Dry Firing, A bad Thing?

mplavellesw40 · Mar 14, 2011

I was shopping for some "Dummie rounds" found some Tipton snap caps for my M&P 9 every review I read claimed that dry firing your center fire pistol would cause damage to the firing pin. I was always told dry firing was not harmful as a matter of fact it is essential for practacing trigger control. I dry fire my pistol at least once a day. Are these people full of it?

Thanks,
Matt

karrrhu3 · Mar 14, 2011

The firing pin is hardened steel and could break eventually. Does not matter much, firing pins are cheap.
But if there's nothing to "buffer" the hit the firing pin will eventually wear whatever part stops it in the bolt/slide. Pins are cheap, bolts/slides are not.
So use snap caps when dry firing a lot.

(This applies to centerfires... rimfires should not be dryfired, often (not always) the pin hits the chamber face and creates a pit).

Jamie · Mar 14, 2011

I have a PF9 Kel Tec that the factory states, "do not dry fire with out snap caps", it is SUPPOSEDLY OK on a Sigma, depending on who you are listening to, it does NO harm to use a 'snap cap', so I do on everything.

.357 mag · Mar 14, 2011

If you listen to Smith and Wesson, then it's ok to dry fire as stated in the manual. Very one else like the knowitalls behind the gun counter opinion doesn't count.

KyWstJoe · Mar 14, 2011

The striker on my 9VE broke around 900 round count with countless dry fire count. S&W said dry fire would not be the cause and they replaced it, but I use snap caps now as a precaution.

colt3374 · Mar 14, 2011

Yeah, I 'm a snap cap guy myself, Just don't want to take the chance.

.357 mag · Mar 14, 2011

When I got my Sigma 9ish years ago, I dry fired it 200 times a night for 2 weeks. It's been dry fired I don't know how many times since then. As least 20 times per range visit. ( average once a week, 47 weeks out of the year x 9 years.). Plus the almost 19,000 rounds I have put through the gun.

Just saying.

.357 mag · Mar 14, 2011

KyWstJoe said:
The striker on my 9VE broke around 900 round count with countless dry fire count. S&W said dry fire would not be the cause and they replaced it, but I use snap caps now as a precaution.

It was because you removed the pigtail spring.

KyWstJoe · Mar 15, 2011

.357 mag said:
It was because you removed the pigtail spring.

That'll do it every time!

Jc85 · Mar 15, 2011

+1 for snap caps.. can we make this a sticky? tons of "is it ok to dry fire" threads here. or link it in the note worthy thread? altho, every time a thread like this pops up the explanation on why its ok gets more indepth..

airman · Mar 17, 2011

No snap caps in town. I dabbed some glue into the primer pit of a spent shell and use that to dry fire.

Sigmas benefit from dry fire. My hands benefit from dry fire. Dry fire is good. IMHO

gjr902 · Mar 22, 2011

I've had my 40VE for about 3 weeks. I've only been able to run 4 mags through it. I didnt find the trigger pull that bad. However it is quite stiff. I have been dry firing it, trying to get a feel for the trigger. Tonight I was "fondling" my 40 as my wife calls it. I took the slide off and was watching the opperation of the trigger. My question, is there any benefit to "breaking in" the trigger assembly by pulling the trigger without the slide on. It eliminates the dry fire, and the trigger is worked and I am getting a feel for it. I'm guessing its the trigger assembly that needs to be broken in to lighten up the trigger pull? Any thoughts?

colt3374 · Mar 22, 2011

Ya know, I was wondeering about the same thing last week when I was cleaning mine...

leejack · Mar 23, 2011

I don't think that's a bad idea at all; why not give it a try.

colt3374 · Mar 23, 2011

Not a gunsmith, but I do think it's all about relieving some of the tension on the trigger spring. With use, slide on or off, exercising the trigger spring will lighten it up...I think

tbone1964 · Mar 23, 2011

Dry firing the sigma really requires the slide to be attached.. the tension from the stiker spring, which work in unison with the trigger springs to give the "pull" weight. with no tension on the trigger all you would do by "exercising" the trigger would be to smooth out the sear a little bit and get rid of that gritty feeling kinda like polishing it. wouldnt do anything to lessen the trigger pull

colt3374 · Mar 25, 2011

Kinda of a "fan " of the trigger pull, I need the discipline, since I tend to rush my shots early, in my qualification practice sessions with the M9.

colt3374 · Mar 25, 2011

tbone1964 said:
Dry firing the sigma really requires the slide to be attached.. the tension from the stiker spring, which work in unison with the trigger springs to give the "pull" weight. with no tension on the trigger all you would do by "exercising" the trigger would be to smooth out the sear a little bit and get rid of that gritty feeling kinda like polishing it. wouldnt do anything to lessen the trigger pull

I know we've had this discussion earlier, but I'm getting the message that I'm GTG in dry firing my 40ve WITHOUT snap caps? If so ...cool!

deanodog · Mar 25, 2011

I had fired approximately 100 rounds and lots of dry firing when my striker on 9VE broke. S&W sent a shipping label and fixed it quickly but I wonder if the dry firing caused it to break.

.357 mag · Mar 25, 2011

Listen people! If dry firing was bad then why did Smith&Wesson put it in the Manuel saying its ok? If dry firing in so bad on the gun, why to you have to dry fire it to clean it?

Dry firing put way less strain on the gun than shooting a 35,000 PSI exploding projectile out of it.

Dry Firing, A bad Thing?

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