Dry Firing a 1911 OK?
I'm new to the 1911 scene and would like to know if dry firing (unloaded) a 1911 is destructive/not recommended?
I'm working on the trigger pull trying to dial in a lighter pull and dry firing is helpful in doing this (for me anyway).
I haven't dry fired it at all allowing the hammer to slam down on either the frame or the firing pin.
Instead, I've been holding the trigger when pulling (unloaded) to prevent the hammer from contacting so far.
I'm working on the trigger pull trying to dial in a lighter pull and dry firing is helpful in doing this (for me anyway).
I haven't dry fired it at all allowing the hammer to slam down on either the frame or the firing pin.
Instead, I've been holding the trigger when pulling (unloaded) to prevent the hammer from contacting so far.
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I have a training device that slides down into the barrel of a 1911. It has a nylon nose for the firing pin to strike. The spring loaded rod absorbes the energy, and then projects about 3" and marks a paper with a needle prick, then resets. With my 45 2 small pencil dots 4/5 of an inch apart serve as the aiming spot and the striking spot. Green engineering paper 5 lines to an inch is perfect.
When you can have 2 dozen strikes in the space "." well a little bigger than that, you will be well on the way to mastering the trigger on your 1911.
You could also try the Speer plastic bullets powered by just the primer. A big cardboard box with a thick throw rug hanging inside makes an useable backstop and projectile catcher. The bullets can be reused 100's of times since the fall into the bottom of the box instead of hitting the one trapped in front. Wax bullets are a single use item.0 -
Forgemonkey has given the most accepted answer to your question by most Bulls-eye shooters I have dry fired my match guns Thousands of times That is the ones on a 1911 Centerfire design. Yes I have seen a number of old firing pin retainers that develop a very small crack and were replaced when guns were inspected at Camp perry BEFORE you could use them in a match. However even though they did have a very small crack None had ever broken or caused a problem That damaged any other part or caused a problem after after 2 or 3 years of this inspection process almost all cracked ones were found and replaced and I did not see any the last 5 years I shot there . The 1911 IS the only pistol I dry fire & I don't dry fire any long gun. 0 -
I've been using A Zoom snap caps like this. For the last year or so. Got hold of one of the original Beretta Cougar, Model 8045's. At a BIL price. Don't trust dry firing the firing pin. Since I broke the firing pin, on a original Browning BDA .45, years ago. 
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Thank you all for the advice. I'll get on it.
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Most of us old Bullseye shooters dry fired the 1911 quite a bit. As stated, the firing pin retainer could crack. Also, I have read that the firing pin COULD jam in the forward position that would cause a slam-fire if not noticed. After breaking a few firing pins (not 1911's) I now cushion all my dry firing with a snap cap or piece of thin rubber or leather against the frame. A dummy round with the primer cavity filled with a rubber type compound is easy to make. It only makes sense that EXCESSIVE slamming two metal parts together will eventually cause metal fatigue / failure. 0 -
I use to take the firing pin out of my 45 which is no big thing and cut a piece of rubber from a bicycle tub, putting it in-between the hammer and slide. 0
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