Vitrophyre
Member
What can happen to a firearm if it's dry fired too much? Any pics you think would help are much appreciated.
Cons to dry firing?
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The Lone Haranguer
Member
Usually, nothing, but it depends on the firearm. You will grow tired and quit before it harms a modern centerfire pistol or revolver. Generally, rimfires should not by dryfired on an empty chamber. And, you can always use snap caps, either commercial ones or make them yourself from an empty, deprimed case with the primer pocket filled with automotive silicone gasket maker, "Shoe Goo" or some similar substance. An empty case, rotated every so often as it becomes mashed flat, can be used for a rimfire snap cap.
oldbear
Member
The odds of harming a modern revolver, with the exception of a rim fire, by dry firing are slim to none. For my piece of mind I got a set of snap-caps I use when I dry fire, so I would suggest that you try the same.
Dry firing is an excellent way to improve your shooting skills. But remember It is as easy to reinforce bad habits as good. Enjoy
Dry firing is an excellent way to improve your shooting skills. But remember It is as easy to reinforce bad habits as good. Enjoy
Rimfires and shotguns do not dry fire. Use a fired round or snap caps lest you damage something. Rifles (most calibers; I've heard dry firing .470 NEs is a no-no) and any kind of handgun can be dry fired.
Me? I use snap caps on every firearm. Broken parts cost $$$.
Me? I use snap caps on every firearm. Broken parts cost $$$.
nalioth
Member
Such is Uncle Buzzard's opinion. I think the U. S. Military might have something to say to you, Buzzard (as they dry fire their shotguns all the time).Buzzard said:
Read the owners manual. Some "rimfires and shotguns" are designed to be safely dry fired.
ChCx2744
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I've heard that you can dry fire your guns every now and then, but it isn't advisable to do it constantly, because there is a chance that doing so may damage the gun. I, personally, do not dry fire my guns unless I use snap caps. Just buy some snap caps for each caliber you own, they really aren't that expensive; hell, like it was mentioned above, they aren't really that hard to make, either. (Not to mention it's cheaper to do so)
wally
Member
In general I'm of the opinion that "it ain't much of a gun if dry firing breaks it!" with the caveat that for shotguns and rimfires, assume its not a good idea unless the manual states otherwise.
Old guns with hard to replace parts would be another type to avoid dry fire, and a few like the CZ52 have known design flaws that make the firing pin brake rather quickly with dry fire, but for these a ready after-market selling replacements springs up if the gun has any degree or popularity.
Old guns with hard to replace parts would be another type to avoid dry fire, and a few like the CZ52 have known design flaws that make the firing pin brake rather quickly with dry fire, but for these a ready after-market selling replacements springs up if the gun has any degree or popularity.
FIVETWOSEVEN
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I broke the firing pin retaining pin on my Hi Power in half by dry firing. I think the same thing would have happened during regular firing though.
Dave A
Member
One type of fire arm that should never be dry fired is/are cap lock muzzle loading guns. Doing so will damage the nipple.
It is wise to read the owners manual because some guns are prone to damage if dry fired. At best, dry firing is creating wear on the gun. Perhaps no more wear than what happens during regular shooting, but again that depends on the gun.
I would use snap caps if I was going to do much dry firing.
I would use snap caps if I was going to do much dry firing.
Older guns were made before modern metallurgy and back then, dry firing a shotgun could peen the firing pin hole, they said. Also, since the rimfire firing pin contacts the edge of the chamber (hence, "rimfire") they could break the firing pin or wear a hole in the edge of the chamber.
With modern steels the above may not be true, but I'm not going to purposefully find out.
One other gun you weren't supposed to dry fire was the Smith and Wesson revolvers with the hammer mounted firing pin. I was told that the cartridge stopped the forward motion of the hammer/firing pin, but that when dry firing it, there was excess stress on the firing pin hole where it was mounted in the hammer. A gunsmith told me that he was often repairing such which had been broken during dry firing.
Personally, I just wait to pull the trigger on my guns till I'm at the range.
With modern steels the above may not be true, but I'm not going to purposefully find out.
One other gun you weren't supposed to dry fire was the Smith and Wesson revolvers with the hammer mounted firing pin. I was told that the cartridge stopped the forward motion of the hammer/firing pin, but that when dry firing it, there was excess stress on the firing pin hole where it was mounted in the hammer. A gunsmith told me that he was often repairing such which had been broken during dry firing.
Personally, I just wait to pull the trigger on my guns till I'm at the range.
jr_roosa
Member
Don't forget the big downside of blowing a hole in the wall/tv/window/neighbor when you forget to clear the gun first.
