Dry Firing...truth or myth?

[johngibbs222]

I always use snapcaps, after I managed to break the firing pins on my stevens 77M, rem 1100 and my darne V19 game gun so I have dummy rounds for my 223 ruger no3 and 357 rifle, as well as all my shotguns. In the uk they are cheap, 2 x 223 for the equivalent of $8 and a handful of 357 for $10 equivalent for my win 94, good old e-bay.
My 22lr are a bsa martini and a ruger 10/22, the ruger gets dry fired sometimes if I'm not keeping count, the bsa never.

 

[epoletna]

Perhaps dry firing in modern rifles is not a problem, but my brother picked up my Winchester Model 94 the day after I bought it (used) and cocked and fired it. I distinctly heard the tip of the firing pin bounce down the barrel. Sure enough, it had broken, and a replacement pin took weeks to arrive. That was sixty years ago, and I still remember the sound of that firing pin tip bouncing into the barrel.

 

[LVJ76]

Just use snap caps, I have seen broken firing pins on both centerfire and rimfire rifles and a pistol as well, especially on rimfire, why risk it?

 

[Bravo 4]

The firing pin will break after dry firing many hundreds of times. That is how I broke one on a Marlin 336. QUOTE]

Perhaps dry firing in modern rifles is not a problem, but my brother picked up my Winchester Model 94 the day after I bought it (used) and cocked and fired it. .

May be different for firearm with an external hammer...? I've seen the hammer break on a rifle before when dry firing.

 

[hzy1369]

in the early 70"s during Marine Corps boot camp the rifle range was 2 weeks, the first week was mostly what was called grass week. We were all circled around a barrel with the different targets we would use on the range and all we did was dry fire the M16A1. Cycle and dry fire it again. Since then I have always dry fired weapons to include the Ma Deuce to set the head space and timing. It has carried over to my personal weapons and have never broken one. Not once so that means next week at the rage I"ll have issues caused I just jinxed myself.

 

[skipglo]

in the early 70"s during Marine Corps boot camp the rifle range was 2 weeks, the first week was mostly what was called grass week. We were all circled around a barrel with the different targets we would use on the range and all we did was dry fire the M16A1. Cycle and dry fire it again. Since then I have always dry fired weapons to include the Ma Deuce to set the head space and timing. It has carried over to my personal weapons and have never broken one. Not once so that means next week at the rage I"ll have issues caused I just jinxed myself.

Thanks

 

[skipglo]

Thanks

I would never have asked the question if I was using GOVERNMENT ISSUED weapons....lol

 

[emp1953]

I never put a firearm away cocked. I always dry fire it. I've never broken a firing pin, and never had a spring get weakened either. Just sayin, been shooting since 1965.

 

[Swiftkill]

I try to avoid dry firing. Superstitious. Ive been told its ok. Im an engineer. Slamming metal against metal cant be a good idea. I have to dry fire some pistols in competition to show its clear and decocked.
Ruger 1022s are ok the firing pin doesnt hit the back of the barrel. You should check with each 22 manufacturer.

 

[BountyHunter]

This is exactly why you do not dry fire a rimfire without a snap cap or case. The the edge of the chamber deformed, this is what prevents extraction of the case. Do not let anyone give you false BS and tell you it is ok to do. This is the result.

 

[skipglo]

I never put a firearm away cocked. I always dry fire it. I've never broken a firing pin, and never had a spring get weakened either. Just sayin, been shooting since 1965.

Any bolt action all you have to do is pull the trigger first and hold it until you close the bolt.it insn't dry Firing at that point

 

[LVJ76]

Any bolt action all you have to do is pull the trigger fist and hold it until you close the bolt.it insn't dry Firing at that point

Correct Skipglo, this is the proper way of decocking a bolt action rifle

 

[7magcreedmoor]

I dry fire everything except rimfires. I break in my new rifles by dry firing a couple thousand times, cycling the bolt each time. Takes any burrs off cocking ramp surfaces and bolt lugs in the process. Also builds muscle memory for rapid fire. If there is a modern centerfire bolt gun I can break by dry firing it, I probably don't want it anyway...

 

[Daves762]

From the time I was Six and up until last year (57 years) I was always told dry Firing was at the very least extremely hard on the firing pin, right up to...if you do that you will break your firing pin. Now on Wild T.V. I see folks dry Firing not once or twice but four times preparing for THE LONG SHOT! Albeit the question...truth or myth! Will it damage the action (pin) or not?

Gunsmith/Machinist/millwright here. Dry firing a centerfire pistol or rifle is OK. Dry firing a rimfire is NOT ok. Fully loaded magazines will work even after decades of being fully loaded, it's the cycling of a spring that wears it out, not the constant compression of it. Firing pins, their springs, and sear springs are cheap, should be changed out frequently, just like your oil filter. Dry firing will help if you need help. But long range hits during practice have no substitute.