Snap-Caps and Dry-Firing
When I was a lad but yea high to a grasshopper's knee, my old pappy told me that dry-firing a rifle was hard on the firing-pin. Being the dumb kid that I was at the time, I took Pa at his word, and took his advice to heart (along with the two other valuable lessons he taught me: (1)The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, and (2) No good deed goes unpunished.) Anyhow...I've grown up with an aversion to seeing people dry-fire rifles, and yet I've seen the people who work in the gun store where I buy most of my goodies do this repeatedly, even with brand-new rifles and shotguns. They tell me that dry-firing won't really harm the firing-pin, and I suppose they must know what they're talking about, but I can't help having my doubts about that. What do YOU gun-gurus think about this? I thought that was the reason they made snap-caps. And while we're on the subject of snap-caps, I'd like to know: are snap-caps suitable for testing the ejection on bolt-action rifles, or would it be wiser to make up a weighted "dummy round" from some unfired brass? I'd like to test the cycling of the bolt on my new Remington 700-VLS in the comfort of my home, and avoid the obvious risks of using a live .308 cartridge...
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These are only my personal opinions: .22 rimfires should never be dry fired as the firing pin will strike the edge of the chamber and cause damage. Beyond that issue I am not convinced that limited dry firing of a centerfire will really hurt anything. Back in the old days recruits used to spend hours "snapping in" with the old '03 Springfield and I never heard that this damged the rifles in any way. I still use snap caps in all of my SxS and O/U shotguns but I really don't bother with my rifles. There are manufactured dummy rounds which are the exact size and weight of loaded cartridges and will cycle through the actions of bolt or lever action rifles. As I mentioned, these are just my opinions and others will feel differently about dry firing.
Mark T. Christian0 -
Like you, I had a real aversion to dry-firing any gun. I would cringe when I saw it done. From what I have found, with the newer metals and designs of "modern" firearms (for the most part) it will not hurt them. Still older guns, or any 22's, should not be dry-fired. I stopped shooting in matches (for a while) when they would not let me continue to use snap caps. That is when I did my research. I shoot a Sig. If you go to their web site, Sig recommends that after cleaning the pistol, to dry-fire it. I thought if the manufacturer is going to tell me to do it, it must be OK. So far, so good.
The gene pool needs chlorine.0 -
The metals of guns now-a-days are much harder than they used to be 60-100 years ago. I don't think it's much of an issue anymore except in rim-fire designs. 0 -
It should be possible to design a rimfire so that the firing pin can extend no farther than the bolt face and therefore not be able to contact the breech face. I have been meaning to teardown my 10/22 and see if Ruger did this. Nonetheless I still retract the bolt slightly when I drop the hammer before putting the gun away.
I seem to remember that some of the older Spanish guns developed trouble if dry fired very much.
Ray0 -
Ditto on the Glock - you have to dry-fire it to disassemble it...
I have snap-caps (or off-brand) for all of my guns that they make them for. I just leave my guns with tension on the firing pin spring. So far none of my guns have suffered, and if they do, I think a firing spring should be cheaper than any damage to the pin, bolt, or any other part that could be damaged...
My 2 cents worth...
It doesn't matter what you shoot, just shoot it well...0 -
On a rimfire, does the firing pin acually touch the edge of the chamber. On my Ruger MarkII pistol I dry fired it with the firing pin stop removed, lost, whatever (I was a lot dumber back then) and I had to send it to Ruger for repair. That was one dry fire and it left a gouge in the chamber big enough that a fresh round wouldn't chamber. FYI, when I talked to the Ruger rep. on the phone she knew what I was talking about, so I wasn't the first one to do this. So my question is, if dry firing a rimfire is going to hurt it, it will most likley show damage right from the get-go, correct? 0 -
I too have always cringed when I saw a dry fire, but I did see the same at my local gun store, they say it doesn't hurt. I don't make a habit of it, and I do have snap caps for my varmit rifle to practice trigger pull. In a law enforcement cataloug they have specail sand buckets, these are to stick your muzzle in when you enter a high security building when armed, you must unload, then dry fire your pistol to prove it upon security check. If trained agents do it when thier life depends on the gun, I wouldn't worry too much. 0 -
Modern, quality centerfires can be dryfired without undue worry about parts breakage. Older rimfires (and current inexpensive models) should not be dryfired as the firing pin will strike the breechface causing the chamber mouth to peen out of round. This causes all kinds of feeding and extraction problems.
Newer, quality rimfires can be dryfired without this problem. For instance, the Kimber of America .22 rifles may be dryfired repeatedly with no danger of the firing pin contacting the breechface.
Snap-caps are wonderful insurance for vintage and high-end doubles, or older guns. Plus, they're cheap enough so use 'em if they give you piece of mind.0 -
You should not dry-fire rim-fire guns (as stated above). Centerfire guns are ok to dry-fire in general. However the manuals that came with my Beretta's state not to dry-fire them....so I don't! 0
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