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Setting Up A Laser Range, My Observations Login/Join 
E tan e epi tas
Picture of cslinger
posted
I want to start out by pointing out a couple things about myself.

I am not a gunfighter, super secret squirrel card carrying member, LEO, DELTAOPERATORSEALGSG9BRO, Girl Scout Den Leader nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night. I do not really want to be or do any of these things.

I am a hobbyist shooter who has been very lucky to shoot an own a VAST number of different firearms. I have no illusions, dreams or desires to use violence of any kind on anybody.

I say the above only to preface the fact that I am only providing my own personal experience here and in no way am I saying you should or shouldn't do X, Y or Z.

Now as I have said I shoot a wide range of guns and as such I am very comfortable with just about anything but have never devoted to one to be fantastic with that single platform. I am a passable shooter.

About a year ago I decided that I needed to do more dry firing, as we all know this is a way more critical component to shooting than most give credit. I then decided I wanted more feedback so I picked up a laser cartridge (Surestrike / Laser Ammo). While this did help and add to my enjoyment it still didn't scratch the itch to make me want to dry fire more. So I started looking into hit spotting software.

I didn't want to pay the big bucks so I tinkered with several different free/low cost versions over the past year and at best they were buggy and at worst they didn't work at all. I recently decided to give it another go and thought to my self. "Self, wait a minute.....there's gotta be an APP for that!!"

So I found an APP. The App, I settled on is called Shot Veryifyer and it is finally what I want in a home laser range. It is portable, reliable, easy to use and gives me just enough versatility at very low cost. But does it work????

So recently over the past week I have been using my laser range to work on some fundamentals that I have problems with. Namely grip. I have always used a "proper" handgun grip either thumb over thumb, thumbs high or thumbs forward. No tea cup or other nonsense. However, many years back I learned that most of my gripping should be coming from my off hand not my primary shooting hand. I think I read something like 70/30. I have played hell with teaching myself this, (mental block)

You see my brain instinctively wants my primary grip to grip tighter and tighter when shooting. Even though I now KNOW this to be wrong I have had a hard time overcoming this and this creates issues with trigger pull and breaking shots (left for me). I exacerbate this with larger calibers, although generally only with semi autos.

So over the last week or so I have done dry fire every night on the "laser range" telling myself to grip differently, use my offhand/wrist more then my grip. I figured I would go to the range to see if the fun I have been having was doing any good or if it was just fun. Much to my surprise I shot markedly better today and in a way that was more natural/easier. I still had moments where I had to say, ease up on the grip, but I was shocked at how much a week of working on the "laser range" on some of my own personal issues worked out in the real world.

So there you have it. Would regular old dry fire work....probably, but I cannot seem to work up the desire to simply dry fire. All I am saying is that for ME personally this little setup has proven to be both LOTS of fun and has paid dividends when things go hot.

So what have I invested in my little setup.
-Surestrike Laser Cartridge - I bought a set that works on multiple calibers but a single caliber laser module will run about $90.00. The endcap/activator is said to run for at least 5000 shots an can be replaced for $39.00 or so. So far this cartridge seems to be a well made tool.

-Iphone 7, I am not counting this in the cost since damn near everybody has a smart phone/pad/etc. If you do not have one then obviously this makes the cost barrier to entry a bit of an issue.

-Shot Veryifyer APP. I believe this was $14 bucks and allows for free fire at any targets, timed shot drills etc.

-Iphone tripod. About $15 bucks. Not strictly necessary but very helpful.

So all in you are at about $120-$140 bucks for say 3,000-5,000 shots with a maintenance fee of $40-$50 bucks in batteries/endcap etc. for another 3000-5000 shots. (I am guesstimating may be more shots, mine shows no signs of issue)

To me this has been well worth it and a great deal of fun.

I just thought I would share my experiences but once again I am in NO WAY saying YOU NEED TO TRAIN THIS WAY or YOU WOULD BE CRAZY NOT TO DO X, Y OR Z. I have no place nor any illusions about my skills to say that to anybody. I simply wanted to give a little review of something I set up that is both fun and has been practical for me.

As always take care, shoot safe.
Chris

Here is a short movie to show the system in action. This is just a demonstration of free fire at whatever target I put up. So far I have shot up to about 35 or 40 feet without issue.


"Guns are tools. The only weapon ever created was man."
 
Posts: 8018 | Location: On the water | Registered: July 25, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Thanks for that review Chris. Is the shot verifier app affiliated with the hardware?
 
Posts: 2714 | Registered: March 22, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
E tan e epi tas
Picture of cslinger
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No. It should work with any laser. I bought the particular hardware about a year back.

If you are a Glock guy I would imagine it would work well with the SIRT guns. (Not sure about green laser)

I have been using it primarily with DA/SA guns and when timed primarily for first shot on target DA.


"Guns are tools. The only weapon ever created was man."
 
Posts: 8018 | Location: On the water | Registered: July 25, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
SIG-Sauer
Anthropologist
posted Hide Post
It's an interesting Training concept. I have access to a Scatt Shooter Traing System through the club I´m shooting with. It´s the same idea but it tracks motion additionally and it can be displayed on the computer for analytical purposes to optimize shooting techniques.

http://www.scatt.com/home/
 
Posts: 3790 | Location: Switzerland | Registered: January 24, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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cslinger:

Thanks for posting this. Very much appreciated. I have tried other angles for this effect, but I'm now going to try to follow your lead on this. I have a SIRT pistol. Will report back after I get set up.

