Does the dry firing required for takedown or simply decocking after use tend to damage anything? Thanks.

I don't find it necessary to dry fire or decock my 41 to disassemble the pistol, just lock the slide back and pull the trigger guard downward and the barrel will remove. It is not advisable to do much dry fire with any rimfire as over time the practice can cause damage to the chamber in the form of peening. If you desire to keep the hammer down on an empty chamber then a spent case can be inserted into the chamber to keep any possible damage from occuring.