Dry fire.

daddo

I get two different answeres to this question. Have a .243 mossberg bolt action (1972) and want to practice dry fireing. I have been told it won't hurt the bolt/firing pin. Another says to use a dummy round. Which is true?

jonk

Don't know about the Mossberg specifically, but dry firing can damage the firing pin if done enough times. Once or twice won't do it, but I have seen it happen. A floating firing pin is probably a bit safer to dry fire. Play it safe, get the blanks. Or chamber and empty and use that.

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"...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conference in 1899.

thesupermonkey

Are you guys sure?From what I've always heard, dry firing rim fire rifles is a No-No, but center fire rifles are fine...The Misinformed Munkey?Ps. The reason being, if the rim fire cartridge is not in place the pin strikes the rim of the chamber. Since there is nothing for the center fire pin to strike against, how can this damage the firing pin?Daddo,Until you know for sure, better safe than sorry [This message has been edited by thesupermonkey (edited 02-06-2002).]

Gordian Blade

Dry firing always gives me the creeps. With a dummy load, it creeps me out even more. In my view, it's too small a step from there to an accidental discharge. Am I being too cautious?

thesupermonkey

There is no such thing as too cautious!I'm the same way. I know it maybe stupid but I don't keep around in the chamber of my shotgun for the same reason. Honestly I don't know how dry firing a center fire would hurt the weapon. The hammer strikes the rear of the pin giving it enough forward inertia to overcome the resistance of the front spring, the pin extrudes though the hole hitting nothing and is pushed back again by the pressure of the spring.

Tailgunner1954

There are a number of places to buy dummy snap caps, they are a clear plastic with a spring loaded impact pad.On rimfires the real problem is that the pin will batter the chamber edge, damaging both the pin and the end of the barrel.On a center fire what happens is that the pin hits its travel limit without the cushining of the primer. Over time this will cause the tip-end to break off. Example on a Mauser action the pin extends about 1.75 inchs forward of the spring seat (and on most firing pins the spring is powering the pin into the primer, only hammer style guns can use a rebound spring, and not all of them do).Bob[This message has been edited by Tailgunner1954 (edited 02-06-2002).]

He Dog

Tailgunner has it nailed. Not a good idea on any rifle. You can get snap caps (plastic dummy rounds with spring cushioning on the "primer" for $5 or less.

hunter280man

Ditto: I've seen several bolts with the shoulder of the firing pin worn back. The owners where wondering why the primers where being punchered, replace the pin and tell them to quit dry fireing. And one with part of the actual tip broken off. And I've heard its just as bad for other types of actions as well.

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The older I get, The better I was!!!

rick_reno

You can make a good snap cap for a center fire gun. Punch the FIRED primer out of a SPENT shell - it's a good idea to use a shell that was fired in that gun, it'll fit nicely. If you don't have a decapping tool just punch it out with a nail or small philips screwdriver. Fill the hole where the primer was sitting with some silicon sealant - make it flush with the case bottom and you should be ok. Let it dry and fire away. The silicon will cushion the firing pin strike.Rimfires can usually be dry fired by using a chamber plug or a dry fire plug made for them. In my HS pistol I use a Hammerli chamber plug; in my Pardini I have a plug made for the gun. Others have used a spent cartridge - they file the edge down so it doesn't extract every time you cock the gun for your next dry fire. You can purchase commercially made cases for rimfires that let you dry fire.

thesupermonkey

Hey guys,Thanks for setting a young munkey straight. I wasn't aware dry firing was a problem on center fires.

He Dog

Always learning something here, I did not know there was a rim-fire snap cap! Thanks!

rick_reno

Here's another dry fire trick I just remembered for 22's - it's really cheap and works better than using a spent shell.A #6 plastic drywall anchor will just fit into the chamber of my .22. It has a rim, not unlike a .22 shell, but will notextract when the slide is opened, due to the conical shape. It will last for at least a full dry firing session and must be removed using a ramrod or hooking a small flat screwdriver on the rim with the chamber exposed. As good as this all seems, the price is even better, at ~$.06 per plug. They were the BLUE ones at the local Ace Hardware store.I don't use these anymore, I've got enough plugs for the guns I want to dry fire. By the way - those Hammerli chamber plugs I mentioned earier can be gotten from Larry Cater in Maine. [This message has been edited by rick_reno (edited 02-07-2002).]