Thanks again.
 
Posts: 123 | Registered: January 04, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Redhookbklyn
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Interesting. Thanks for posting the information.



“There is love in me the likes of which you’ve never seen. There is rage in me the likes of which should never escape."
—Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

 
Posts: 2050 | Location: SC | Registered: January 01, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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OK, again, thanks to cslinger for posting the original thread.

I purchased the iOS app and installed it on my iphone and ipad. One point of confusion - there are two apps. One is "Shot Veryfier LT" -- that one is for the iphone or ipad and from the creator's website appears to have been completely redone from scratch. The other is "Shot Veryfier" (no LT) and is only for ipad. I purchased the LT version as it wasn't clear whether the same enhancements had been made to the non-LT (and more expensive version). I believe the LT version is about $10 and the non-LT is $17.

There are features on the more expensive version that the LT doesn't have. For reference, cslinger's video shows the LT version - and that's the one I bought, too. Perhaps I'll buy the more expensive version as well - it has some features like multiple targets, mock reloads, etc that are interesting. But it's not clear to me whether the re-write that made such a good app out of the LT version has been done on the non-LT (and more expensive) version.

All that said, I used both a LaserLyte (read not very good quality) training laser pistol and a SIRT (good quality) training pistol with the app. Both work great and the software is all that cslinger said it is. Very, very happy with this set up.

One word of caution for SIRT owners - if you have the SIRT pistol that has both green and red lasers, the app will see either green or red as a shot. So if you (like me), sometimes use the SIRT pistol to mimic a rail-mounted green laser (half trigger pull), and then follow with a red laser pulse (full trigger pull), the app will see the green "aiming" laser as a shot. So in my case, I had to switch the SIRT pistol to "only red laser on full trigger pull" mode.

No biggee, just a note.

Also, the target in the app can be pushed, pulled, warped, etc, to fit your own paper targets. Works great. Audio feedback on shots scoring 7, 8 or 9 is different from a solid 10 shot, too.

Quite good and nice to be able to draw and move around while dry-firing.

Highly recommended and thanks again to cslinger.
 
Posts: 123 | Registered: January 04, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Nice review! I have been looking hard at this: https://www.itargetpro.com/collections/frontpage

$89 and includes the laser cartridge and stand (app is free).




“People have to really suffer before they can risk doing what they love.” –Chuck Palahnuik

Be harder to kill: https://preparefit.ck.page
 
Posts: 5043 | Location: Oregon | Registered: October 02, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
E tan e epi tas
Picture of cslinger
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Glad it is working for you and yes it is the LT version. I am using. Couple of notes to add.
-If you have an air vent or other breeze that moves/ruffles the target you can get false positive hits. Tape it down and you will be fine. Shake the target or phone for that oh so satisfying burst of full auto. Smile

-if you really jerk the shot and really "drag" the laser then it may give you two virtual hits. One at contact and one at the end of the drag. This needs to be pretty egregious though.

-using a light will likely cause false positives. (Weapon light/hand held flash, move shoot etc. the flash of light reads as a hit or hits).

Like has been set this is great for practicing first shot on target, engaging while moving or from odd positions. It is also great that you can set it up in your house at whatever target and simulate the most likely avenues of engagement in your personal environment. All in all that am very happy with this setup.

I also have the ITarget app and don't feel it is as good although I found it to be workable and probably my second favorite. The rest, for me/my environment at least, have been trash. For $89 it's worth it for the cartridge and phone tray honestly.


"Guns are tools. The only weapon ever created was man."
 
Posts: 8018 | Location: On the water | Registered: July 25, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
Picture of Skins2881
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quote:
Originally posted by Strambo:
Nice review! I have been looking hard at this: https://www.itargetpro.com/collections/frontpage

$89 and includes the laser cartridge and stand (app is free).


Please do write up if you pull the trigger, I've been look at that too.



Jesse

Sic Semper Tyrannis
 
Posts: 21340 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
addicted to trailing-throttle oversteer
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quote:
Shot Veryifyer

Neat. Almost makes me want to go out and buy an iPhone...well, not really.

It sounds like the iTarget is the way for an Android user to go.
 
Posts: 8983 | Location: Drippin' wet | Registered: April 18, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
E tan e epi tas
Picture of cslinger
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I thought shot verifier had an android app.

That being said I have also used ITarget and it was also fairly good. They all have their quirks but of the ones I have played with shot verifier and ITarget were by far the most workable. Most of the others in my case were trash.

I believe the camera quality in your device plays a huge part.

I messed around yesterday with the longest indoor range I have of about 50ish feet and it worked just fine. That being said I can only speak to the SureStrike laser ammo. I have no idea if all the lasers work at the same power/wavelength.


"Guns are tools. The only weapon ever created was man."
 
Posts: 8018 | Location: On the water | Registered: July 25, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
blame canada
Picture of AKSuperDually
posted Hide Post
My itarget arrived today!

Having TONS of fun shooting across the basement...



It's great for double action practice with the P229 legion, but if only there was a way with striker fire pistols to not have to work the slide each round.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The trouble with our Liberal friends...is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." Ronald Reagan, 1964
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Arguing with some people is like playing chess with a pigeon. It doesn't matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon will just take a shit on the board, strut around knocking over all the pieces and act like it won.. and in some cases it will insult you at the same time." DevlDogs55, 2014 Big Grin
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www.rikrlandvs.com
 
Posts: 14008 | Location: On the mouth of the great Kenai River | Registered: June 24, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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