mnshutterbug
Member
Many years ago I'd always read that dry firing was hard on guns. Is this still true?
Dry firing
- Thread starter mnshutterbug
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Arik
Member
Don't dry fire 22lr. Otherwise modern guns can be dry fired their whole lives
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Jingles
Member
I'd expand that to say don't dry fire any rimfire; other than that you're GTG. If you are going to dry a lot of times I'd use snap caps just to be safe.
hobby-gunsmith
US Veteran
dry firing
You can dry fire .22 as long as you use snap caps or other brand dummy rounds. I advocate dry firing for sight alignment and trigger control and it is cheap since no live ammo is used. However, I would check with the manufacture or the owner's manual for proper procedure on dry firing if snap caps are mandatory.
Nick
You can dry fire .22 as long as you use snap caps or other brand dummy rounds. I advocate dry firing for sight alignment and trigger control and it is cheap since no live ammo is used. However, I would check with the manufacture or the owner's manual for proper procedure on dry firing if snap caps are mandatory.
Nick
OP
mnshutterbug
Member
What are snap caps?
Arik
Member
Plastic in a shape of a bullet. Usually red color. It can be loaded just like a real bullet but it doesn't shot....just a piece of plastic. It will absorb the firing pin strike
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Arc Angel
Member
If it is, then, I've spent the past 40 + years ruining all of my pistols!
This subject is always cantankerous and often produces a variety of disagreeable replies. Frustrated, a few years ago, I called the Smith & Wesson factory in Springfield, and asked to speak with one of the Performance Center gunsmiths with whom I'd been dealing for the previous decade, or so. (We were, kind 'a, friends.)
I asked him what the correct answer is about dry-firing, and S&W revolvers? (I don't own any centerfire S&W semi-autos.) I reminded, 'Vito' that the factory has given different answers to different customers at different times; and he told me that, personally, he always uses snap caps. However, in an effort to get me a better answer, he said that one of the engineers would return my call later in the day; and that did happen!
The engineer I spoke to DID confirm that the factory's official position has changed; and, WITH THE REDESIGN OF SMITH'S HAMMERS FROM ONE PIECE, DIRECT IMPACT (FP) HAMMERS TO TWO PIECE, INDIRECT IMPACT (FMFP) HAMMERS, Smith & Wesson presently (and as I was told, 'within reason') approves of dry-firing any of their centerfire revolvers, either, with or without using snap caps.
Frankly, I think the use of quality-made snap caps negates this entire argument; and, personally, whenever I dry-fire any of my pistols I always use snap caps. In my own situation: If this were a problem I'm sure I would have discovered it many years ago.
PS: For 22 LR there's always these, or these!
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most semi auto pistols the striker or firing pin doesnt hit the breach face like a rimfire will, so in theory it doesnt hit anything to damage it. however the rimfire will damage the firing pin because it will strike the breach face and damage it. a few times it wont hurt but more than that is bad news.
I was tought to not dry fire. If you read the manual it says it's ok. I wouldn't dry fire an old gun. Or a rim fire. As stated above snap caps are cheap insurance. I try not to dry fire any of mine very much.
superfluities
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This company makes a solid brass or aluminum snap caps very durable hard silicone primer pad.Plastic in a shape of a bullet. Usually red color. It can be loaded just like a real bullet but it doesn't shot....just a piece of plastic. It will absorb the firing pin strike
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belizeanboy
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I know it is a topic that has been discussed time and time again and yes I know that persons always say that dry firing should not be harmful and yes to disassembly the SD9 the trigger must be pulled..... however I am of the firm believe that it was constant dry firing that broke the firing pin for my Smith and Wesson SD9mm. I came home from the range, cleaned her up as I usually do after range sessions, checked the firing pin as I usually do by pressing the firing pin block down with my finger and pushing on the striker with the slide removed and the pin protruded fine it was not broken after the range session. I reassembled her and place her back in the holster. About a month later, I took her out, and was dry firing a bit since another range session was coming up... I must have dry fired her about 15/20 times - I can't remember - as I was getting a feel for the trigger and the reset point.... took her to the range 2 days later, chambered a round, pulled the trigger and I heard click instead of a bang!!!
It had to be the dry firing that caused the firing pin nose/point to break off and so I have stopped with the dry firing and only dry fire once to remove the slide for cleaning now that I got a replacement striker assembly!
It had to be the dry firing that caused the firing pin nose/point to break off and so I have stopped with the dry firing and only dry fire once to remove the slide for cleaning now that I got a replacement striker assembly!
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Disabled1
US Veteran
Copied this from the S&W website;
FAQs - Smith & Wesson
So, to those that want to dry fire, keep dry firing to your hearts content!
I know I will!
belizeanboy
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Hi, can you dry fire - sure you can.... and that was what I said in my post based on what I've also read from Smith and Wesson. As a matter of fact, you must dry fire to disassemble some Smith and Wesson pistols like the SD series. What I do not know and what the FAQs - Smith & Wesson - does not say is the frequency at which dry firing is tolerated. I speak for myself and from my own experiences - I will dry fire for disassembly because I must do that to take the slide off however if I want to "practice" trigger control outside of live firing I will buy snap caps especially since the striker assembly is a component that seems to be a restricted part and so to avoid the hassle I won't be dry firing the hell out of my SD9 anymore.
Arik
Member
If something is breaking due to dry fire you have other issues going on. Something is out of spec
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