CoolFire (Like a SIRT with a Reciprocating Slide)

[John Hearne]

Dry firing without any feedback is like playing golf in the dark - you have no idea how effective your technique really was.

You're doing it wrong. Dry practice is great because you can learn to read your sights without the distraction of recoil. Use a target that allows fairly specific feedback - like a bullseye target. Where the sights are when the hammer fell is where your bullet impact would be.

If I did have a SIRT or something else with a laser, the LASR software seems to hold a lot of promise. https://www.lasrapp.com/

[LOKNLOD]

If I did have a SIRT or something else with a laser, the LASR software seems to hold a lot of promise. https://www.lasrapp.com/

I saw on their Faceyspace page that they were working on a self-contained setup - basically a tripod, tablet,and camera as a package. I think that holds a lot of promise, too, and unless it's stupidly priced may put me over the edge on trying it out.

[miller_man]

You are actually not the first person I have heard who found that the differences between the SIRT and their actual pistol were too great for effective practice, and the other is a very high level shooter. If I recall correctly, that shooter found the plastic slide version to be too light for draw practice. I have the metal slide.

My experience is different. I find that skills developed with the SIRT transfer quite well to my Glock 19, Glock 26, and 1911. While I agree that hitting the wall with a laser is easier than hitting a target with a bullet, the difference becomes much less apparent when working on my drawstroke. My drawstroke has definitely improved by using a SIRT.

When helping teach a recent NRA Basic Pistol class, use of plastic slide SIRT pistols helped fine tune the trigger control of the new shooters before we went to the life fire portion, resulting in tighter groups on paper. In one case, it helped me diagnose a sight perception issue with a lady who was having a tough time reconciling bifocals with a good sight picture.

While there are certainly differences in weight, feel, and trigger pull between a SIRT and a real pistol, I like the fact that I can pick up something with a red slide, know immediately that this is not my (almost always loaded) carry pistol, and that I do not have to worry about whether it is loaded, whether it is pointed in a safe direction, whether it is properly secured when I am not practicing, etc. While I can see having an extra gun for dry fire, that is still a gun that must be treated as such.

I do forget there is a TON of value to be gained for new shooters from the SIRT guns (not that I am so far down the road from new shooters, and definitely not a high level shooter). Lots of good, valid points Bill.

[Trajan]

I like what I see with this coolfire. I'll wait to hear some reports from members here about it.

I like the SIRT for specific things. Drawing, when you start to touch the trigger between the 3 and 4, etc etc. My only issue with it is most of the practice needs to be with the laser taped, or you start to develop a target focus. That green laser sure is brighter then those black sights...

[BillSWPA]

I like what I see with this coolfire. I'll wait to hear some reports from members here about it.

I like the SIRT for specific things. Drawing, when you start to touch the trigger between the 3 and 4, etc etc. My only issue with it is most of the practice needs to be with the laser taped, or you start to develop a target focus. That green laser sure is brighter then those black sights...

Taping the laser defeats the whole purpose. When I practice, I use exactly the same sight picture I would use without the laser. If I do everything right, I can see the laser right on top of my front sight. If not, after my follow through, I can figure out where the laser hit and what I did wrong.

Without the laser, it is too easy to believe that one's sight picture had remained perfect when in fact it has not.

[Luke]

Without the laser, it is too easy to believe that one's sight picture had remained perfect when in fact it has not.

I think this is a skill you should work on if you can't do it without the laser. In live fire there is no laser, and unless your looking at the target you will be "playing golf in the dark".

And in no way was this meant to be snarky or anything. I just think you loose some valuable skills by using a laser, not to say a laser in dry fire doesn't have its places..

[BillSWPA]

In live fire I have a hole in the target that either is or is not where I wanted it. That plus my timer are feedback.

[Luke]

In live fire I have a hole in the target that either is or is not where I wanted it. That plus my timer are feedback.

Not sheriff sherious

[HCountyGuy]

Very nifty in that it can be set up to run with your own weapon, if they make a kit for it. Reminds me of the guns used for FATS machines.

I'll be interested in reading an objective review by any credible trainers who care to screw with one of these.

[BillSWPA]

Another possible option. I have no personal experience with this one, but it would allow using your gun's trigger and sights. While I do not know this with certainty, a G17 sized barrel should work in a G19 as well.

https://www.laserlyte.com/products/t...er-glock-17-22