Dry fire a .38 mod 15-3

Chris06897 · Dec 13, 2020

Is it safe/okay to dry fire a .38 model 15-3? Should a snap cap be used. With the cost of ammo only going up I need to practice safe handling of my handgun and dry firing seemed to be a solution.

Laketime · Dec 13, 2020

Dry firing will not hurt your revolver despite what you might hear on the internet

Bob T · Dec 13, 2020

IMHO you should use a snap cap in order to prevent the hammer from impacting the frame.

mh51 · Dec 14, 2020

Dry firing will not hurt it a bit. I have a 28-2 that has been dry fired many thousands of time over quite a few years, with no damage whatsoever.

Dale53 · Dec 14, 2020

Well, I hate to disagree but dry firing without snap caps can and will cause broken firing pins. I have, personally, broken three firing pins on Smith's. Apparently, I was a slow learner. However, I DID learn and now always use snap caps when dry firing.

FWIW
Dale53

STCM(SW) · Dec 14, 2020

Dale53 said:
Well, I hate to disagree but dry firing without snap caps can and will cause broken firing pins. I have, personally, broken three firing pins on Smith's. Apparently, I was a slow learner. However, I DID learn and now always use snap caps when dry firing.

FWIW
Dale53

That is the difference I have had. No problems in over 50 years
dry frying my S&W revolvers.....

walnutred · Dec 14, 2020

I have no worries about dry firing but snap caps are fairly inexpensive, you need to practice your reloads also. I've always just made my own dummy cartridges by filling the primer hole with RTV sealant.

Muss Muggins · Dec 14, 2020

If a snap cap makes you feel better, use one, but you can dry fire that pistol as many times as you want without worry. You should have seen how many times it was dry fired at the factory during the assembly/fitting process . . .

CajunBass · Dec 14, 2020

I'm in the "It won't hurt, but snap caps are cheap" camp.

OLDSTER · Dec 14, 2020

CajunBass said:
I'm in the "It won't hurt, but snap caps are cheap" camp.

YEP. I never dry fire my revolvers. Good snap caps are inexpensive insurance. Admit it probably doesn't hurt a thing, but I just feel better with some protection. My background tells me that small steel components allowed to slam against one another with considerable force, over time is not good.

stansdds · Dec 14, 2020

Resized, de-primed brass with the primer pocket filled with silicone sealant make for cheap snap caps too. It's a great use for brass that has developed case mouth cracks or oversized primer pockets.

Buford57 · Dec 14, 2020

The snap cap improves the practice by more closely approximating how the revolver will function when loaded.

scooter123 · Dec 14, 2020

As a Mechanical Engineer I have a very clear understanding to the Physics involved and the long term effects of shock loading. To be very succinct USE SNAP CAPS.

If you want a very clear demonstration of the forces involved with that hammer strike I can predict that around 1500 strikes on a snap cap you WILL shoot the rim off at least one of your snap caps. When that happens the body will enter the forcing cone and lock up the cylinder. Don't get flustered by that, simply take a pencil and push that snap cap back into the cylinder and open it to remove the rim and body of the snap cap. Then purchase another set of snap caps.

tenntucker · Dec 15, 2020

Won't hurt it. In fact, the trigger will improve over time.

shil · Dec 21, 2020

When in doubt, don't. FWIW, my vote is for snap caps.

Rpg · Dec 21, 2020

Snap caps are important in many double barrel guns.

They may be desirable in some 22 rim fire guns.

They are unnecessary and just another gadget in most center fire guns.

Use them in your model 15 if you’d like, just don’t imagine that you’ll accomplish anything other than helping the bottom line of the snap cap manufacturers.

Drm50 · Dec 21, 2020

I got news for all you experts. It’s not good to make a habit out of dry firing any firearm.

Old cop · Dec 21, 2020

I’ve never had a problem dry firing my J or K Frames but I don’t do it very often, and when I do it’s less than 20 snaps sometimes w/snap caps & sometimes without.

Shark Bait · Dec 21, 2020

Perhaps you can dry fire it, but why slam metal on metal? I just don't do it. If I want to try the action on a gun I always control the hammer with my thumb or use snap caps. Can you slam your car door? Sure, but why do it?

Dry fire a .38 mod 15-3

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