So OK, here's my sad story. In 1978 I was 22. I raced off-road motorcycles for fun, so was young, healthy, and had good hand and arm strength. I had also become a police officer and I carried a 6" Colt Trooper Mk lll .357 mag. I loved that gun and could shoot .38's all day. Sadly, that revolver was stolen about 30+ years ago. When my department transitioned to semi-autos, we carried the S&W 4006, so a DA/SA .40 cal semi. After retirement I started carrying a 1911. I kind of missed my Colt, so just picked up a S&W 586 6" .357. I'm hoping to do some USPSA stuff, but due to a bad back from racing that may not be a possibility, so NRA Precision Pistol (Bullseye) was recommended as something to look at.
Got my new 586 in so decided to go to the range and break it in and get some practice for USPSA or Bullseye, etc. Shot about 26 rounds from my 1911 as had to check some stuff out. Shot about 10 rounds of .38 out of my S&W 638 "J" frame 2", which has a LOOOOOONG trigger pull, and shot maybe 75+ rounds through the 586, mostly .38's but some .357's just for fun. Ya know what I discovered? I ain't 22 anymore. I ain't in good shape anymore, and I don't have good hand and arm strength anymore. I think we got spoiled shooting nothing but SA semi-autos all these years! My arms were shaking like crazy and my poor ole trigger finger was so stiff I could barely pull that last bit to get the hammer to fall by the end of the day!
Guess I need to get on an exercise program of some type to build up my arm and grip strength. I assume that the best thing would be to just hold the 586 out in position and dry fire it over and over, building up my arm and hand muscles. I also have a S&W 25-5, (a 45 Long Colt with a 8 3/8" barrel on an "N" frame). I figure this would also be a good gun to try something like this with. It's big, heavy, and should build up my arm and grip strength just holding it, etc. My main question is, and I can never remember, is it OK to dry fire these revolvers (and my 1911's) over and over, or should I get Snap Caps just to play it safe?
Any other suggestions of exercise and training I should do besides going to the range and shooting as much as I can? I figured get some dumbbell type weights and maybe a hand-grip spring ( they make a great one for guitar players!) where I can work my hand and arms while just sitting and watching TV?
Just figured this is not something new and that you folks would have good ideas, so hope it's OK for me to ask. I figure there is a ton of info out there, but a 62 year old with a bad back may require a little more specific of an answer.
Thanks is advance.