Being a novice to the world of firearms, what can you tell about Dry Fire training and Blue Guns?  To engage in dry fire training, do you use your real handgun or a blue gun?  What kind of ammo is used?  Thanks to all who respond!

use your real gun and buy snap caps

 

Don't quite understand your question. Dry fire training does not use ammunition; you actuate the trigger on an empty chamber, snap cap or dummy round. Blue guns, as manufactured by Glock for example, are made to be used with special training cartridges, such as Simunition FX marking cartridges, which launch projectiles filled with a colored liquid.

Blue guns, as manufactured by Glock for example, are made to be used with special training cartridges, such as Simunition FX marking cartridges, which launch projectiles filled with a colored liquid.

I thought he meant "Blue Guns" as in Ring's Blue guns: http://www.blueguns.com/default.asp? - inert training aids made of solid rubber/plastic that are the exact dimensions and similar weight of the real firearm they are modeled after, sometimes called a "Rubber Duck" in Military training circles. I have also seen them made in grey, red, black and orange plastic, as well as some that are painted to be realistic. In fact the ones I use are red and are made by ASP, the expandable baton company, but I strangely still refer to them as blue guns

 

Blue guns are not a mandatory training aid as long as you strictly follow the first rule of firearms safety. However they typically do not have true sights or the provision to pull the trigger so are useless for training trigger control or presentations from a holster. They do shine in a few roles such as:

- Defensive tactics training like weapon retention, ground fighting, weapon takeaways, handcuffing, etc...

- Tactical training scenarios where you would need to routinely break Firearm Safety Rule #2 and point a gun at a training partner, role player, or instructor

- Teaching new techniques to shooters in a classroom environment that doesn't necessarily have a true "Safe Direction"

- Teaching large groups of students where repeatedly checking everyone's weapon condition and searching folks for the presence of ammo is time prohibitive

 

I also use a blue gun when teaching whenever I am doing a demonstration of any manipulations or TTPs to my students. I know I don't like being sweeped by a gun that I haven't personally checked and I'll be damned if I am going to do that to someone else.

 

If you are training alone at home, the strict adherence to Firearm Safety Rule #1: Always treat every gun as of it is loaded until you verify that it is not/always know the condition of your weapon, should suffice.

 

Dry firing is useful for practicing basic presentation and sight picture along with trigger control. While there are dedicated dry fire training guns out there (the red Glock 17R or the new SIRT gns for example) Most folks - me included - use their real gun after ensuring that there is no ammo in their training area, and then double, triple, and quadruple checked that there is no ammo in their training area. And then check again... You get the idea.

 

Some folks use snap caps, I do not (with a single caveat - do not dry fire a rim fire gun without a snap cap as you may damage it). I just use an empty chamber and train what I want to train.

 

You can accomplish a lot with a solid dry fire training program, but you can also really mess yourself up and give yourself some pretty bad habits. My advice is attend training under the watchful eye of a reputable firearms trainer then go home and practice what you learned. Again make sure you have NO AMMMO IN THE TRAINING AREA - this includes the firearm and any and all magazines you may be using - and a safe backstop just in case. Remember, just about everyone who has ever been accidentally shot in training was shot with an "unloaded" gun. Don't be a statistic.

I use both. I will practice drawing, holding, sight alignment and re-holstering with a blue gun. I practice all of these plus trigger squeeze with a real gun while dry firing. With the blue gun I can run around the house and put it down without havig to worry about unauthorized people touching it and my son (4) can use the blue gun without me being concerned.

You can accomplish a lot with a solid dry fire training program, but you can also really mess yourself up and give yourself some pretty bad habits. My advice is attend training under the watchful eye of a reputable firearms trainer then go home and practice what you learned. Again make sure you have NO AMMMO IN THE TRAINING AREA - this includes the firearm and any and all magazines you may be using - and a safe backstop just in case. Remember, just about everyone who has ever been accidentally shot in training was shot with an "unloaded" gun. Don't be a statistic.

 

Great advice. I put away ALL the ammo in a LOCKED container and put it in the safe and only have the snap caps out when I'm dry firing.

Thanks to all who responded to my question about dry fire and blue guns!  I got a world of education from each of you and am now ready to move forward with the next part of my training.  Special thanks to ccw9mm for his taking the time to provide all the possible trainers!  I will check out each one you listed.  Love this forum!

Blue guns' don't have triggers that move.  You can't dry fire one.

In all honesty, it's more for trainers than regular people unless you feel you may want to get into training, or will become that friend who is always taking new people to the range.

 

I was given a blue gun many years ago when I was an armed security guard to practice draw and reholster.  It has its uses. 

 

Like the others said, buy some snap caps, make sure the gun is safe and the ammunition is either locked up or in a different room, and practice.

Since I'm still pretty new to handguns, I'm super careful when I dry fire (and expect to stay that way). After clearing the gun, ammo in the other room where I keep it, I use tipton snap caps with the spring inside. I practice in front of a mirror to check for sighting, trigger pull, jerking, etc. I have to be careful, it's my wife's favorite mirror.