Dry firing guns?

[66chevelle]

I was always told growing up not to dry fire guns. Well the other day I was at the gun store looking at a MKII and the guy behind the counter dry fired it about 10 times and then told me to give it a try. I figured its his gun and out of my price range for now so I did. After I left there I was a little confused so I asked a friend of mine what he thought and he said he was always told it was ok to do as long as you don't keep doing it. I just wanted to see what everyone else thought if this?

 

[shooter521]

Most modern semi-autos and revolvers will tolerate regular dry-firing with no ill effects. Heck, for some of them it's a requirement to disassemble the gun!

Rimfires of all types, older revolvers (those with the firing pin on the hammer), some mil-surp pistols (CZ-52s), and 1911s that have had trigger jobs performed should not be dry-fired. If in doubt, use a snap cap.

 

[243rem700]

Most modern semi-autos and revolvers will tolerate regular dry-firing with no ill effects. Heck, for some of them it's a requirement to disassemble the gun!

Rimfires of all types, older revolvers (those with the firing pin on the hammer), some mil-surp pistols (CZ-52s), and 1911s that have had trigger jobs performed should not be dry-fired. If in doubt, use a snap cap.

+1

Most modern designed centerfire pistols and rifles will be able to handle it without a problem.

 

[ihateiraq]

i know a whole bunch of you out there have thousands of hours doing "dime drills" just like i do.

 

[EdC]

I still use snap caps on everything but my Glock, because the Glock is the only one where I've gotten what I feel is a definitive "Ok." I don't believe that just because you have to dry fire once to disassemble a certain pistol, it necessarily translates into repeated dry firing being ok. Just my opinion and what I feel comfortable doing.

 

[finity]

Rimfires of all types, older revolvers (those with the firing pin on the hammer), some mil-surp pistols (CZ-52s), and 1911s that have had trigger jobs performed should not be dry-fired. If in doubt, use a snap cap.

Not all rimfires are damaged by dry-firing. My Ruger 10/22 manual says dry-fire is OK. Older rimfires were a problem but newer designs shouldn't be. If in doubt check the manual! Even if you aren't in doubt, check the manual just to be sure. (or yes, use a snap cap...)

 

[Glocker]

I just try to remember which guns I cannot and can dry fire. My glocks are able to but I have a .380 keltec (new gun) that cannot otherwise you would damage the extractor or something I can't remember exactly the reason.

 

[GuyRelford]

i know a whole bunch of you out there have thousands of hours doing "dime drills" just like i do.

Man, the dime drill gets no love.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I don't dry fire any of my guns beyond a requirement to disassemble it.

It's only been a couple months since I got back my NEF Topper Deluxe from the factory. The transfer bar broke, a direct result of the previous owner dry firing the weapon.

The question of damaging the gun is up for discussion. I think it's pretty much irrefutable, it doesn't do anything GOOD for the gun.

I think it's a bad safety practice. At my house every gun is a loaded gun. Unloaded guns get too many people killed. Playing with unloaded guns and cleaning unloaded guns get's people killed. It is my opinion every gun should always be treated as a loaded gun. That means everytime the trigger is pulled the person pulling it should be treating the gun as if it is going to go off. I don't see how that is compatible with "dry firing" or any other dry firing drills or other practices that in my opinon add up to nothing more than playing.

I will acknowledge there are other opinions on it. I fully acknowledge the concept is up for discussion.

I know for a fact TVs, toilets, houses, neighbors don't get shot by people who are not pulling the trigger or playing around with guns by people who are not playing with them.

 

[WabashMX5]

IIRC, the manual for my wife's CW9 says not to dry-fire except to disassemble -- which lends credibility to the "does no good; might harm; so why do it" viewpoint.

Snap-cap practice is another story, though -- since it obviously doesn't hurt the gun, and it seems to me that it has a legitimate training purpose (though I've never done it).

 

[RCB]

It is ill advised to dry fire, unless necessary. It's additional shock to your firearms most important components. Some you can't avoid doing it, due to design.

That being said, if it happens every now and again, it's not that big of a deal on most firearms.

But as stated in previous posts, it does no good and can cause harm.

 

[BE Mike]

It's perfectly fine to dry fire a Ruger MK II unless something is broken internally. As a good rule of thumb, it is not adviseable to dry fire a rimfire rifle, revolver or pistol without a snap cap(s) in place. Most rimfires (Rugers are an exception) don't have anything to prevent the firing pin from contacting the breech. The firing pin will eventually put a big dent in the breech which will cause misfires. The firing pin may break or become shorter which will cause misfires.

I dry fire the snot out of my competition centerfire revolvers, pistols and rifles. I don't use snap caps either on centerfire guns. I don't know of any competitive shooters who don't dry fire a lot. It doesn't damage the centerfire guns. Just make sure that each and every time before you start a dry fire session that you VISUALLY check the chamber or cylinder holes to make sure that the gun is empty. Don't rely on jacking back the slide to extract a live round on a semi-auto. Extractors can break and leave a live round in the chamber.