OK, dry firing....I ought to know.....<g>

[papersniper]

My new M&P9c has a trigger that's a touch stiff (compared to my Shield anyway), but I suspect it will loosen up nicely with 200 or so rounds ($$$). However, I bought my wife a Taurus revolver a month ago, and did maybe 300 dry fires watching TV one night. That really helped the revolver's trigger pull. But, the revolver had a disk of plastic covering the cylinder, so I figure that plastic "cushioned" the firing pin.

Short of getting some snap caps, will dry firing my pistol harm anything? Maybe a spent case would work also, but I figure after 10 of so trigger pulls its capacity to cushion the firing pin will be gone? I'm reluctant to do more than maybe a dozen dry fires without hearing the consensus of this esteemed forum.....

Thanks.

 

[Bkreutz]

I do tens of thousands of dry presses, never had a problem. I have dummy ammo made up to simulate the weight in the mag and to practice failure drills, but they don't have any primers in them so it's like dry firing.

 

[deadear dan]

I'll do as above except fill the primer pocket with silicone.

 

[buzzkillbob]

But, the revolver had a disk of plastic covering the cylinder, so I figure that plastic "cushioned" the firing pin.

Sorry to be off topic, but isn't that disk supposed to be a "chamber flag"?

 

[Bkreutz]

I'll do as above except fill the primer pocket with silicone.

With my luck, I'd try that and end up with a pistol full of silicone crumbs.

 

[ABPOS]

Maybe you could call Smith and Wesson and see what their official stance is. Most centerfire pistols don't have a problem with being dry fired. From what I understand.

 

[NCW Ray]

From S&W's FAQ's page:

Can I dry fire my S&W handgun?
Q: Can I dry fire my Smith & Wesson?

A: Yes, except for the .22 caliber pistols which includes models 22A, 22S, 422, 2206, 2214, 2213 and 41.

.22 caliber revolvers such as models 17, 43, 63, 317 and 617 also should not be dry fired.

 

[Rastoff]

Maybe you could call Smith and Wesson and see what their official stance is.

As posted above, their official stance is, dry fire as much as you want.

I have over 100,000 dry presses on at least three guns. Not one single issue in all that time.

 

[Bishop99]

I wouldn't dry fire a revolver. As far as striker fired semi auto pistols there hasn't been any problems with mine dry firing. Most guns require you to pull the trigger when breaking them down.

 

[warbird]

Nothing wrong with dry firing a modern revolver.

 

[ArmyArmor]

Ok dry firing is ok. What I want to know now is will all of the dry firing help in "loosening" up the trigger action? I personally feel that my 9mm Shield needs this (and I have not been able to get an inside polish job yet) and if it doesnt hurt and might help it would be something I would be able to do on the long evenings.

 

[papersniper]

Sorry to be off topic, but isn't that disk supposed to be a "chamber flag"?

Maybe, but it functions pretty good as a "dry firing cushion" also.

 

[papersniper]

.....
I have done tens of thousands of dry trigger pulls, too, with no problems, using centerfire revolvers.....

Sounds good to me as long as the SA pistols are similar, and I suspect they are. I do believe I will stick a fired case into the chamber just to give a little edge.....I've done that with revolvers before. 200 or so dry fires certainly is less expensive than 4x50 boxes of ammo!

 

[papersniper]

From S&W's FAQ's page:

Can I dry fire my S&W handgun?
Q: Can I dry fire my Smith & Wesson?

A: Yes, except for the .22 caliber pistols which includes models 22A, 22S, 422, 2206, 2214, 2213 and 41.

.22 caliber revolvers such as models 17, 43, 63, 317 and 617 also should not be dry fired.

Ah HA, you saved me a call and further research. I figured someone on this forum would know the official answer about dry firing. Note that I NEVER dry fire a 22 lr pistol, revolver or rifle. That much I did know!

 

[papersniper]

I wouldn't dry fire a revolver. As far as striker fired semi auto pistols there hasn't been any problems with mine dry firing. Most guns require you to pull the trigger when breaking them down.

Right, but then most of us only "break them down" occasionally for cleaning or inspection. I'm talking about doing "a trigger job" on my pistol (M&P9c) by dry firing a couple of hundred times before actually shooting it.

 

[papersniper]

Ok dry firing is ok. What I want to know now is will all of the dry firing help in "loosening" up the trigger action? I personally feel that my 9mm Shield needs this (and I have not been able to get an inside polish job yet) and if it doesnt hurt and might help it would be something I would be able to do on the long evenings.

Interesting.....my Shield, which I bought new about 9 months ago had a decent trigger. I've probably fired 300 rounds through it, and it's slightly smoother, but not much. But I suspect that if you dry fire a couple hundred times it probably will improve the trigger.....or maybe you'll just get used to it?

 

[Bishop99]

Right, but then most of us only "break them down" occasionally for cleaning or inspection. I'm talking about doing "a trigger job" on my pistol (M&P9c) by dry firing a couple of hundred times before actually shooting it.

I have two shields. The 1st shield was for my wife. I like the gun so much I went and got another one. Comparing the triggers when I got the second one, it was different. So I dry fired it alot to help smooth out the trigger a bit. But after a couple of range visits it improved more. The Shields are tight out the box but with use they improve. I've looked at the apex trigger kits and opted to wait until I put some rounds through it with the stock trigger first. I'm happy with both triggers. My wife's trigger is better than mine at the moment. It has more rounds through it. I think live firing is what helped the most in my option. I picked up a used police trade in m&p 40. That trigger is like butter. Hopefully the my Shield's trigger will get to that point.

 

[papersniper]

Just as I stated in Post No. 7.

You are correct, sir. But it's always good to hear that from the horse's mouth so to speak, and I'm glad that member posted that from S&M's facts.

I did about 400 dry fires with my unfired M&P 9c last night, and it seems to be smoother, although now lighter. It's not bad at all actually.....but not as good as the trigger on my almost new Shield with about 300 rounds through it, but under a dozen dry fires. Out of the box, after one or two dry fires, I did not think the Shield needed a couple hundred dry fires...it felt danged good to me!

 

[radtuck]

I've broken 2 hammer noses on my 629 from dry firing...I don't dry fire it anymore. I don't know about the striker fired autos, though.