By: Friedrich Seiltgen

The current guns and ammo buying frenzy has left gun store shelves empty and gunowners with the dilemma of how to practice. I am constantly asked for advice about what pistol to buy for concealed use. My standard response at this moment is, “Whatever you can get your hands on!” So, if you see someone carrying a .50 caliber Desert Eagle in an ankle holster, don’t be too hard on them!

I was at a large firearms retailer in Jacksonville recently, and they did not have one box of any caliber ammunition on the shelf! I was advised there is some ammunition available if one was purchasing a firearm, but their inventory was extremely small, and firearms ordered are generally taking between two and eight weeks to fill!

With the limited amount of ammo available, many people are dry firing their guns, or they’re not doing any training at all! My wife and I have been interested in obtaining some type of laser training system for home use. While watching one of President Trump’s many rallies, we came across an advertisement for the iTarget Pro Firearm Training system. It enables the shooter to use their Android or iOS smartphone, a Target board, the iTarget laser bullet, along with their app to give you some trigger time.

The Laser Bullet

iTarget Laser Bullet comes in several calibers. We ordered one in .38 caliber. As the laser bullet is positioned into the barrel itself, there is no rim. The bullet has a couple of O-rings to keep it in the chamber. The Laser bullet is always loaded directly into the chamber, as loading it from a magazine may damage the weapon or laser! Once inserted into the chamber, pulling the trigger as you would normally causes the firing pin to strike the rubber backer on the laser bullet, sending the laser dot onto the target board. The “hit” is seen and scored by your smartphone.

The App

The ITarget app is available for Android or iOS phones on the Google play store and on the iTarget website. Instructional videos and tips for using the app are also available on the website

The iTarget Sled

The target sled is designed to hold your smartphone while you “shoot” the target board with your laser bullet. It can accommodate phones up to 80mm and is adjustable for a variety of phone cameras. The base consists of two sliding sections that allow you to move the target board into proper position.

The Target Holder

The target holder is simply a frame mounted onto the sled that holds the plastic target board in place.

The Whole Package

The target board along with your smartphone are mounted onto the sled. Once the system is assembled, your smartphone can now “see” where the laser is hitting on the target board and registers the hits! While no laser system can give you the full experience of shooting a firearm, the iTarget system allows you to practice drawing from the holster and smoothly pulling the trigger. Remember folks, “slow is fast.” Being fast on the draw does you no good if you’re not putting rounds on target! Practice smooth, consistent draws and trigger pulls to build muscle memory.

As always, follow proper firearms safety and treat all firearms as though they are loaded. The iTarget Pro is a firearms training device. Always check , re-check, and have another person check again that you have not switched out the laser bullet with live ammunition! As of this writing, I have not heard of an accident with this system, but it’s only a matter of time!

That’s all for now folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s be careful out there.:

Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism, Firearms, First Aid, Active Shooter Response, and Law Enforcement Vehicle Operations in Florida. His writing has appeared in The Counter Terrorist Magazine, Homeland Security Today and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International. Contact him at [email protected].