Dry Firing 14-3

[sjs]

I have a new to me 14-3 and I have 38sp snap caps. I have not used the caps all that much but as you can see from the photo there is a hole in the center of the fake primer from dry firing. I think these were Zoom but I also have another brand with springs and they too have the hole after being used.

Does that hole make the caps unsafe to use with my 14-3. This is my first revolver with a hammer mounted firing pin, all my others have had frame mounted pins or transfer bars so I am not sure if this is normal. Seems to me if the snap caps are not safe they would be pretty useless since it only takes a few uses for this hole to develop.

 

[RGNewell]

There is no need for snap caps to dry fir that gun. Others may have a different opinion. The firing pin doesn't hit anything.

 

[Johnnu2]

Back in the '70s I shot a 14-? in a small local competition. I dry fired the heck outta that gun just to get better scores. Never used snap caps; don't even know if they had them back then. Never had an issue and finally sold the gun to a buddy in the early '20s. Still shoots good he says.

J.

 

[smithra_66]

I have a new to me 14-3 and I have 38sp snap caps. I have not used the caps all that much but as you can see from the photo there is a hole in the center of the fake primer from dry firing. I think these were Zoom but I also have another brand with springs and they too have the hole after being used.

Does that hole make the caps unsafe to use with my 14-3. This is my first revolver with a hammer mounted firing pin, all my others have had frame mounted pins or transfer bars so I am not sure if this is normal. Seems to me if the snap caps are not safe they would be pretty useless since it only takes a few uses for this hole to develop.

You can dry fire that gun for the next 100 years and it won't hurt it. Snap caps or not.

With most guns, snap caps are an old wives' tale.

 

[sjs]

Thanks guys. Appreciate it.

 

[1sailor]

I have heard many times over the years that it was okay to dry fire with frame mounted firing pins but not with hammer mounted. Are we saying now that this was an urban legend? I've always been careful not to dry fire my M27 because of that.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I have heard many times over the years that it was okay to dry fire with frame mounted firing pins but not with hammer mounted. Are we saying now that this was an urban legend? I've always been careful not to dry fire my M27 because of that.

Yup, I'm pretty sure that's an urban legend.

I think you can damage a hammer mounted firing pin after constant dry firing - I was told something about the metal crystalizing or something - but, even presuming that's true, it would take multi-thousands of times of dry firing.

Then, again, maybe it's rimfire revolvers being referenced. Those are the guns you're not supposed to dry fire. Your M27 will be fine.

 

[Rpg]

Snap caps are unnecessary, fussy gadgets when used in the vast majority of firearms.

The only exception is double guns: many can be damaged dry firing without snap caps.

There are a few other firearms that don’t do well with dry firing: the Mauser Hsc and some rim fire guns come to mind.

Gun folks love accessorizing so there’s a big market for snap caps.

As a practical matter, they’re cheep so they don’t waste a ton of money and may encourage folks to improve their gun handling skills by adding gadgets that are fun to play with.

 

[minconrevo]

Snap caps serve two purposes when used in revolvers/pistols. First is they make off range dryfire safer, as when the cap is present in the chamber a live round cannot be there. Second is they reduce mechanical wear. I have broken firing pins tips dry firing S&W revolvers with pins mounted on the hammer. That's when dry firing without a snap cap in place. In normal live fire, the primer "gives" a bit when hit by the pin. In dryfire without a snap cap, the hammer stops abruptly on the frame.

 

[smithman 10]

Snap caps, dry fire and hammer mounted firing pins

Just a reminder, it CAN happen.

This from my Model 60, which I can honestly say I did not dry fire all that much. Didn't use snap caps cause, as everyone knows, you don't need 'em, right? Hammer nose broke right off one day.

No big deal, I had another hammer already laying around to replace it.

I still dry fire my Smith revolvers without snap caps. And have for decades. The Model 60 was the only one that ever did this.

 

[smithra_66]

Just a reminder, it CAN happen.

This from my Model 60, which I can honestly say I did not dry fire all that much. Didn't use snap caps cause, as everyone knows, you don't need 'em, right? Hammer nose broke right off one day.

No big deal, I had another hammer already laying around to replace it.

I still dry fire my Smith revolvers without snap caps. And have for decades. The Model 60 was the only one that ever did this.

Why do you think that wouldn't have happened no matter what?

You're saying dropping the hammer and having the firing pin smash into something causes less wear than having it hit nothing at all?

 

[smithman 10]

Snap cap question

I just posted that photo because I had a hammer break on me. Would having a snap cap in there have kept the hammer nose from breaking off that day?

Got me.

But now that I think about it, I believe I'll scrounge around and find my snap caps and use them from now on for dry firing, what the heck.

 

[cmj8591]

Every instructor at every S&W revolver armorers course that I have attended has said that dry firing will not harm the gun. In fact it is used extensively when fitting a revolver. Notwithstanding the posters here, I have never broken one of my S&W's by dry firing it. I don't use snap caps.

 

[wproct]

I have dry-fired my hammer mounted firing pin S & W revolvers countless times without snap caps with no problems. I will add that J frame revolvers have smaller and more delicate components and may be a little more susceptible?? I don't know.

 

[jimmyj]

I use fired cartridge cases when dry firing. I have had the firing pin cup work its way out of the frame dry firing a lot when dry firing on empty chambers.

 

[gwpercle]

The hammer strikes the frame when it doesn't have something to cushion the blow ... Use the snap caps !
My Daddy instilled the Law of Not snapping guns if it could be avoided ... he believed damage would be done from constanly snapping them .
Gary

 

[Beemer-mark]

I have heard many times over the years that it was okay to dry fire with frame mounted firing pins but not with hammer mounted. Are we saying now that this was an urban legend? I've always been careful not to dry fire my M27 because of that.

On a Colt SAA dry firing will sometimes break the pin in the hammer that hold firing pin in. It's real and people have reported it on Colt forums. However I know of no other center fire revolver that has this issue, and this from some very knowledgeable 'smiths. I have heard that you should never dry fire a 22 rimfire but I have no source or experience on that subject,

 

[ostlund]

A .22 firing pin is off center of the cartridge and it will hit the cylinder.