Safe and Effective Dry-Fire Training at Home [Guide]

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an easy, safe way to train at home for free?

Well, there is! It’s called dry fire or snapping in. Those are just fancy terms for shooting without ammo. It's an extremely helpful skill builder; in fact, the best shooters we know spend more time dry firing than actually shooting. 

You won't get better by reinforcing your existing habits, though, so you're going to need some drills, tools, and resources to actually improve. Good thing we're here.

We're going to recommend some of our favorite dry fire training aids, ranging from free techniques to advanced laser systems. So read on to learn all about them!

Dry Fire Training Aid Comparison Chart

How We Tested the Best Dry Fire Training Aids

For this article, we gathered a bunch of dry fire systems we've personally used and owned here at Pew Pew Tactical. The entire Pew Pew Tactical team, as well as freelance writers, contributed to this review to offer different opinions based on ergonomics, size, and experience.

For systems we have reviews on, we've linked those so you can read more.

Best Dry Fire Training Aids

1. Mantis X2 - Best Overall

Best Overall

MantisX

$99

at Mantis

Prices accurate at time of writing

$99 at Mantis

Amazon (see price)

Specs

• Universal: Yes (with accessory rail)
• App Available: Yes (Mantis)
• Live-Fire Compatible: No

The Mantis X2 is our favorite dry-fire technology. For the money, there's nothing better.

This tiny little block attaches to the accessory rail on your rifle, pistol, or shotgun to provide real-time information regarding everything from trigger pull to draw.

It's a powerful tool gathering data to diagnose issues and track improvement. You can see exactly what you're doing wrong -- and then fix it.

The information feeds back to your Android or Apple device via the Mantis app and keeps a progress journal for you.

Don't know where to start? That's alright because Mantis provides lessons in the app.

I love my Mantis X (the predecessor to the Mantis X2 and X3), and the information it provides is second to none. It's a ton of data, and I could probably write 2,000 words just on the information it spits out.

The biggest downside is that you can't use it without an accessory rail, so revolvers and older-style firearms might be out of luck. The X2 version also doesn't work with live fire.

The new Mantis X3 app is more expensive, but it's also compatible with live fire and has some clever new features. You have options!

Read much, much more in our original Mantis X review.

2. A-Zoom Snap Caps - Best Budget

Best Budget

A-Zoom Snap Caps

$19

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$19 at Amazon

Palmetto State Armory (see price)

OpticsPlanet (see price)

MidwayUSA (see price)

Specs

• Universal: Cartridge-specific
• App Available: No
• Live-Fire Compatible: Yes

A-Zoom Snap Caps are a must-have training aid. They work for a wide variety of dry and live training functions. Personally, I don't know how I'd practice malfunction drills safely without them.

Dummy rounds are super helpful for beginners. You can safely practice the basic motions of loading, unloading, and press-checking without introducing live ammo to the firearm.

If you're worried about damaging your firearm by dry firing, these Snap Caps have rubber in place of a primer to give your firing pin a safe place to land.

You can also use dummy rounds to create complicated jams to fix with remedial action. Nobody is too experienced for Snap Caps!

Do you typically shoot pistols low left (or low right, if you're left-handed)? Snap Caps are the best way to expose a flinch. Next time you're at the range, have a friend sneak one into a magazine of live rounds for you and watch what happens when you get to it. Whoops!

Need some more suggestions or a different caliber? Check out our article on the Best Dummy Rounds.

3. SG Timer GO - Best Shot Timer

Best Shot Timer

SG Timer GO

$164

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$164 at Amazon

Shooters Global (see price)

Specs

• Universal: Yes
• App Available: Yes (Drills)
• Live-Fire Compatible: Yes

If you forced me to choose one specific training tool, it would be a shot timer. Shot timers rule!

You can use any shot timer for dry fire by setting a par time and trying to beat it. The SG Timer GO takes training to a whole new level, though.

SG lets you program the Timer GO's sensitivity so it will pick up the quiet "click" of dry firing. Pair it with the app to easily set up strings of fire with prep time built in to reset the trigger if you need to.

Oh, and you can control the buzzer volume so it doesn't make your ears ring and freak out the pets when you use it in the house.

This unique capability lets you practice reaction time, trigger discipline, drawing, and engaging multiple targets (if you have some of our other picks to reset the trigger), all in the comfort of your own home.

Of course, it also works with live ammunition at the range. There, you can switch to shooting mode and set up custom profiles for specific firearms, specific cartridges, and suppressed shooting. You're in total control.

The SG Timer GO is genuinely a game changer if you're serious about getting better as a shooter.

