Ammo, range fees, travel, and time can add up quickly. Live fire remains an important part of firearms training, but there is a lot shooters can work on before heading to the range.

Kristen from Laser Ammo joined the GD & Friends Podcast to talk about how laser dry fire training can add measurable feedback to practice, help shooters focus on specific skills, and make future live-fire sessions more purposeful.

Adding Feedback to Dry Fire

Traditional dry fire gives shooters an opportunity to work on fundamentals without firing live ammunition. Adding a laser and reactive target gives each repetition another piece of information: did the training hit actually register where you intended?

That feedback can help shooters move beyond simply repeating a presentation or trigger press and begin evaluating the result of each repetition.

As always, dry fire should be conducted safely. Confirm the firearm is unloaded, remove live ammunition from the practice area, and maintain a safe direction throughout the session.

Training Tools for Different Goals

During the conversation, Kristen explains that Laser Ammo offers more than a single laser cartridge. The right setup depends on what the shooter is trying to accomplish.

• SureStrike™ laser cartridges provide laser feedback through compatible firearms.
• SureStrike™ II adds a reactive electronic target for straightforward hit confirmation.
• i-MTTS allows shooters to work with multiple targets, transitions, and different training modes.
• SureStrikeMAG or the Flashbolt supports repeated trigger presses on compatible firearms without manually resetting the slide after every repetition.
• Smokeless Range® combines laser detection, a camera, software, and a projected training area for more interactive practice.

The goal is not to collect every training product available, I mean, you can, if your wallet allows it. LOL. It is to choose equipment that supports the particular skill you want to improve.

Making Live-Fire Practice More Productive

One of the biggest themes of the conversation is that laser training is not intended to replace live fire.

Instead, dry fire gives shooters more opportunities to work on specific skills at home and then verify that work at the range. That can mean arriving at a live-fire session with a clearer training objective instead of using ammunition simply to figure out what needs work.

For competitive shooters, Kristen also discusses practicing target acquisition, transitions, visual tracking, movement-related skills, and the weaknesses that are easiest to avoid when we only practice what already feels comfortable.

Training at Home Without Losing Sight of the Goal

The conversation also explores the Smokeless Range simulator, recoil-enabled training firearms, scenario-based training, firearm fit, competition shooting, and Kristen's own experience as an instructor and competitive shooter.

Across all of those topics, the same idea keeps coming back: good training should have a purpose. More repetitions only help when those repetitions are focused on developing a skill and providing useful feedback.

Watch the Full Conversation

Want to see how these different training options work and hear more about choosing a setup that fits your goals? Watch Kristen's full conversation on the GD & Friends Podcast.

They cover everything from simple reactive laser targets to the Smokeless Range, competition practice, training costs, and ways dry fire can help shooters make better use of their live-fire range time.

Watch the video below for the complete conversation, and follow the GD & Friends Podcast for more of their interviews and discussions.