Train Without Fear SIMO™

SIMO™ is a system manufactured into the frame of a firearm that allows our specially-designed training magazine to interact with the modified trigger group for safe and realistic dry-fire training. Simple modifications to the basic firearm include changes to the magazine well and trigger group; all modifications are in the frame, so nothing changes the slide, barrel, or other parts of the upper.

SIMO-enabled firearms (ones with the SIMO components built into the frame) can operate in two modes: live fire and training mode. When the firearm is in live fire mode, it is a perfectly functional normal firearm. It performs exactly like a firearm without SIMO.

Insert a SIMO training magazine and the firearm changes to training mode. In training mode, the firearm shifts to a resetting trigger and full fire training simulation. Shots are heard when the trigger is pressed, rounds are counted, malfunctions occur and must be cleared to continue firing, training magazines have to be reloaded, and shot times and splits can be recorded. If a compatible barrel-insert laser is placed in the muzzle of the firearm, shot placement can be seen and laser targets engaged.

From the moment the training magazine is inserted, the firearm is no longer capable of firing. It will not become able to fire again until a regular magazine with live ammunition is inserted and the slide cycled. High visibility blue LEDs on the base of the training magazine light up, visible at 50 feet in bright sunlight, notifying everyone in the area that the firearm is in training mode. The “safety blue” LEDs remain on while the training magazine is fully inserted in the magazine well.

If a live round was left in the chamber when the training magazine is inserted, the firearm won’t fire. If the shooter changes magazines to a live magazine and presses the trigger, with a live round in the chamber, the firearm won’t fire. If the shooter ejects the training magazine (and the blue LEDs go out) and presses the trigger, with a live round in the chamber, the firearm won’t fire.

It won’t fire when in training mode. Period.

Shifting into and out of training mode takes seconds: changing magazines, cycling the slide. The training magazine has some electronics and programmable menus, but those can be mastered by anyone capable of operating a microwave oven. Maximum number of rounds, frequency of malfunctions, current statistics on shooting times, volume control, and more, are available with a one-button interface. Reloading can be automatic or manual, with the resetting lever acting as a manual reloader when pressed.

SIMO is designed to "fail into function" as a training element. If for any reason the training magazine were to fail, return to live fire mode as usual.

The training magazine has a small extension on its side that fits into a matching slot on a SIMO-enabled firearm. When inserted, the extension pushes a lever in the frame that shifts part of the trigger group from engagement with the sear, putting it in contact with the resetting mechanism on the training magazine. In other words, from that moment the trigger is no longer in physical contact with the sear, and can’t affect it. It is an entirely mechanical operation.

The interrupted trigger group remains out of contact until the training magazine is removed and the slide fully cycled, allowing the trigger group parts to line up again and return to live fire mode. That also, not coincidentally, ejects any round accidentally left in the chamber.

The blue safety lights are a sign that the SIMO system is in training mode. They come on only when the training magazine is inserted and the trigger group is interrupted. It knows that they are interrupted because the circuit to power the LEDs is only completed when the interrupted trigger group comes into contact with the training magazine’s resetting lever. The blue lights go out when the training magazine is removed, but the system remains in training mode.

The training magazine has a small logic set inside that runs the round count display, speaker for feedback and coaching, light sensor for detecting open slide, shot timer, and other training niceties. The SIMO system, once manufactured in a firearm, can be upgraded by simply changing to training magazines with more or newer capabilities: the firearm itself doesn’t require further modification.

Trigger control. The trigger press on the SIMO-enabled firearm models the live firearm. Even more than in live fire mode, yanking or jerking the trigger becomes painfully obvious.

Magazine manipulation. Training magazines can be safely ejected, inserted, swapped, and reloaded just like live magazines. In fact, magazine manipulation is necessary to use SIMO in training mode.

Ammunition management. Training magazine simulate the capacity of live magazines, and run out of rounds just like a live magazine does. Auto-reload settings can allow one magazine to act as two.

Flinch prevention. By providing lower volume, unthreatening shot sounds, SIMO keeps shooters from developing bad recoil-anticipation habits while providing realistic firearm handling. This is especially helpful for new or apprehensive shooters.

Sight alignment. Using sight picture or an optional barrel laser, results of each trigger pull show whether sight alignment occurs. This is perhaps the easiest part to simulate, but an important one.

Personal coaching. SIMO will lead uncertain shooters, step-by-step, through basic malfunction identification and correcting. The coaching level adapts to the shooter’s level of need.

Misfires. A relatively common malfunction with a very basic correction. SIMO simulates the malfunction and then requires the misfire to be corrected properly before allowing shooting to continue. This malfunction also covers failure to feed.

Stovepipes. Another common malfunction with a simple correction. SIMO again enforces clearing the malfunction before resuming shooting. This malfunction also covers failure to eject/extract.

Empty magazines. The enforced part of ammunition management, empty magazines require changing magazines with reloaded magazines or removing and replacing an auto-reloading magazine.

Squibs. These are infrequent but dangerous malfunctions that can result in exploding firearms. They are difficult to train for because they are rare, but necessary because they are severe. SIMO provides the correct auditory feedback to identify the malfunction and then coaches shooters unfamiliar with squibs on dealing with one safely.

Double-feeds. SIMO could simulate this malfunction, but the simulation wouldn’t have proper training value as the slide wouldn’t jam open and the magazine wouldn’t stick.

Recoil. SIMO currently doesn’t offer a recoil mechanism. When it is developed, however, it should work with existing SIMO-enabled firearms in a new type of training magazine.

Ammunition costs. SIMO doesn’t cost anything additional per round, meaning that shooters or agencies lose the opportunity to spend up to hundreds of dollars per training session on ammunition.

Liability risks. SIMO prevents the most common causes of negligent discharges, which are the most common causes of death, injury, and property damage during training.

SIMO stands for Safe Integrated Multimode Operation, because that’s what it enables.

Simo Häyhä was a Finnish sniper during the 1939-1940 Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland. He terrorized the Russian formations, with an estimated number of kills exceeding 500 in a 100 day period. In the end, he was severely wounded and thought dead. However, he survived and on March 13^th he awoke — the day peace was declared. “Simo didn’t awake because peace was declared; the Soviets made peace when they found he’d woken up.”

Simo remained modest and reserved about his feats until his death in 2002. When asked how he had acquired his incredible skills, he replied, “Practice.” That’s what Simo was about. That’s what SIMO is about.

We’re Mustang Industrial Design, Inc., and we created SIMO and hold the international patents on it. See more about us at MustangID.com.

Ask your retail store, dealer, or manfacturer's rep to incorporate SIMO into their firearms.