Non ammo training from USCCA website

[rojawe]

This non-ammo training method works great if you still have (or can find) an old Nintendo game box and games.

They are still to be found at yard sales and such for next to nothing. These are the blocky gray boxes from the late 80's. If you can get one or have one, then try and find the old game called DUCK HUNT.

Ammo was expensive and range time limited in the Army of the 80's and 90's. As a Drill Sergeant and Infantry platoon sergeant I often took any "non-shooters" that other NCOs had given up on making marksmen and set up "study halls" where I'd take them and "let" them play solo and competitively.

I'd give them pointers and reminders concerning sight picture, sight alignment, breathing, focusing on the front sight and even trigger squeeze. These Nintendo light pistols were amazingly consistent in their accuracy at the max distance of the cord from gun to TV screen.

I started keeping records of these soldiers' previous live-fire records (before Nintendo training) and their progress based on point scores. When they started improving, I'd put in the competitive factor and then started adding distractions like yelling at them, popping balloon and hitting them on the helmet with a range safety rod.

The percent of improvement over their game scores was almost directly correlative to their later live fire score improvements. The worked out so well, that I'd have my regular soldiers use the game the night before squad/platoon evaluations, rifle qualifying, and EIB (Expert Infantryman Badge) or EFMB (Expert Field Medic Badge) testing.

It made a noticeable and positive difference even with my good shooters...and no ammo was being used, much less wasted. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to work as well with the more modern shooting games and role playing their is nothing to align with the screen weapons as opposed to the older plastic light-gun in your hand where your eye, sights and moving target all had to line up and then squeeze the trigger (that might move the hand or barrel).

I was always pleasantly surprised how the practice with the light-gun still improved the shooting of long guns (aka M16's).

So, if you can find the old game box and the game cartridge DUCK HUNT, then take a little trip back in time. The graphics may not be up to date but the techniques needed to practice and become better are timeless.

[jnevis]

They have basically gone that way with ALL training now.  The Navy uses a BeamHit laser system to get people familiar with the M-9/M-16 and then takes them out for live-fire.  The system has a "interactive" component that has shoot/no-shoot videos and "marksmanship enhancers" (video games, like Duck Hunt).  Only cost is the batteries.

For those that don't have access to the whole system, they occasionally show up on evilBay.