Safe to mix snap caps w/ live ammo in a semi-auto pistol live-fire excercise??

[Jordan85]

Okay guys, random question. Its a stupid question that I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to, but I'd just like to double-check before I do anything I'm going to regret.

I'm a new shooter and am still getting the basics of shooting down. To make a long story short, I think I am flinching when I shoot.

When I am at home practicing w/ my snap caps I keep the sights very steady, so I don't think trigger control is the issue. But when I get to the range I'm lucky to put all my shots on paper from 50 feet out. The few times I have had FTF's, I have noticed myself anticipating the shot and shifting the gun as I'm pulling the trigger.

But it is hard for me to build up this anticipation when practicing at home and I know nothing is going to go BOOM at the end of my trigger pull. So I was wondering....

WOULD IT BE SAFE TO MIX DUMMY ROUNDS IN W/ THE LIVE AMMUNITION SO THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO MONITOR MY FLINCHING IN A LIVE FIRE EXCERCISE?

I know this practice would be safe in a revolver. However, I only have two guns on hand currently, and they are both semi-autos.

I know I would have to manually eject the dummy rounds, but other than that, this practice wouldn't harm my gun (or me) would it?

 

[PTK]

No harm would be done at all, as long as you're using snap caps and not solid dummy rounds.

 

[waterhouse]

Yes, it is safe. It is a common training technique.

 

[TX1911fan]

Have someone else load your mags for you so you don't know when the misfire is going to come. That will give you the opportunity not only for a clearing drill, but also to see if you have a flinch.

 

[nalioth]

I know I would have to manually eject the dummy rounds, but other than that, this practice wouldn't harm my gun (or me) would it?

This is an opportunity to practice your immediate action drills, also.

Be safe.

Have fun.

 

[jlpskydive]

Do it all the time

 

[SageMonkey]

I do something similar with my Alaskan. I have my wife load in a random mix of spent brass and live rounds. It sure is amazing how much I'd been flinching. Using spent brass I can not see what the mix is from the rear of the revolver.