[Baldwin]

I had my first experience in shooting with a shot timer yesterday. Boy, was that humbling.
I've got a lot of work to do.

 

[shootin-blanks]

LOL, just like Kryptonite to Superman.
Will make you a better shooter.

 

[Whiten]

I do a lot of dry fire with shot timer set on par. It has helped on my draw speed tremendously.

 

[AJP]

I wish I had started training with shot timers years ago. I finally picked one up last year and it really transformed my training. The added pressure is great, it is amazing watching otherwise good shooters completely fall apart with a BEEP from a shot timer.

Above all else it keeps you honest with your training and gives you benchmarks to actually note improvement. It is one of the big differences between training and just shooting.

 

[DukeSoprano]

I do a lot of dry fire with shot timer set on par. It has helped on my draw speed tremendously.

How does that work? I just started competing and would to practice dry fire more.

Thanks!

 

[Whiten]

You can set it with first beep to come on random with a second beep at a set interval. This way you have a set time to get gun drawn and on target before the second beep goes off.

 

[Whiten]

Here is the one I use, par time starts at 2.49

 

[DukeSoprano]

oh cool,, Thank you very much!

 

[B81]

I think some shot timers can also be calibrated to pick up the "click" of the hammer strike when dry firing.

 

[BigJimP]

I encourage everyone to use a shot timer in their training.

I use Competitive Edge Dynamics timers ( Brownells, Dillon, etc carry them..)...& yes, they have a sensitivity setting ...but the click of a firing pin on a snap cap is very hard to pickup...most of us use them for training on live fire.

You can set the "par time" ( the max acceptable time )... to whatever standard you like....or whatever your experience level is. For perspsctive ...Master class shooters will set a par time to 1.0 sec...for a draw to 1 shot. I train to about a B class shooter ...par time to draw & 1 shot is 1.85 sec..../ followup shots are 0.45 sec....( so draw & fire 2 shots is 2.3 sec par time ..../ draw & fire 4 is at 3.2 sec ...etc...)... At 68 yrs old, class B is a good test ...for my skill level...bad eyes & all....

But the point is to push yourself ...and improve. When I first started using timers, 20 yrs or so ago......I was using 2.5 sec for draw to 1 shot as a par time...

You also need to set an acceptable target size for " tactical accuracy"...& for me that's about an 8 1/2" X 11" rectangle ...center chest. Outside that rectangle ...you deduct an additional 1, 2 or 3 pts...from score. I like the ICE qual target...

 

[DukeSoprano]

I downloaded a free Shot timer app on my iphone with a Par timer. I started at 2 second draw dry fire on target and after 15 minutes I got down to 1.5 seconds easy. Very cool

 

[BigJimP]

I have found, if you shoot at a noisy indoor public range...cell phone timers are usually not loud enough for you to hear effectively....but good to hear it works for you. An ear bud ... & phone on belt might work.../ but I use CED 7000 timer .

I had a good practice session today...200 rds ...9mm...Wilson 5" Protector. Target at 7 yds....( working on grip, staying in a smooth cadence on followup shots )... struggling with prescription in new bifoculs after cataract surgery...

100 rds or so in...
Draw fire 5 rds..in under 3.7 sec( I avg about 3.3 sec)
Draw fire 4 rds ..in under 3.2 sec( I avg about 2.9 sec)
Draw fire 3 rds ..in under 2.8 sec( I avg about 2.6 sec )

100 rds or so in...
2 mags of 4.../ Draw fire 4 ( gun goes to slide lock)...speed reload & fire 4 more rds ...in under 7.3 sec ( I avg about 6.8 sec )

I missed 2 shots/both on reload drills...( bad reloads, rushed my shot )....1 at about 9 O'clock ...and 1 high into face ( both are minus 1 pt areas)... target is center mass in 8 1/2" X 11" rectangle on ICE target.../ both misses were on reload stage.
But this is as good as I can shoot most days...at 68 ..and poor eyes...