Hi,
re: Class, you may find an opportunity for a basic marksmanship type class with handguns that would not involve a large investment in time or money.
I had the opportunity to take a full day class on Defensive Shooting that really jump started my abilities with a handgun. It exposed some bad habits, fixed my grip, revealed issues I had with my low ready position (which influenced pointing and speed).
Even a couple hours of professional instruction is an even trade for 2000 rounds of ammo'. Practice with bad habits and you will only reinforce bad habits.
The Drills & Standards link provided is an excellent one. The key is knowing how to PROPERLY execute those drills. There are some folks that have a knack for picking stuff up on their own. Not many do when it comes to pistolcraft.
If you have the $$ for ammo' (even if you're saving some $$ by "rolling your own"), it's better to lower your round count and stash some cash away for a class. You will get results that are so much more rewarding once you divorce yourself from bad habits that are nearly impossible to avoid.
Take it from someone who shot 1000's & 1000's of rounds before breaking down and investing in some professional instruction. It makes a difference, is worth every penny, and will shorten your time to competency and confidence.
Off soap box.
In the interim, focus on the basic drills from 5-10 yards, get into a good low ready position, and get good hits first. Don't worry about .15 splits on double taps or .25 transitions between targets. Slow fire first, focus on your front sight, develop good trigger control (the penny drill is a useful one). Good hits are the key. You cannot miss fast enough to succeed with a handgun.
As to dry-fire, first and foremost do it safely. You need to remove live ammo' from your dry-fire area and STILL, have a backstop that would take a bullet. I dry-fire in my basement. I like using a snap cap because it gives me a physical/visual reference that I can focus on. I like to use it when practicing rapid reloads and simulated malfunction drills. There is heated debate about dry-firing modern center-fire handguns (and long guns). The consensus is generally that it is okay but there are some with brittle firing pins that could involve some risks. A good snap cap should remove that doubt. The models you mentioned fit into the "general consensus would say dry-fire is okay".
If there is a competition setting in your area (not always obvious by word-of-mouth advertising), the host clubs often have a new shooter orientation program. Competitors can be very generous with their time and expertise and absent formal instruction, they can help you along your way so you can be ready for formal instruction once the opportunity presents itself. Both IPSC and IDPA web sites have a "club finder" feature where host clubs can be located and a point of contact is generally available.
In the end, it loops back to getting somebody who knows to give you a clue. As much as many of us think we know, the pro's really do know...learning at their feet can make a huge difference.
Good luck!
CZ52'
