Dry-firing cap and ball

[Caliper_Mi]

I'm aware the common wisdom is to never dry fire cap and ball revolvers. But, does the thin brass of the cap really provide any protection at all for the nipple/hammer when firing? I've got a Uberti/Colt Dragoon that I got new and has never been dry fired. Yet, it is developing a slight impression of a nipple on the face of the hammer as I shoot it more. So, does dry firing cause any more wear/damage to the parts than regular firing does? I'm not talking about doing extended dry fire sessions like I'm trying to break in a striker fired modern pistol, but are we overstating the effect of dry firing these guns?

I know I've read that the originals were made that the hammer would stop on the frame and have a few thousandths clearance to the nipple, so were "OK" to dry fire, but until I get around to shimming or machining parts to achieve that same clearance it seems that even regular firing will peen the hammer and nipples with time?

 

[Crawdad1]

With my after market nipples I dry fire mine occasionally. You make a good point but, factory nipples will mushroom if dry fired, I haven't noticed that with after market nipples. .

 

[Mizar]

That thin cap foil and the priming charge does cushion the blow not only for the nipples, but for the hammer face also - if you dry fire your revolver that hammer face will look twice as bad at no time.

 

[Old No7]

What I've done is to cut thin strips of masking tape, cut short (1/2") and lay them in the hammer recess of the recoil shield, adding just enough layers to stop the hammer before it hits the nipples. Took a few minutes to make the first one (many layers), but then by using a dental pick, I can easily pry it out "as one piece" (~1/16" thick) and even reinsert it for use again later.

I've also carefully filed the hammer faces smooth -- to remove 90% of the indentations of the nipples -- and then polished the hammer faces too, while also polishing any sharp edges anywhere on the hammer nose. This all helped greatly to prevent caps from being pulled into the action by the hammer -- what "The Duelist" calls "cap sucking" -- and so a quick flip of the wrist to the right while cocking the piece easily ejects the spent cap clear of the action.

My guns shoot SO much better now! Plus, I get to snap 'em in the cellar using the homemade snap cap (as that helps to smooth them up if they are new).

Good luck!

Old No7

 

[45 Dragoon]

Dry firing cap and ball revolvers is fine if they are set up for it. Some actually come from the factory that way although it's not necessarily by design, sometimes the "tolerances" stack up that way. What you're looking for is hammer movement when rocking the cylinder back and forth while the hammer is at rest (cylinder pushed as far to the rear as possible). If the hammer moves, there is contact and dry fire isn't safe. If there's no movement, then you're dry fire safe.
Of course, they can be made to have this feature and a lot of competition shooters request this.

Old No7 got in before I hit the post icon. The problem with stopping the hammer short is that it may not allow bolt reset on some revolvers. This leaves you in a "locked up" situation. The second option he offered is the better way.


Mike

 

[BullSlinger]

RevolversRugar Old Army revolvers can be dry fired without damage to the nipples, European Repo Revolvers not recommenced to do so.
I have a set of old nipples that I have used for dry fire on Pietta's. Have not done so in a long time but it works.

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

You could also just remove the nipples and leave them out for dry firing.

 

[tpelle]

What I do with hammer-fired semiautos is to buy an appropriately sized o-ring and slip it down in the hammer slot so it stops the hammer before it hits the firing pin.

 

[44 Dave]

Don't like to "snap" any gun, but on rare occasions I do. Listen to 45 Dragoon. if it is set up right there is a few thousands hammer clearence.

 

[J-Bar]

What I've done is to cut thin strips of masking tape, cut short (1/2") and lay them in the hammer recess of the recoil shield, adding just enough layers to stop the hammer before it hits the nipples. Took a few minutes to make the first one (many layers), but then by using a dental pick, I can easily pry it out "as one piece" (~1/16" thick) and even reinsert it for use again later.

This is a good idea, as long as the hammer falls far enough to allow the bolt to be released. I have had a couple of Italian revolvers that could not be re-cocked unless the hammer went ALL the way down. Perhaps the bolt leg was not fitted to the hammer cam properly, I don't know...but I've seen it happen. And if it happens to you, just try something else, like removing the nipples, or maybe just removing the cylinder altogether.

Finally, you could conduct your own experiment and just dry fire the thing until something fails. The hammer can be replaced, nipples can be replaced...not the end of the world.

 

[il.bill]

I now dry fire my cap and ball revolvers whenever I want. Really helps to smooth out the trigger on a new purchase. From the Black Powder Essentials thread at the top of this forum: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/nipple-snap-caps.771875/

 

[il.bill]

It works for me!

[/IMG]

 

[whughett]

I like to do all my firing at the range, especially with a new purchase.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Why can't we get used percussion caps and put a dab of silicon in it?

 

[drobs]

How about using toy plastic ring caps minus the charge? Pick the charge out with a tooth pick.

 

[BCRider]

Caliper, any machinist, be they pro or serious hobbyist, can verify that even a thin layer such as the cap will provide enough of a cushion that the rim of the nipple won't be deformed. At least for the first strike. No guarantees on the second though. Once cut partway through the next hit might be enough to see a disc cut free and the hammer meet the rim of the nipple.

Even that slight cushioning should be enough to avoid the nipples being deformed. Or the face of the hammer becoming depressed. Mind you at least one of my C&B's has a depression on the face. And that means that the hammer was not heat treated correctly, if at all. Or it's made from the wrong sort of steel.

 

[44 Dave]

Caliper, any machinist, be they pro or serious hobbyist, can verify that even a thin layer such as the cap will provide enough of a cushion that the rim of the nipple won't be deformed. At least for the first strike. No guarantees on the second though. Once cut partway through the next hit might be enough to see a disc cut free and the hammer meet the rim of the nipple.

Even that slight cushioning should be enough to avoid the nipples being deformed. Or the face of the hammer becoming depressed. Mind you at least one of my C&B's has a depression on the face. And that means that the hammer was not heat treated correctly, if at all. Or it's made from the wrong sort of steel.

Hammer is case hardener. I would take your hammer face down some to not smash the nipple.