4. Mantis Blackbeard - Best AR-15

Best AR-15

Mantis Blackbeard

$219

at Mantis

Prices accurate at time of writing

$219 at Mantis

Specs

• Universal: AR-15 only
• App Available: Yes (Mantis Laser Academy)
• Live-Fire Compatible: No

Yep, another Mantis. But guess what? They are the dry-fire people, plain and simple.

One of the most revolutionary products to date is the Mantis Blackbeard, a dry-fire laser system unlike any other. It drops into your AR-15 in place of the bolt carrier group and magazine.

When you pull the trigger, the Blackbeard bolt fires a laser and automatically resets your trigger. This allows for semi-auto dry fire practice -- no need to constantly rack the gun.

This saves time and avoids some really, really terrible habits. Don't condition yourself to lift your face from the stock and reach for the charging handle after every shot!

I use this system for more than just training my trigger press. I run the VTAC 1-5 drill, failure to stop drills, and many, many more. It's deeply satisfying, very effective, and tons of fun.

Take a peek at our hands-on Mantis Blackbeard review!

5. Mantis Laser Academy - Best Multi-User

Best Multi-User

Mantis Laser Academy

$159

at Mantis

Prices accurate at time of writing

$159 at Mantis

Specs

• Universal: Cartridge-specific
• App Available: Yes (Mantis Laser Academy)
• Live-Fire Compatible:

Hang on, we've got one more Mantis system for you! The Mantis Laser Academy is an excellent way to train by yourself, with others, and with non-Mantis laser systems.

There are lots of Android and iOS apps that pair with a laser cartridge, but the Mantis Laser Academy is by far the best. It's a complete system of targets, a tripod, a laser cartridge, and several means to hold up the included targets.

The targets come in both standard and reduced sizes. The Mantis app uses your phone's camera to read the targets and provide a numerical score based on where your hits are landing.

The targets are quite varied, and you can print new targets if you need them. One of the FBI Q-style targets stays pinned to my wall permanently.

The app has tons of different modes that address specific handgun training techniques. Practice drawing, reloading, clearing malfunctions, and more.

It even has a multiplayer duel function where two shooters attempt to get higher scores and race to land several shots on target. It's not only a good bit of training, but it's fun and entertaining.

Check out our full review of the Mantis Laser Academy to see what I mean!

6. TRT Tap Rack Dry Fire Devices - Best Magazine Insert

Best Magazine Insert

Rogers TRT 9mm/.40 S&W

$7

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$7 at Amazon

Specs

• Universal: Cartridge-specific
• App Available: No
• Live-Fire Compatible: No

Want to snap in more effectively with your existing magazines?

For less than $10, you can have three Rogers TRT inserts for your pistol or AR-15. These little devices fit inside your magazines and defeat the last round bolt hold-open (LRBHO) device.

In my opinion, that offers two distinct advantages.

First, they ensure your magazine cannot be loaded during dry fire training. Second, you can execute reloads on the fly without constantly dealing with ejecting dummy rounds or manipulating the bolt/slide release.

These are also handy when practicing malfunction drills. You can induce a malfunction with a dummy round and execute a proper fix without having to worry about the LRBHO.

7. DryFire Mag - Best Magazine

Best Magazine

DryFireMag

$98

at Brownells

Prices accurate at time of writing

$98 at Brownells

Amazon (see price)

Specs

• Universal: Firearm-specific
• App Available: No
• Live-Fire Compatible: No

When you dry fire with a striker-fired pistol, you likely get quite sick of manipulating the slide to recock the pistol between shots. It's an atypical action that gets really old and build a bad habit of breaking your grip after each shot.

DryFire Mag solves that problem. It replaces your magazine and simulates a trigger pull without the need to ever reset your firing pin.

DFMs are made for Glock, Palmetto State Armory Dagger, Sig Sauer P320, Smith & Wesson M&P, and Springfield XD pistols. Installation is nothing more than dropping that magazine in.

You can pull the trigger over and over, and it will simulate the trigger pull of your gun. No more racking the weapon after every shot.

The DFM is great for running drills like el presidente, failure to stop, or 5-5-5 without ammo. It's an excellent tool, especially when combined with a Mantis system.

8. SIRT - Best Training Pistol

Best Training Pistol

SIRT Pistol

$299

at Brownells

Prices accurate at time of writing

$299 at Brownells

Specs

• Universal: Standalone device
• App Available: Yes (various laser-based systems)
• Live-Fire Compatible: No

The SIRT Pistol isn't an attachment for your existing pistol, it's a non-firing replica that works all on its own. There's also an AR-15 laser bolt that drops into your rifle.

These systems weigh close to the same as a real firearm, and use an integrated laser to show where shots would land if you were using real ammunition.

