iTarget dry fire target app

[GGB]

I was just wondering if anyone had tried this and what your thoughts were.

 

[GGB]

I got it about a month ago and I find it helpful. I know I'm new to the group and I'm not a sales person or anything. Just hoping someone with more knowledge would chime in.

 

[bofh]

I recently asked a professional firearms instructor about such gadgets, including the LaserLyte system. His response was as follows (I am paraphrasing):

If you need such a gadget, you are doing it wrong. Learn the fundamentals: Line up the sights correctly with focus on the front sight, press the trigger without disturbing the sight picture, and follow through. If you do that, you know exactly where your shot went, including during dry practice, because you know what the sight picture was before, during and after firing the shot.

If you do not know exactly where your shot went, then you are not lining the sights up correctly with focus on the front sight and/or you do not follow through. If you do know exactly where your shot went but you are all over the place, then you are not pressing the trigger without disturbing the sight picture.

Learn the fundamentals:

• Line up the sights correctly with focus on the front sight: For traditional notch and post sights, that means the top edges of the front and rear sights are at the same level and the space on the left and the right side of the post is equal. On three dot sights, do not try to line up the dots in one line! The bullet goes where the middle of the top edge of the front side points to.
• Press the trigger without disturbing the sight picture: That means, take the slack out of the trigger until you hit a wall and then gradually increase the pressure until the gun fires. Do not yank or slap the trigger!
• Follow through: Keep your finger and the pressure on the trigger. Do not immediately release it! After the recoil, line up the sights correctly with focus on the front sight. Slowly release the trigger until it resets.
• Follow up shot: Many triggers do not have a slack at the reset point. Press the trigger without disturbing the sight picture. That means, gradually increase the pressure until the gun fires.

A few more points:

• Start out slow. You want to be accurate first, as speed comes later with enough practice. Remember, only hits count. Missing fast is not the objective.
• With dry practice, there is no recoil, which makes spotting your shot easier.
• Professionals do perform proper gun handling during dry practice: When you hear a click, you tap and rack using the exact same motions as if this would have been a failure to fire. For one-handed dry practice, that means one-handed tap and rack.
• You can get a lot of high value practice time in with dry practice without spending any money on ammo. However, at some point, you need to do live fire practice.

 

[GGB]

Thanks!

 

[bofh]

Thanks!

I have a quick question. If you point the muzzle up and rack the slide, does the laser bullet drop out of the barrel or is it held safely in place in the chamber by friction? I know it doesn't get ejected, but is there a potential to fall out due to gravity?

Also, to improve your fundamentals when using iTarget, just ignore the phone display while shooting. Instead, evaluate your accuracy/precision once you are done. It is an extremely bad habit to fire a single shot and immediately check where the bullet went, during dry practice with gadgets and during live fire. This prevents the follow through and is a major contributor to bad accuracy/precision. See the end of this video (but watch it in its entirety):

 

[GGB]

The laser bullet is held securely. It has 2 rubber rings that hold it pretty snug. You have to force it out.

I have only really used it for quick point and shoot dry fire drills after finding out the laser was accurate.

 

[bofh]

The laser bullet is held securely. It has 2 rubber rings that hold it pretty snug. You have to force it out.

That's good to know, thanks.

I have only really used it for quick point and shoot dry fire drills after finding out the laser was accurate.

There is a whole discussion about point shooting without really using the sights and to which distance that is beneficial. One school of thought is, once the sights are in your line of sight, use them and apply the marksmanship fundamentals. For all other shooting positions, which are typically during close contact engagements, use point shooting. The other school of thought is, if you can naturally point at it, you can hit it with unsighted fire. I am not particularly a fan of the latter school of thought as it trades of precision for speed (bigger group in shorter time) to the point that you lose accuracy (you miss). Missing fast isn't the goal.

Rob Pincus has developed a modern version of point shooting, called Combat Focus Shooting. He tries to find the right point at which intuitive shooting (point shooting) is still useful at non-close contact distance with reasonable precision and accuracy. The problem I have with this is when an instructor tells me not to look at the sights and my reply is: "but they are right there".

Just some food for thought. Google the videos of Rob Pincus on Combat Focus Shooting for more info.

 

[GGB]

Thanks. I've watched several of Rob Pincus' videos on the subject. Even though these "training" devices are gimmicky I found this one to be fun.

 

[PhillySoldier]

I use the laserlyte one, its not dependent on setting up with iphone

 

[GGB]

I use the laserlyte one, its not dependent on setting up with iphone

I don't usually set the phone up when I use it. I just see where the laser hits the target. I do use the iPhone to score when I am teaching my son He is extremely competitive and it helps him focus.

 

[NoOtherQT]

I find these laser dry-firing systems extremely useful. They're good tools that many law enforcement entities deploy them for training. I've been shooting for a long time and I use the range 3, 4 times a week to gain consistency in my techniques -- my own modified techniques that work for me. There are many things that I can't do at indoor ranges (holster draw and shoot, rapid fire, multiple target management, shoot on the move, shoot from my pocket, hitting targets laying on my back, clearing my house, discern threats from friendlies, etc). Thus, I turned my basement into a cheap practice maze using iTarget Pro. I set up multiple targets at 5', 25', 35', 45', with results projected to large screen monitors to analyze and assess my exercises. With this training tool, I gain repeatable expectations that I can apply at the range. I practice daily on grip, trigger control, muzzle management, and tactical light execution. I never ever plan on actually shooting anyone; however, my training will help me manage a bad situation should it become necessary. Here's my basement setup; I have many more targets throughout the basement but you get the idea.

 

[seattle_carl]

iTarget is clearly one of the best firearms training aid ever developed. I looked at competitors and only Mantis looks comparable...but won't fit in your holster or work with guns missing rails.
Get the $5 Quickdraw option. It's excellent.
My mutual aid group makes once-a-month group iTarget drills mandatory. We developed a list of typical drills.

Does anyone in this thread have a list of good pistol and rifle drill that would work with the iTarget system?

 

[JamesCC]

Thanks. I've watched several of Rob Pincus' videos on the subject. Even though these "training" devices are gimmicky I found this one to be fun.

Same experience glad I wsnt the only one