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How do I dry fire my 22 safely?

Workingzombie
I have a old Marlin model 25, It's a sweet little .22 rifle.

After shooting it, the gun remains cocked. I don't
want to dry fire it to damage the bolt, yet I don't want to leave it cocked, even though I put the safety on and a child proof lock on the trigger.

Should I even worry about it? Will it hurt the bolt/pin to be cocked
for long periods of time?
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • Mooseyard
    You can buy plastic snap-caps, that will allow you to safely dry fire your rifle. You could also use a spent casing from the rifle. If you use a spent casing make sure that the spot where the firing pin hit to fire it, isn't going to be hit again when you dry fire. Also make sure if you dry fire, the gun is pointed in a safe direction. Every year people get shot by unloaded guns.

    "My faith, my country and my family will guide me; nothing more, nothing less" -Gen. Tommy Franks
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  • beantownshootah
    I always throw a couple of spent .22 casings into my cleaning kit and gun bag to drop the firing pin down onto after finishing shooting.

    Cheap, easy to find, and effective.

    I would not repeatedly cock and fire the gun against a spent shell, but if you did happen to drop the firing pin in the same place more than once, that's still probably OK for the gun, and certainly better than dry firing.

    The plasic snap caps will work too, but they are more expensive (ie not completely free like spent .22s!) and unlike centerfire snap caps, do eventually disintegrate with repeated dry-firing.
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  • rhmc24
    Wonder how it got this far without damage. It must have spent a lot of time in storage in cocked position and probably dry fired a lot also. How much will a little more of either hurt?
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  • 1911a1-fan
    quote:How much will a little more of either hurt?

    It only takes once to snap a firing pin right in two, it is better to leave it cocked than to worry about uncocking it by the means of dry firing


    reloaderror.jpg
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  • He Dog
    Come on guys, snap caps are not free, but they don't cost all that much!
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  • beantownshootah
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    Come on guys, snap caps are not free, but they don't cost all that much!


    I second that. I use them. If you really want to dry fire your gun (ie dozens of times to get used to pulling the trigger) snap caps are the way to go.

    But its not a question of the cost.

    Its just that spend .22 shells work just as well, cost zero, and are always around.

    If all you want to do is save your firing pin spring, they're expedient. You don't have to remember to bring anything. If you've fired your gun, you probably have a few lying around!
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  • peabo
    I have always, with my rimfires or centerfire rifles, with the bolt all the way back, hold the trigger back while closing the bolt. This relieves the spring tension(cocked action) of the rifle. I can now store them without the firing pin spring being compressed. Always ensure that the firearm is unloaded without a round in the chamber or magazine before doing this. I am assuming that you have the bolt action Marlin model 25 mb, mg, mn or n model rather than the model 25 pump. I also assume that this is your concern rather than being able to repeatedly dry firing your rifle.

    Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see !!
    NRA Life Member
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  • Workingzombie
    Ah! that's the technique I needed! Many thanks peabo!!
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  • peabo
    I assume that worked for you also.
    You're welcome.

    Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see !!
    NRA Life Member
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  • 11b6r
    Zombie- with a rimfire arm, the issue is not that springs will weaken from being under compression (really, they don't) But that dry firing MAY result in the face of the chamber getting dented by the firing pin striking it. May cause fail-to-fire issues, since rim is not adequately supported, and may put a burr of metal into the chamber area that will impede loading/ unloading. Depending on firing pin protusion, may never be a problem. But ask any old time gunsmith how many 22's he has had to do chamber work on, due to dry firing. Good luck, shoot safe and often.[^]
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  • bobski
    relieving tension by holding the trigger and closing the bolt is the oldest trick in the books, for storing the gun. but if you wanted to practice dry firing your gun to improve your techique by actually pulling the trigger, then, snap caps are the way to go. the term dry 'firing' threw some of us off, because thats the term used for 'practicing' trigger squeeze. [;)] but, im glad to hear you got what you needed! you have a cute little gun.[8D]


    former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, former navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction. NRA certified instructor.
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