Trigger pull on the SIRT is lighter than most handguns but, for learning the basics and having a 100% always safe option, it's a solid contender.

You can even purchase extra SIRT magazines that replicate the real weight of loaded magazines for training drills.

Since these aren't real guns, they're great for practicing combined combative techniques. Have you ever tried grappling until someone gives the command to draw your training pistol? It'll have you reevaluating a few things in a hurry.

SIRT guns give you visual feedback and will function with most of the laser systems we recommend. They're expensive, but we think they're worth it.  

9. Range Buddy Pro - Best Free App

Bes Free App

Range Buddy Pro

$0

at Range Buddy

Prices accurate at time of writing

$0 at Range Buddy

Specs

• Universal: Yes
• App Available: Yes (Range Buddy Pro)
• Live-Fire Compatible: Yes

The Range Buddy app is designed around training in general, including live fire range time.

This free app (donations are accepted) provides you with a ton of different drills and courses of fire to practice. It breaks down each drill step-by-step so you don't have to reinvent the wheel.

The app also provides a new feature that can issue commands. You'll need a corresponding target with shapes, colors, or numbers, but it can call the commands out to you for a more engaging experience.

This makes dry fire a little more interesting and dynamic. The Range Buddy Pro app can walk you through dry fire drills that you can run run live later. It is simple but very effective, easy to use, and can be paired with numerous other dry fire gadgets and gizmos.

And it's free!

How to Pick the Best Dry Fire Training Aids

There are some incredible training tools on this list. With a little bit of practice each day, you can progress from newbie to marksman before you know it.

Free Dry Fire Techniques

The coin trick is a simple technique you can do to evaluate your trigger control.

Balance the coin on the front sight. As the coin rests on the sight, practice your grip control. Smoothly press the trigger until you get an audible click. Is the coin still there?

Any error will cause the quarter to fall, which will reveal unnecessary motion in your trigger press. If you were at the range, that would have been a miss -- good thing you didn't have to pay for ammo to find out! 

You can also practice your open- or concealed-carry draw during dry fire practice.

Start slow. Focus on proper grip, drawing, and aiming. Add speed and pressure in the form of a timer as your progress.

You don't have a Hollywood pistol that never runs out of ammo, do you? Then you'd better practice reloads while you're at it.

Basic Dry Fire Training Aids

There are some training tools that every shooter should own.

One is a set of snap caps or dummy rounds. These can reduce wear on your firearm if you're concerned about that.

They can also reveal an undiagnosed flinch. When you're training with live ammo at the range, have a friend load a magazine for you that includes one snap cap. Since you don't know when the fake round is coming, your flinch will be obvious when there's no recoil to cover it up.

Next, buy a shot timer. Whether you're dry-firing or shooting at the range, a timer will push you to be better and provide totally honest feedback. Don't get hung up on individual times; watch averages and trends over time to check your progress.

Advanced Dry Fire Systems

Are you ready to fully commit to becoming a good shot? It's time for more sophisticated tools.

Something like the Mantis X will provide more efficient training, instant feedback, and real data that you can evaluate to fine-tune your skills.

Yes, these cost more that our other recommendations, but they're a financial investment that you'll be grateful for the next time you send live rounds into the A-zone instead of peppering the berm, wondering what you're doing wrong, and shuffling back to the car in disappointment.

Why Trust Pew Pew Tactical

This article comes to you from Travis Pike. Travis is an NRA-certified instructor and concealed carry trainer out of Florida. He served as a Marine infantryman in his prior life, so he has plenty of time behind guns. Between instructing, serving in the military, and testing and evaluating firearms over the years, Travis has come to learn a thing or two about training and being trained. He's a huge proponent of dry fire, too!

Editing this article is Scott Murdock. Scott is a Marine Corps veteran who competed and qualified as a rifle and pistol expert while in service. In addition to shooting, Scott has written for a variety of publications, testing, researching, and evaluating guns and gear. He brings that knowledge and skillset to this article, editing and fact-checking for accuracy.

Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical.

Final Thoughts

While dry fire training can’t fully replace live fire training, it certainly complements it.

Becoming a dry-fire pro takes time, patience, and the ability to really keep after it. A few minutes a day can dramatically improve your skills without hitting the range.  

And adding a few gadgets or gizmos makes dry fire not only more entertaining, but more dynamic and engaging while turning 15 minutes of so-so practice into incredibly efficient training.

Have more questions about safe and effective training? Let us know in the comments below! And check out our online Beginner Handgun Course, Gun Noob to Gun Slinger. We cover the basics you need to become a crack shot.

Latest Updates

February 2025: Removed the Pocket Pro II shot timer. Added the SG Timer GO. Added a comparison chart and updated supporting content.