• Avoid attaching any mystique to the firearm through flat prohibition. Nothing gets a child’s attention faster or stronger than being told “No,” without explanation or reasoning. Children are smart, and will see through flat prohibition.
• If you carry a firearm on a daily basis, be sure to secure it when you get home. Make sure that your child knows you do this, and why.
• Teach your children these basic firearms safety rules:
  • Always assume that a gun is loaded, even after you have personally unloaded it.
  • Never point a firearm at another person. Never point a firearm in the direction of anything except a proper target at a range or while hunting.
  • Never handle a firearm unnecessarily.
  • Never accept a firearm from another person unless they have shown it to be unloaded in front of you. Never assume.
  • Always verify the unloaded condition of a firearm.
  • Never throw, drop, or otherwise mishandle a firearm.
  • When encountering a strange gun (say laying on the street), do not pick it up. Contact an adult (preferably a law enforcement officer) as soon as possible. When possible, keep other children away from the gun. Do not make any assumptions about a “found” weapon.”
  • When firing at a range, always keep the gun pointed down range, towards the targets.
  • A firearm is not a toy. Do not treat it like one.
  • Do not show off firearms to friends and schoolmates. And, do not tell friends and schoolmates that there are firearms in the house. Do not take a firearm from its place without a parent present.
  • Always use proper ear and eye protection when at the range.
  • A firearm is not a status symbol, or indicator of strength. Do not use it as one.
  • Whenever you are in doubt about a firearm, do not touch it. Get an adult to check it for you.
  • Remember, it is our right to keep and bear arms, but it also our responsibility to do so safely.
    It only takes one little mistake to cause a big accident.
  • Let them know that firearms are capable of bodily injury, destruction and possibly death if misused. Do not “soft-soap” the truth. Apply the same principles as Driver’s Education courses in the schools do.
• Start your children off right by showing them the ropes about guns. This includes showing them the proper procedures for unloading, verifying and handling a firearm. Where available, a certified instructor should be used to teach proper shooting and safety technique.
• Make sure to show your children how to clean and care for a firearm. A dirty, or abused gun is more dangerous than any other.
• Encourage your children to learn these safety rules, and to follow them. One method that helps is to take them to the range (once they are old enough to handle a firearm) and let them shoot. Another method is to use airguns in early training and safety education. This will not only further strengthen the other lessons, but will also serve to remove the mystique that has been put up around firearms. It is this mystique that leads to most firearms accidents today.
• Remember, nothing is as good as education, and open, honest discussion.
• When there are many children visiting, secure your firearms in a proper lock-box, safe, or unreachable location that you can monitor. Keep all spare ammo separate from the guns.
• If you’re child is alone in the house regularly, consider getting a small safe or lockbox to keep your firearms in when you are not there.
• Be sure to follow all of the rules you set for your children. If you violate any of them, the child will feel comfortable in following your example.