dry firing...here we go...

[cash05458]

Can anyone chime in on whether it is actually ok to dryfire a modern center fire rifle? I myself have a Marlin 336...but I hear so man differing ideas on this...any real gun techs here who can answer?

And please, don't tell me about snap caps...Thanks!

 

[browningguy]

If your (modern/post-war) rifle gets damaged by dry firing it's a poorly designed rifle and needed to get sold anyway.

 

[Maverick223]

Most modern rifles are safe to dry fire. The exceptions are most rimfire rifles and from what I have heard it is harmful to break action rifles.

 

[52grain]

It's probably safe, but a set of snap caps would only cost about $10, why risk it?

 

[cash05458]

ack...

I do know about snap caps...come on now.:banghead:

I would just like to hear some opinions as to actual dry fire with a modern center fire rifle...

 

[jmr40]

My philosophy:

If I break it while dry firing it probably would have broken at about the same round count with live firing. The money I saved on ammo costs would buy several replacement rifles. Even if something does break it can be fixed and it is cheap practice. I have rifles over 35 years old that have been dry fired 10's of thousands of times. No problems yet.

 

[Ignition Override]

Several guys who are experienced with milsurps told me that the WW2 Lee-Enfield #4 and #5 are rugged enough to not suffer stress from a good bit of dry-firing.

 

[Audie]

Many rifles can be dry fired without any problem...the US army trained
with the M1 garand dry firing.

I have read that the most probable breakage would be the firing pin
tip....but I don't really understand why you would want to dry fire so
much....I do after a cleaning and reassembly maybe twice, then I run
a few snaps through the mag...and then off to the range.

Just don't do it 100 times a day.

It's like cleaning a rifle...people damage more guns by cleaning them
than firing them. Srubbing a rifle bore is not really necessary and can
actually hurt accuracy....A few passes with a good solvent and a few
dry patches, some FP10 in the action and in the bolt and that's about
good. I know friends who treat their guns like antique chinese vases...

it's a gun. Shoot it...if it breaks, send it to a GS and have it fixed....

Dry firing is ok a few times after a reassembly and cleaning and that
is all you need to do.

 

[nalioth]

Several guys who are experienced with milsurps told me that the WW2 Lee-Enfield #4 and #5 are rugged enough to not suffer stress from a good bit of dry-firing.

Military rifles are specced to be able to withstand >∞ dry firing.

As has been stated, modern centerfires are fine to dry fire. If it keeps breaking firing pins, you probably want to think about why you own a substandard rifle.

 

[benzy2]

Many rifles can be dry fired without any problem...the US army trained
with the M1 garand dry firing.

I have read that the most probable breakage would be the firing pin
tip....but I don't really understand why you would want to dry fire so
much....I do after a cleaning and reassembly maybe twice, then I run
a few snaps through the mag...and then off to the range.

Just don't do it 100 times a day.

It's like cleaning a rifle...people damage more guns by cleaning them
than firing them. Srubbing a rifle bore is not really necessary and can
actually hurt accuracy....A few passes with a good solvent and a few
dry patches, some FP10 in the action and in the bolt and that's about
good. I know friends who treat their guns like antique chinese vases...

it's a gun. Shoot it...if it breaks, send it to a GS and have it fixed....

Dry firing is ok a few times after a reassembly and cleaning and that
is all you need to do.

Trigger time is trigger time is trigger time. Most target shooters I know find dry firing to be of utmost importance. On a hunting rifle it may not mean much but if its something you are trying to shoot as accurate as possible the cost of a firing pin is minimal compared to the practice you gain from repeated dry firing. You have to be in full position and work on all parts of taking the shot for it to really show gains but I have found it very beneficial to work really learn each rifles trigger. I don't have access to range time as often as I would like so dry firing replaces live fire.

 

[Balog]

Have you thought of, you know, asking the manufacturer of your rifle? I believe you'll find most companies say it's a-ok. It should be noted that certain rimfire designs (CZ 452 springs to mind here) can safely be dry fired as well.

 

[nulfisin]

I do it all the time. The 336 trigger isn't the greatest. Before I take it out, I dry fire it at the TV, spots on the wall, anything not alive, etc. How else are you going to learn to shoot it?

I don't own a Ruger rifle, but the manual to the .22 single six pistol specifally states that it is safe to dry fire. There are other brands.

 

[RP88]

I dry-fire my main centerfires. Never had a problem. No burs, no worn pins, etc.

 

[Sav .250]

I don`t.......just a matter of principle.

 

[Dulvarian]

The dry firing vs not is one of the worst arguments between people that should likely know better.

This is no difference between people that hate vs people that swear by polymer frame pistols than people that do and don't dry fire. Blind acceptance, blind denial, and a strange mixture of fact and fiction.

The only way that you can really keep track of whether it helps or not, would be to keep your old targets (I use digital photos) and then track your progress. I personally found that my groups fell off when I stopped dry fire practice. But since I knew whether I had been keeping up with my drills, I didn't need to even look at the targets to know they had fallen off.

Maybe we could find a pair of comparable shooters and have them keep track of how long it takes to get to a certain level of proficiency ... Wait, it would still be all anecdotal, and no one would take it seriously. Just like so many people utterly refuse to have anything to do with polymer frame pistols.

 

[tractorshaft]

Dry firing is some of the most convenient, cheap and best trigger training (EG: Muscle Memory) that one can do.

I often keep either a Glock or Revolver on the coffee table. I use Snap caps in revolver for firing pin rebound , nothing needed for the autoloader. Its great fun to shoot people on the TV, especially on some the the channels my wife likes to watch, ha ha!

 

[gutterman]

dry fire to your hearts content-it won't hurt it.

 

[cash05458]

thanks all for taking the time to respond...helped alot....!

 

[ny32182]

I've never understood the concept that says that pulling the trigger on an empty chamber is somehow causing more stress and wear than pulling the trigger, and having a tens-of-thousands of PSI explosion subsequently occur. I'd really like to hear someone attempt to articulate HOW such a thing would actually occur.

 

[cavman]

Here are a couple of links that address the benefits for competitive shooters. They don't mention the 336 specifically, but certainly advocate dry firing as a good thing to do.

http://www.odcmp.org/1107/default.asp?page=USAMU_CONDITIONING

http://www.fulton-armory.com/dryfire.htm

 

[Maverick223]

I'd really like to hear someone attempt to articulate HOW such a thing would actually occur.

Certain guns can peen and/or chip the firing pin, and damage the chamber, when the fining pin strikes the hardened steel chamber wall (on a rimfire).

 

[DaveShooter]

Why in the sam heck would you want to do it on a 336 Marlin. It's a lever action.
On center fire pistols or rugers even smith's but not a 336 marlin. Take it out and shoot some ammo tou will feel how the trigger feels that way or like someone already has stated snap-caps.

 

[Maverick223]

Why in the sam heck would you want to do it on a 336 Marlin. It's a lever action.

What does it being a lever action have to do with the price of soybeans? You need to practice with a lever just like a auto pistol, revolver, bolt gun, or semi.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I always answer these inquiries like this:

Dry firing doesnt hurt and neither do snap caps.

 

[AKElroy]

I was actually thankful to the guy that owned my new model 94 before me for getting plenty of dry fire practice. I picked it up in PERFECT condition for $100 even. Got it to the range, and found it falling silent half the time. Broken firing pin tip. $26 for a new one, I did the swap, and no more guilt that it was potentially hot at the low price.

They break. They can be fixed. Snap caps will not likely spare the FP, but they will keep the breech face from dimpling outward.