Unloaded: people see what they expect, so look and feel. Ayoob and Werner both say so.
Ammunition: Givens, Ayoob and Werner all take it to another room first.
Backstop: brick or stone, not interior drywall (Givens, Ayoob).
Camera: the phone is neither a backstop nor a target. Keep it off the muzzle line.
First time? Try it with an empty hand.
Dry fire: unload, lock the slide back, check the chamber and magazine well by sight and touch. Take all ammunition out of the room. Use a backstop. The muzzle never covers the phone, the laptop, or anyone.
Live fire: RO approval first. The device stays behind the line and off the muzzle line, on a stand you don’t touch while handling a firearm. The RO overrides this app.
Camera: 2–4 m away at chest height, head to hips in frame (knees too if you can). Chest up also works when you’re close: times stay right, the reaction split is rougher. Side (most precise): square to your firing line, gun side toward the camera. 3/4: about 45° off your line to the target. Front: facing you. Use it only with an empty hand or an inert training gun (blue gun or laser trainer), or an airsoft with the magazine and gas out.
Airsoft: it is not inert. Magazine out, gas or CO₂ out, and wear eye protection.
DrawMate sees your body, not the gun. It can’t see the muzzle, trigger, sights or load, and it can’t tell you whether a gun is unloaded. Every time is an estimate.
DrawMate watches your body to count and time each draw. Video stays on this device.
DrawMate finds each draw and presentation in the clip and times it from the first movement.
Stand it 2–4 m away at chest height, gun side toward it.
Reholster slowly. Clear the shirt, hips forward, look it in.
Back camera
Clean means nothing outside the reference ranges that this view can measure well. It doesn't mean the rep was correct in every way.
Reference times are for live fire to a hit. Dry draws usually run about 0.1–0.3 s faster, so treat a dry "expert" as a target to confirm on the range.
DrawMate grades only what instructors broadly agree on and this camera can see. The numbers are estimates until instructors have checked them. Style choices are yours.
DrawMate sees your body, not the gun. It can’t see the muzzle, trigger, sights or load, and it can’t tell you whether a gun is unloaded. Every time is an estimate.