Best Firearms Training Accessories In 2024

How To Train With Your Firearms

Building proficiency with your handgun, rifle, or shotgun is contingent upon establishing solid fundamentals and repeatedly assessing which areas need improvement. This process typically incorporates two different yet equally important training regimens, dry fire practice and live fire practice.

Classic Summary

Choosing the right gear to enhance your dry fire and live fire training can help you become a better shooter, while also saving money on ammunition.

• Assessing your shooting fundamentals
• Training drills for at home or at the range
• Recommended training accessories for 2024

Dry Fire Training Exercises

Ideal for keeping skills sharp in between range sessions, dry fire practice does not require the use of ammunition or targets. The emphasis is placed on movement, technique, and execution instead of firing live rounds. This allows you to create a strong foundation from which to grow your defensive skillset.

IWI Z15TAC16 Zion-15 Semi-Auto AR-15 Rifle 16" Barrel .223/5.56NATO 30 Round - Black

$874 99

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Here are just a few dry fire training exercises you can do at home:

• Loading / Unloading Your Gun - inserting an empty mag or dummy rounds and charging the firearm before returning to Condition 4 (empty)
• Presentation Drills - drawing, aiming, and re-holstering (for handguns) or transitioning from a low ready to a high ready (long guns)
• Aimed Trigger Press - isolating the actions of your trigger finger while aiming to ensure a smooth, consistent pull each time
• Reload Drills - reloading from slide lock or conducting administrative / tactical reloads and retaining a partially depleted magazine
• Draw To First Shot - combining presentation drills and aimed trigger press to assess the speed and accuracy with which you can deploy your firearm and get shots on target
• Move & Shoot - safely navigating terrain and obstacles with your firearm at a low ready, occasionally engaging targets while in motion
• Negotiating Cover / Concealment - engaging targets from behind cover while minimizing exposure, can be combined with any of the above exercises for practice from unconventional positions

Live Fire Shooting Drills

There's just no substitute for putting rounds downrange, adding additional metrics such as accuracy and recoil control to assess your skills. Although it is more expensive, consistent live fire practice is the most effective way to grow as a shooter. You will be able to quickly identify strengths and weaknesses so you can adjust your training to become the best self defender you can be.

Canik TP9SFx Warren Tactical Sights, Tungsten, 9mm, (2) 20 Rnd Mags- 2017 Handgun of the Year - HG3774G-N

$499 99

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To get the most out of your range sessions, Classic Firearms recommends the following shooting drills:

• Point & Shoot - starting at a low ready position, aim and fire a single round center mass (repeat to improve target acquisition and trigger manipulation on the first shot)
• Failure Drill - starting at a low ready, fire two rounds center mass and one round to the head
• Bill Drill - drawing and firing six rounds as quickly as possible, scoring hits with all six rounds
• Off Hand Only - using your non-dominant hand, fire three-round groups center mass while focusing on accurate shot placement and achieving tight groupings
• Timed Draw To First Shot - using a shot timer, draw and fire a single three-round group center mass
• Triple Six Drill - starting at seven yards, draw and fire six rounds center mass (repeat at 15 yards and 20 yards, record times with one second added for any missed shots)
• Two By Four - starting with four rounds in the gun, fire until empty then reload an additional four rounds and fire until empty (for an extra challenge, transition from long gun to sidearm and repeat the drill as quickly as possible)

Top 5 Must-Have Training Accessories

You can enhance your dry fire and live fire with accessories that introduce additional constraints or help improve your performance by offering real-time feedback. From low tech to cutting edge, these are the top five firearms training tools you should implement into your practice sessions in 2024.

Snap Caps / Dummy Rounds

Ideal for reload drills or practicing how to clear malfunctions, snap caps are inert cartridges without a primer, bullet, or a powder charge. They are especially useful in settings that are not conducive to live fire, such as inside a residence or during the classroom portion of a firearms safety course.

Traditions ASC223 Snap Caps Plastic .223/5.56 NATO 2 Pack - 2 Pack

$9 65

(4.825 per round)

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Mantis Blackbeard

The Blackbeard AR-15 Trigger Auto-Reset System eliminates the need to manually charge your rifle between each trigger pull when dry firing. This allows you to practice taking multiple shots in rapid succession while staying on target, so that training is more realistic and beneficial. Plus, Mantis also offers several laser training systems for use with handguns.

Mantis MT-5002 Blackbeard AR15 Red Laser

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Sightmark Laser Boresight

Speaking of lasers, a bright red boresight can be used for more than zeroing your electronic optic. Set aside 15-20 minutes for dry fire practice in a dimly-lit room and turn the laser on. You'll be able to see exactly how much your point of impact shifts with the slightest movement, which will help you identify and address bad habits like jerking the trigger or lowering the muzzle after each string of fire.

Sightmark SM39015 Laser Boresighter Cartridge 9mm Luger Chamber Brass

$29 97

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CoolFire Trainer

The CoolFire Trainer simulates recoil and allows you to pull the trigger of your EDC pistol as many times as you want without racking the slide. Compatible with many of the most popular handgun brands, this training system is the perfect step up for those who have previously practiced dry fire drills with a BB or airsoft replica (like the Crsman PFAM9B) and allows shooters to safely train indoors with their carry gun and preferred light / optic.

Crosman PFAM9B CO2 Blowback BB Pistol, Fully Automatic, .177 Caliber, W /20 Round Mag - Select Fire - W / Bonus Free 15 Count CO2 and 1500 Count BB's

$109 99

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Toast Targeting System

For shooters who want to put their skills to the test, the Toast Targeting System is the perfect training accessory for live fire sessions at the range. This product was unveiled at SHOT Show 2024 and features multiple targets that emerge, disappear, and reemerge at random. Skip to 48:38 below to see Toast Targets in action!

The Top 5 Firearms Accessories Of 2024

Maintaining proficiency with firearms requires time and dedication, but will pay dividends in terms of your shooting and overall defensive capabilities. For even more incredible firearm accessories and training aides, be sure to watch our video from SHOT Show 2024 below.

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