Ready, Aim, Fire with BEAMHIT 

Dry firing is an infinitely valuable tool for teaching new shooters as well as for improving existing skills. Despite this fact, many shooters either do not take advantage of this practice or disregard it after a short while. The fact is that it takes a fair amount of discipline to make yourself deliberately dry fire. It can get tedious, especially when the shooter does not see immediate results. The folks at MPRI-BEAMHIT have added a new dimension to dry firing by developing a laser system to give the shooter instant feedback during dry-fire training. The BEAMHIT System includes a laser transmitter, caliber barrel rod, and an electronic target that senses the laser strike.

BEAMHIT Details

The basic user's system is the Model 110. For this review I had the target and laser transmitter as well as barrel rods for the .38/9mm, .40/10mm, .45, and .22 calibers. When ordering the system, the user needs to specify what caliber rods they require. The 110 System is relatively simple to operate. With the batteries properly installed, the laser transmitter is screwed onto the desired caliber rod. The rod is then inserted into the muzzle of a twice-checked, unloaded firearm. There are small adjustment screws on each rod to facilitate a snug fit. The laser transmitter has a threeposition switch: "Off, Zero, and Train." Rest the gun and turn the switch to "Zero" for a constant beam. You can now align the red laser dot to your gun's sights with the included Allen wrench. Do not adjust your sights. You are trying to adjust the laser so the red dot is barely visible over your front sight post or blade. Once the laser has been aligned with your sight picture you are ready to begin training. Switch the laser switch to "Train." This setting will allow the laser transmitter to fire a single, momentary laser flash per trigger pull. The laser transmitter senses the impact of the hammer strike or firing pin release in the firearm. Yes, if you tap the transmitter in the Train mode it will fire a beam.
The electronic target has several features. First of all, it comes with an AC power adapter that plugs into any standard wall socket. If AC power is not present or convenient, the unit will also run on four "AA" batteries. To use the target, the shooter either installs batteries or plugs it in. They then turn on the power switch located on the right hand side. A red LED counter will display hits from "00" up to "99." After ninety-nine hits you will need to press the reset button. An audible buzzer option is also available and sounds briefly after each hit is made. The user can also run timed exercises. The target is preset to run a 35-second exercise, but the user can change the setting if they desire. As for mounting the target unit, if you do not have a table or shelf of a convenient height, the back of the target has mounting holes. There is also a threaded tripod mount found on the bottom of the target. I found this to be a particularly user-friendly feature as it allows you to move the target around, giving you nearly infinite height options.

About The Training
Naturally, the BEAMHIT system is ideal for learning sight alignment and trigger control. The shooter realizes instantly whether or not they applied the proper fundamentals and scored a hit. For new shooters who are just learning trigger control, this is a most valuable tool. For experienced shooters who are having problems with consistency or are looking for a way to maintain their skills, the BEAMHIT system is also a good way to go. As a police officer I have often witnessed fellow officers struggle during annual qualification. Often, it takes twenty, thirty or more rounds to get warmed up and reawaken their dormant handgun skills. This can be especially true for officers who are still using the doubleaction/single-action (DA/SA) pistols. That first DA shot is often wide with the following SA shots closer to the mark. The problem is that the first round out of the barrel just might be the most important one. Also, from a liability and responsibility standpoint, we must be able to account for each and every round fired. The upside of a traditional selfcocking pistol or revolver is that the shooter can fire repeated laser shots without having to cycle the slide and recock the firing pin. For those with pistols such as the GLOCK and M1911, a manual reset will be required for each successive shot. BEAMHIT does offer a DA modification kit for the GLOCK. This, however, is a semipermanent modification to the gun designed specifically for BEAMHIT training. Large agencies or departments with a spare pistol or two may find this an attractive investment. One pitfall of the laser system is the desire of the shooter, whether consciously or not, to look for the laser hit on the target. Obviously, with the electronic target there is no need to look. This is where mental discipline comes in and you need to make a determined effort to focus on the front sight, not look for the red dot. We see the same thing with paper and cardboard shooters. They fire a shot and then reflexively look down range for their shot hole. This is not good follow-through nor is it conducive to consistently well-placed shots. If you are a coach or instructor who is working with shooters on a one-to-one basis you may find that you don't even need the electronic target. A silhouette, life-sized bad guy or 3D target can be utilized. The coach merely stands behind the shooter and watches the target for the red laser dot to appear. Have the shooter focus on their front sight and apply proper trigger control. If they are doing everything right, you should see the laser dots in the center of the target. While I was working with the BEAMHIT system I decided to add a bit of target realism to the training by working a cardboard IDPA silhouette into the practice. I first mounted the BEAMHIT target to a tripod. Next, I cut a four-inch circular hole in the preferred area of the silhouette. A few strips of tape later and you have a practical/tactical training target. One drawback of the BEAMHIT 110 system is the fact that the laser transmitter protrudes from the front of the gun. This makes drawing from a holster difficult if not impossible. BEAMHIT does offer a laser transmitter that is completely enclosed in the barrel rod. This unit is naturally more costly that the standard 110.

The Wrap Up
During my evaluation of the BEAMHIT unit I tried it with my Springfield M1911, GLOCK 26, and even an M4 rifle. I had to tweak the laser alignment from gun to gun, but this only took a few moments. BEAMHIT has many more products than I could review in this one column. For more info check out their website or call for a catalog. Some of you may be wondering about dry firing your firearms and whether or not you can do so safely. The answer is "most likely, yes". Handguns and rifles of quality manufacture should suffer no ill effects from dry fire drills. Gunsmiths have advised me that .22 rimfire guns and many shotguns should not be dry fired regularly. If firing pin damage is a concern, you can simply purchase a set of "snap caps" from any number of makers. I normally get mine from Traditions Firearms of Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Until next time, keep shooting straight and shooting safe.


Featured in November 2005 issue of Combat Handguns Magazine. Reprint permission granted by Harris Publications, Inc. For further information, visit their website at http://www.combathandguns.com. 

-- Posted on Tuesday, November 1 2005