SIRT Pistol

The last couple of weeks I’ve had the opportunity to play with a friend’s SIRT Pistol.  This is a neat little training device that allows trigger reset dry-fire with the aid of a laser “impact” on your target to make sure that your practice is actually what you want it to be.  The concept for this is exactly the same as dry firing with your Crimson Trace Lasergrips turned on, as it gives you actual visual feedback on what you’re doing right and wrong during you trigger pull; but the difference with the SIRT pistol is that you don’t have to manually reset the trigger.  There is a great thread at the Enos forum about training with the SIRT and its benefits for dry fire, training your vision, etc.  Right now, the SIRT is only available in the Glock 17/22 frame configuration, and can be had with the red slide (pictured), a clear coat slide, or a black slide which simulates the appearance of your standard Glock.  Future models will apparently include a Sig P226, Smith & Wesson M&P, Springfield XD, and most interestingly an AR 15 SIRT that will be an inert lower receiver that works with your existing upper.  That should be cool.

Living in Indiana the past few years it was always difficult to get valuable practice in the winter.  The snow and bitter cold made it impossible to get to the range, and like many people I get bored easily with dry fire.  I’m not going to buy a SIRT yet as I don’t have a Glock and have intentions of changing to the platform, but just from playing with one that belongs to a friend I can easily see the benefit in the SIRT as a training device.  If you’re a revo shooter and want most of the benefit of a SIRT, you can also get a set of Lasergrips for you competition revolver!

10 Comments

  1. Here’s a question: what benefit does this have over a replica airsoft pistol?

    http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/airsoft/ReviewDetail?reviewID=40

    At across the room ranges (ie, normal winter dry firing ranges) accuracy is good enough to make most mistakes the shooter’s fault. If you’re shooting plastic BB’s you don’t really need a backstop, and even metal ones will be stopped by a piece of wood and some carpet.

    Most importantly, the whole setup is close to $100 even for a fine quality replica with a similar trigger feel, instead of $400 for the SIRT system.

    I guess, I can understand using your normal laser system for this, because you’re still hitting your real trigger, but this is replacing your trigger anyway, so…

    Not saying it’s wrong, just curious in what ways this is superior.

  2. Right off the top of my head here’s what I can come up with. The airsoft pistol still requires some type of backstop if you’re shooting indoors, because if you miss that cardboard it’s going to be hell on your walls. Airsoft is also seriously range limited – you can’t practice 20 yard shots with an airsoft pistol. Lastly, airsoft makes noise. If you have other human beings in your residence, they might not appreciate the sound that airsoft makes; the SIRT Pistol only produces a very quiet “click-click” from the trigger.

    Additionally, the SIRT is weighted like a gun – when you hold it it actually feels like a Glock in your hand, the magazine is weighted correctly AND the mag is durable. Unlike a lot of airsoft mags, you can drop this thing on concrete and it will be fine. The SIRT feels so much like a real gun, that when I pick one up I instinctively try to chamber check the thing!

  3. I guess it’s a good point that you still really need a garage or something to shoot in. I wouldn’t want to practice airsoft in my bedroom.

  4. Airsoft doesn’t really need a backstop. A .2 gram 6mm plastic bb moving at 200 fps might dent drywall. If you’re really worried you could use a large piece of cardboard for the backstop. Realistically, my concern is that misses will fly into the far corner of the room and I’ll have to find them before the cat does. Oh and I ought to wear safety glasses so I can’t shoot my eye out.

    Airsoft isn’t that loud. The pop is about as loud as opening a soda can. My wife can watch tv upstairs and I can shoot across the family room one story down and she’s none the wiser. I probably make less noise than I do working out or washing dishes.

    The weight thing is an minor issue. Most decent airsofts are close to the right weight, but not the right balance. I doubt I’ll break a mag dropping it on the carpet, but until recently I haven’t had multiple mags to practice changes with anyway.

    You’re right, you can’t practice with airsoft at 20 yards. But the longest possible shot I can take within my house is 12 yards. More likely ranges are 5 and 7 yards. Honestly, long ranges with lasers are problematic as well. You can do it, but laser spots don’t have gravity, etc.

    The biggest advantage to the SIRT is multiple hits. I tend to use spring-air pistols. They fit in my holsters, they’re about the right weights, and they’re cheap. Unfortunately you have to cycle the slide for each shot so I can’t do a realistic double tap with one.

  5. Well..I guess I found something my P250 gives me an edge over others on..DAO trigger just keeps going and going… 😀

  6. Yes it was. The reset was a little off, but the trigger pull felt very similar to what you’d experience on a Glock.

    1. ReadyShot requires specialized targets and costs about $200 more? The SIRT pistol simply projects a laser on to the target of your choice.

  7. Can’t recall a name but remember seeing ‘snap caps’ that had lasers in them for dry fire practice.
    Used them just like a snap cap but the “primer” was a momentary switch for the laser which projected a ‘hit’ onto your target, which could be anything. Great for DA training, bit of a pain for SA autos like the 1911 as you had to cock the hammer for each ‘shot’.

    Do remember they were reasonably priced, anyone know a name for them?

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