I use snap caps in my .22 pistol, and everything else goes dry. Really I only dry fire my 1911 and my garand for practice. I actually have a do-dad from Fulton Armory for the garand that holds the bolt open just far enough so that the hammer drops only about 1/16 inch and you can reset hammer again with a minor amount of pressure on the oprod. I only use this to not have to break position much to reset the hammer as I'm sure the garand isn't fazed by dry fire in the least.
It's really good, really cheap practice.
-J.
I use snap caps in my .22 pistol, and everything else goes dry. Really I only dry fire my 1911 and my garand for practice. I actually have a do-dad from Fulton Armory for the garand that holds the bolt open just far enough so that the hammer drops only about 1/16 inch and you can reset hammer again with a minor amount of pressure on the oprod. I only use this to not have to break position much to reset the hammer as I'm sure the garand isn't fazed by dry fire in the least.
It's really good, really cheap practice.
-J.
It will cause wear to the trigger linkage and firing mechanism just like firing the gun will.
In addition, since there is no primer in place to absorb/help absorb the firing pin energy, that energy will be absorbed entirely by other parts in the gun. That can result in unusual stresses on the firing pin and on the parts of the gun that absorb the energy of the firing pin during dryfiring.
Most modern guns are made to tolerate dryfiring, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to damage them by dryfiring.
Basically there's dryfiring and then there's dryfiring...dryfiring a few hundred times over the life of the gun is not the same as dryfiring a few hundred times each day.
For example, there are a few guns that must be dryfired in the normal process of field stripping them--I've seen people try to use that fact used as proof that it's fine to dryfire the gun 25000+ times per year. Well it may very well be fine, but the fact that the manufacturer gives the ok to dryfire the gun in the process of field stripping strip (something that MIGHT be done a couple of hundred times in the life of the gun) doesn't mean that dryfiring incessantly, day after day, can't possibly eventually damage the gun.
It reminds me of a cartoon where one character asks another if it is wrong to enjoy the good feeling that he gets when he puts an ear swab in his ear or if he can enjoy it without guilt. The consultant thinks awhile and then replies that he thinks that there's no need to feel guilty about it. To which the original character replies: "Great! I was getting worried because I've already used a whole box of them today."
In addition, since there is no primer in place to absorb/help absorb the firing pin energy, that energy will be absorbed entirely by other parts in the gun. That can result in unusual stresses on the firing pin and on the parts of the gun that absorb the energy of the firing pin during dryfiring.
Most modern guns are made to tolerate dryfiring, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to damage them by dryfiring.
Basically there's dryfiring and then there's dryfiring...dryfiring a few hundred times over the life of the gun is not the same as dryfiring a few hundred times each day.
For example, there are a few guns that must be dryfired in the normal process of field stripping them--I've seen people try to use that fact used as proof that it's fine to dryfire the gun 25000+ times per year. Well it may very well be fine, but the fact that the manufacturer gives the ok to dryfire the gun in the process of field stripping strip (something that MIGHT be done a couple of hundred times in the life of the gun) doesn't mean that dryfiring incessantly, day after day, can't possibly eventually damage the gun.
It reminds me of a cartoon where one character asks another if it is wrong to enjoy the good feeling that he gets when he puts an ear swab in his ear or if he can enjoy it without guilt. The consultant thinks awhile and then replies that he thinks that there's no need to feel guilty about it. To which the original character replies: "Great! I was getting worried because I've already used a whole box of them today."
killchain
Member
I use snap caps if I'm planning on practicing.
If it's something like dry firing to put the weapon in storage, no. Rimfires are kind of a special case for me, because of the metal on metal. I try to do it sparingly. I store my weapons fired and no safety in the safe. I don't like spring tension.
If it's something like dry firing to put the weapon in storage, no. Rimfires are kind of a special case for me, because of the metal on metal. I try to do it sparingly. I store my weapons fired and no safety in the safe. I don't like spring tension.
ny32182
Member
The biggest downside is that your finger will eventually get tired.
If I were going to do it many thousands of times I would try to keep a rough count for trigger-related spring maintenance interval purposes.
However, for me, I haven't found it to be as great a practice aid as many people think it is. Without the recoil/re-acquisition of the sight picture it is just a different experience to me. I will dry fire at the conclusion of a dry practice that involves a draw, sight picture, and then trigger press, but I consider the trigger press to be the least important part of that particular practice routine.
If I were going to do it many thousands of times I would try to keep a rough count for trigger-related spring maintenance interval purposes.
However, for me, I haven't found it to be as great a practice aid as many people think it is. Without the recoil/re-acquisition of the sight picture it is just a different experience to me. I will dry fire at the conclusion of a dry practice that involves a draw, sight picture, and then trigger press, but I consider the trigger press to be the least important part of that particular practice routine.
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