M&P 15-22 dry firing

[Elmerviking]

Hello fellow shooters!
I am new to this forum but would like post tip how to dry fire your rifle without damaging the barrel or firing pin. Get a piece of a vacuum hose from your auto shop (1/2 inch diameter). Cut a slice about 1/8 of an inch. Press it up on the bolt over the firing pin. It will stay in place and prevent the hammer to hit the firing pin. Now you can pull the charging handle and dry fire as many times you want without any damage! Works great. I recommend that you disassemble the extractor from the bolt and there will be no wear on the barrel at all! I do have some pics, but am not sure how to attach them.

 

[Cybertek]

Would love to some pics.

 

[Elmerviking]

Photos

Here are some pics..

 

[Elmerviking]

Another picture..the bolt with the

slice installed

 

[Elmerviking]

The bolt installed

 

[P&R Fan]

An easier way is to retract the bolt a fraction of an inch and pull the trigger.
It will snap but not contact the chamber.
Jim

 

[Elmerviking]

Dry firing

Yes you can pull the charging handle back a fraction and dry fire. The problem is that you have to hold the charging handle. With my suggestion you can aim and hold the rifle as you do shooting and learn how to control trigger pull without flinching!
A much better way to dry fire in my opinion!

 

[BlueOvalBandit]

Hello fellow shooters!
I am new to this forum but would like post tip how to dry fire your rifle without damaging the barrel or firing pin. Get a piece of a vacuum hose from your auto shop (1/2 inch diameter). Cut a slice about 1/8 of an inch. Press it up on the bolt over the firing pin. It will stay in place and prevent the hammer to hit the firing pin. Now you can pull the charging handle and dry fire as many times you want without any damage! Works great. I recommend that you disassemble the extractor from the bolt and there will be no wear on the barrel at all! I do have some pics, but am not sure how to attach them.

While I applaud your ingenuity, dry fire damage is not an issue. You're safe to dry fire until your heart is content. The pin is dimensioned so it can't contact the chamber.

 

[Elmerviking]

Dry firing

According to the manual dry firing can cause damage. I have experienced that the roll pin that holds the firing pin broke,so the firing pin did hit the edge of the chamber. This resulted in a dent which prevented the round to feed properly. Why take a chance of this to happen when you can avoid it?

 

[mn_doggie]

For what it's worth, the S&W manual, on page 14 says to not dryfire the 15-22.

 

[McE]

Or go buy some #4 drywall anchors at Home Depot/Lowes/Etc and use them as snap caps.

 

[Rob1]

For what it's worth, the S&W manual, on page 14 says to not dryfire the 15-22.

Standard type manufacturer disclaimer, IMO. Dry fire should not damage the system. I am new to this forum but have been using various types of systems for over 25 years and NEVER seen a pin damaged through dry fires. Just my OPINION based of MY experience. I am fairly new to this system but not firearms in general.

Will now stand back and wait for the incoming!!!

Best regards

Mark.

 

[Majorlk]

For what it's worth, the S&W manual, on page 14 says to not dryfire the 15-22.

Mine has been dry fired a couple of thousand times; still works just fine. The info in the manual is liability insurance BS. The way the bolt/FP is constructed it's a physical impossibility for the end of the firing pin to touch the breechface.

There's probably a half dozen threads on this subject; it's amazing what one can find out by using the forum search function before posting a question.

 

[robkarrob]

Very easy to see if dry firing will do any damage. Pull the bolt carrier assembly. Push the firing pin fully in, and check how far forward the firing pin tip protrudes to the front of the carrier face. You should see that it does not extend past the face, and is actually slightly recessed back from the face. If this is what you are finding, then you know when dry firing, the firing pin can not contact the chamber, and no damage will occur to the firing pin or chamber. The hammer hitting the firing pin, while dry firing, does not cause any damage, only normal wear, as would occur while shooting live ammunition.

The big issues with dry firing a 22, like my S&W 22A pistol, is does the firing pin contact the back edge of the chamber. It does with my 22A, and I only dry fire it, with a spent cartridge in the chamber. This prevents the firing pin from making direct contact with the chamber. Since the firing pin on my 15-22 does not contact the chamber, I can dry fire with no worry of any damage.


Bob

 

[Elmerviking]

I totally understands what you guys claim...that the firing pin does not reach the breach face. I.e NORMALLY . But can the roll pin that holds the firing pin in place never break? In my experience it CAN. I am 68 years old and have been shooting competition for many,many years. I have seen it happen at least 10 times and it happened to me a couple of times also. Can you assure me that this will never happen on a M&P 15-22?
I Do respect your opinions though.

 

[Ibmikey]

Dry firing a 15-22 is fun during the long winter months and going out in the snow to shoot is not practical, never had a problem with mine but if a roll pin should break I will smile and realize that a new project awaits me...replace the inexpensive roll pin.

 

[varmint243]

for over 25 years and NEVER seen a pin damaged through dry fires.

I would have agreed with that statement until I was cleaning my S&W 22A and noticed the nice dent in the breach face from the firing pin striking it. Some quick gentle work with a fine needle file and some fine sandpaper and all was well again.

So now I would suggest shooters verify for each of your rimfires that the firing pin does not contact the breech face when dry firing.
Using drywall anchors for snap caps works great too.

 

[tomcatt51]

...the firing pin does not reach the breach face. I.e NORMALLY . But can the roll pin that holds the firing pin in place never break? In my experience it CAN... Can you assure me that this will never happen on a M&P 15-22?

No, I can't. I also can't assure you you won't be struck by lightning while you're out shooting.

I do think that if you dry fire your gun alot you should consider the roll pin to be a consumable and occaisionally replace it.

 

[mn_doggie]

Mine has been dry fired a couple of thousand times; still works just fine. The info in the manual is liability insurance BS. The way the bolt/FP is constructed it's a physical impossibility for the end of the firing pin to touch the breechface.

There's probably a half dozen threads on this subject; it's amazing what one can find out by using the forum search function before posting a question.

All I was doing is quoting the manual. Remember I said, "for what it's worth...."

I've dryfired my many times, too....


Which then begs the question, "What other things in the manual are OK to ignore?"

 

[UncaGrunny]

Dry firing a 15-22 is fun during the long winter months.

"Fun" sure does get defined downward when the weather's bad, doesn't it?