DRY FIRING. EVER DAMAGE A GUN BY DOING SO?

Fast Draw

Do you think a dozen or so would damage a gun? have you damaged a gun?

.250Savage

Really depends on the gun. Chewed up a rimfire pistol as a lad because I didn't know any better, but that is an obvious case. In later years, I bought a CZ 52 9mm pistol and proceeded to dry-fire it, thinking the old "don't dry fire" admonision was just an old wives' tale. It didn't fire the next time I took it to the range. Turns out the CZ has a cast firing pin, and is notorious for breaking its firing pin if dryfired. As a general rule, don't dry fire guns. Buy snap-caps.

beachmaster73

Have dry fired my M1 Garand thousands and thousands of times without detrement. My cadets are working on dry firing my match Ar-15 and my other match rifles and so far have probably have pulled the trigger on an empty chamber several thousand times with out effecting their ability to go bang when a round is inserted. Don't know where this tale came from but it probably does have some basis in fact....maybe rimfires? Beach Just thought...maybe it was the metalurgy in older turn of the century weapons....I know I cracked a firing pin on an old Sauer shotgun many years ago.[This message has been edited by beachmaster73 (edited 12-21-2001).]

will270win

It all depends on the gun. Some yes some are heck no.

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Eat healthy, exercise, avoid smoking........Die anyway. will270win@aol.com ~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~

concealedG36

I don't have nearly as much experience as most of you, but I practice by dry firing all of my guns (probably more than live fire practice ) and not one of them has ever shown any problems with the firing pin getting damaged.G36

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Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT Criminals

mlincoln

You know, this brings up something I've always wondered about. More than once I've been at a gun store or at a gun show and have been looking at a centerfire firearm. After looking it all over and being interested, I'll ask the seller if I can dry fire it--after all, the trigger pull is one of the most important things to consider when purchasing a gun. Three times I've been told no. So I'll usually ask the guy if he has a snapcap I can use. None ever has. Once when looking for a .45 I'd brought along a snapcap just for this purpose, and the guy would not let me load it to see how the trigger felt. Is this the worst salesmanship in the world or is there something big that I don't understand?

idsman75

I've been treated rudely at gun shows more than at gun shops. It is possible that the dealer at the show thought that laoding snap caps and dry firing may, over time, cause the firearm's internal parts to show wear. Who knows? Fortunately I can rent a gun up at Gary's Gun Shop in Sioux Falls, SD which is what I did prior to my most recent purchase. After cleaning/oiling my rifles I always load a snap-cap, close the bolt and pull the trigger leaving the safety off. It's a force of habit. While deployed to Honduras one of my additional responsibilities was being a unit armorer. SOP stated that safety selectors were to be left in the "fire" position while being stored in the arms room. Like I said, force of habit now.I will admit that it was rather embarassing when I brought a new .270 in to have the scope mounted and the guy that was helping me in Scheels went to remove the bolt and a snap cap popped out. We had a good laugh and then he told me that several people have brought in LOADED firearms to have scopes mounted. [This message has been edited by idsman75 (edited 12-21-2001).]

Fast Draw

Thank you for the replies guys .

beachmaster73

mlincoln.....I can understand the reluctance to permit someone to dry fire a revolver. Cocking the trigger and advancing the cylinder tends to put a small mark on the cylinder where it drags across the hammer/trigger assembly. I can think of no reason why someone wouldn't let a customer dry fire a pistol...especially onto his own thumb to test for trigger pull....Someone else may have a better explanation....but I'd go to a gunshop that let me pull the trigger. Beach

SXSMAN

I bought a Browning buckmark pistol from someone I know,turns out he had dry fired it and damaged the firing pin.Sad thing is I got pi$$ed off and put it in my trunk,forgot about it and it rusted pretty bad,so now I've got a gun needing a new firing pin and reblued or parkerizing done.Never dry fire rim fires.

offeror

I've been told that that little line that develops around the cylinder means the gun's timing is incorrect, and one should not buy a used gun with a line like that. I don't know if it's true but it has put me off a few guns. As for dry firing, a friend broke the firing pin, which is basically a long striker pin, of my old Mauser 1934 by dry firing, but got me a deal on a newly manufactured replacement. We split the cost. Most times a dealer will let me dry fire a new gun in the store to check trigger pull, if asked nicely. It's important, because once I dry fired one of those Sig/Browning 220's and could not pull hard enough to drop the hammer. Needless to say, I didn't buy it. Also, some women will have trouble pulling some triggers hard enough to fire a revolver with a 12+ lb. pull. So again, dry firing is important. I would be wary of a gun so fragile that dry firing once or twice was a seller's major concern. I tend to think it's generally a bigger concern on old guns.

idsman75

Any used Ruger Blackhawk SA revolver that I've ever picked up has had the afore-metioned "cylinder line". I think you've been fed some bugus business because I KNOW Ruger knows how to make tough revolvers.

edharold

The cylinder ring has nothing to do with timing, the cylinder catch just doesn't fully retract. It's just a matter of precise fitting and doesn't mean anyting else.Some of the old Smiths and Colts that had the firing pin as part of the hammer would sometimes break when dry fired. They also sometimes broke on live firing. I don't think it is a problem on many modern firearms. My Ruger revolvers and 22 Auto have been dryfired extensively and no problem. Dry firing provides good practice when you can't get to the ranges frequently.

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"They that would give up liberty to obtain safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"Benj. Franklin, 1759

gruntled

If you want to see the line develope right before your eyes, spin the cylinder at half cock. I suspect it may not occur with the newer Ruger design but I am NOT going to find out.

Judge Dread

Get some empty new brass insert hard teflon or lexan insert instead of a primer and ready to dryfire.... Otherwise ...no ! Murphy is out there to get the one that does ...usualy at the worst moment at the worst time ... Friend died...broken hammer (metal fatigue from dry firing) gun failed him at a shoot out with a felon... last words .. of all the ,,,F**k it had to be now.... Never dry-fire EMPTY Guns (use proper cap)

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alledan

I broke the firing pin on a 7MM Argentine mauser by dry snapping it.If i feel the need to snap an empty rifle i will get an empty cartridge,drill out the primer area and glue in a pencil eraser.

.250Savage

And these last two (especially Judge Dredds) pretty well express my take on the issue. Dry firing (at least to excess) MAY damage your gun. Certainly you don't want to do it much in something you are staking your life on. Snap caps are cheap, plentiful, and, tho they need to be replaced like everything else, absolutely WILL prevent damage to firing pin. If you are particularly cheap, use de-primed cases with a dab of silicone in the primer hole. SOMETHING! It can't possibly hurt, unless you leave them in when you go to get a felon, and it might prevent damage. Where is the downside?

navarian

Can't Imagine the need to dry fire ANY weapon a couple of hundred times, much less a thousand...Have dry fired most of my weapons a couple times in there lifes(existence with me) and have received no failure on any part...Think it might be just the excessive dry firing that would harm a gun...and dry firing rimfires as ALWAYS been stupid

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