dry firing revolver with hammer mounted pin

[roar]

Bottom line, is it ok to dry fire a revolver with a hammer mounted firing pin, without using snap caps?

I have heard that it is ok to dry fire any centerfire gun, but then I heard that dry firing a S&W with a hammer mounted firing pin without using snap caps can somehow enlarge the firing pin hole. I guess I don't see the difference between the firing pin going through the hole to hit a primer, and the pin going through the hole to meet nothing, aka dry fire.

I just bought a super sweet 686-2 and it has the sweetest trigger pull ever, in both DA and SA. I have been dry firing it a bit, and all has been fine, but I figured I would slow down a bit until I get a real good answer. (I have .38 snap caps at my house, but I am not there right now

)

Anyways...

thanks for responding to the thread and/or voting in the poll.

 

[Dale53]

I have been shooting S&W revolvers for over fifty years. I shot competition in various disciplines over the years. To be competitive you almost HAVE to dry fire. In that period of time I have had three firing pin failures (hammer mounted). Two of those were made at a time that S&W's quality was suspect and they were not dry fired very much. However, my K-38 was my PPC gun, was dry fired tens of thousands of time before the firing pin broke.

These days I would say "YES" but-t-t, it MAY shorten the life of the firing pin, somewhat, and would suggest that you might want to use snap caps when you get home. However, for now, dry fire away.

I am not a casual shooter, but neither am I any longer an active competitor. I will probably only shoot my revolvers in the neighborhood of probably 5000-7500 rounds this year just so you'll have an idea of where I am "coming from".

Dale53

 

[roar]

Interesting, thanks for the response. Obviously with as much shooting as you have done you have a great background of knowledge.

Are you saying there is more of a problem of the firing pin breaking from dry fire? Have you ever heard of a firing pin hole enlarging at all?

 

[john traveler]

It's not true that you can safely dryfire ANY centerfire revolver or pistol.

I can think of a few examples: the Star B, BS, A, and M series that have the firing pin retained by a crosspin hidden under the rear sight. Repeated dryfiring beats the firing pin against the stop surface, fracturing it.

For the most part, S&W centerfire revolvers can be dryfired almost indefinitely. I say "for the most part" because you do see (infrequently) some with elongated firing pin holes that got that way from excessive snapping in. You may also see the rare chipped or broken hammer nose from misalignment or wear.

 

[roar]

Funny question, but there should be no reason to purchase .357 snap caps if I already have .38 snap caps, right?

 

[john traveler]

Only if you feel it is important to have .357 snap caps in your .357 revolver when you snap in...*smile*

 

[45Wheelgun]

Originally posted by roar:
Funny question, but there should be no reason to purchase .357 snap caps if I already have .38 snap caps, right?

.38 in a .357 is just fine, but whatever you do, don't use +P snap caps in an older J-Frame. ;-)

 

[john traveler]

A, but +P snap caps are fine for use in a model number marked S&W!

 

[s&wchad]

I voted no. A zillion is quite a bit and snap caps are cheap insurance.

 

[reb]

I emailed S&W last week to ask this question and their response was that it will not harm a hammer mounted firing pin to dry fire it.

 

[20nickels]

I don't dryfire without dummies. It wads up your firing pin spring and eventually leads to sticking pins, not good. It's your gun though.

 

[Guest]

I'd use snap caps and personally I'd practice with the second & third sets in Speedloaders because the snap caps are a bunch cheaper than having a firing pin failure at the wrong time.

 

[38-44HD45]

Yes, depending on your definition of "zillion." Is that more or less than a brazilian?

 

[roar]

+p snap caps

thanks for the responses everyone. I will try to limit my dry firing today I suppose, and just start using the snap caps when I get home tomorrow.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

Originally posted by 38-44HD45:
Yes, depending on your definition of "zillion." Is that more or less than a brazilian?

Neither one is as much as the new federal budget.

 

[RBInfantino]

Last nite on the news..they said a brazilian can cause infections

Originally posted by 38-44HD45:
Yes, depending on your definition of "zillion." Is that more or less than a brazilian?

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Originally posted by roar:
Funny question, but there should be no reason to purchase .357 snap caps if I already have .38 snap caps, right?

I don't use 357 snap caps for practice cause they beat you and the revolver up too much. Use the 38's for practice and then load the 357 for carry.

 

[J Danley]

Glad to find this thread. I was wondering if it was OK to snap fire my S&W centerfire revolvers.

 

[7tenz]

From personal experience, I had a Model 29 nickle in the 80's that I dry fired a lot. Eventually metal flowed out the bottom of the hole into the breachface. It still fired ok, but felt it wasn't a good thing. I always recommend to anyone not to dry fire hammer mounted firing pin S&W revolvers.

 

[chriske]

I had both happen dry firing my S&W centerfire
revolvers : broken firing pins AND enlarged firing pin holes.
I still consider dry firing very useful, though.
I rarely use snap-caps : fired cartridges do as well. You can hear/feel when the spent primer has been hit too often to cushion the firing pin any longer. It usually takes 5 or 6 hits.
Just make VERY sure you don't mix your "empties" with your "live" ones !!