Is dry firing bad?
Is it harmful to dry fire a centerfire rifle? Especially, Mosin Nagant and Swede Mauser.
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I would think yes in the older guns and some of the newer guns.
No problem with Rugers though. It's even encouraged, to get the feel of the trigger pull.
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I mean, when you are firing a rifle, the impact of the firing pin is taken up by a shoulder, a stop in the bolt. I mean, the full impact is not delivered to the primer, or you would always have blown primers. So, it seems safe to dry fire, but I don't really know. If not straighten me out, I don't want to mess up a gun. 0 -
Many countries had to tighten their belts during WWII with respect to the amount of ammunition they used. The Brits actually held extensive "dry fire" exercises in which they would engage their training targets and pull the trigger and let the firing pin strike on an empty chamber. This is believed to actually be an excellent way to train when no ammunition is available. In response to this question most people would normally recommend that you check your owner's manual or with the manufacturer if it is not printed there. I don't think you are going to be able to do that with the rifles that you are mentioning though. Snap caps are a great investment. I have several because I'm just superstitious. I purchased an SP-101 recently. I was testing the trigger pull in front of the person that was selling me the gun. He seemed to cringe a bit when I let the hammer fall on my thumb.
Go ahead and invest in some inexpensive snap caps for those rifles. It's better than trying to find replacement parts or having to pay for gunsmithing services if something breaks.0 -
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I mean, when you are firing a rifle, the impact of the firing pin is taken up by a shoulder, a stop in the bolt. I mean, the full impact is not delivered to the primer, or you would always have blown primers. So, it seems safe to dry fire, but I don't really know. If not straighten me out, I don't want to mess up a gun.
The full impact IS taken up by the primer, it's the radius on the tip, plus the internal construction of the primer that prevents punching holes in the primer. You will blow a lot more primers with a weak firing pin spring than you will with over penatration.
As far as the shoulder goes, it's there more as a strength (inside the bolt) and for gas defelection (on the pin itself) in addition to providing a place for the spring to rest aganst.
Finaly look at the amount of metal (and it's cross section) that is tring to continue forward, after the shoulders hit together, due to inertia.
Mausers will break their firing pins with excessive dry firing and the MN might also. Some armies might find it cheeper to replace the pins (they have full time repair people, with nothing better to do) than to burn up a lot of ammo in training thousands of troops, but you have to buy the parts and pay labor to repair the damage in your rifle.
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.0 -
It is ok in must new guns,because unless you hold the trigger all the way back it wont let th hammer hit the fireing pim.The same applys to guns with transfar bar safetys.But I dont see how it avoids dameageing the fireing pin when the hammer strikes it on an empty chamber.Regardless of what the Manufacture says.
Best!!
Rugster
Toujours Pret0 -
Allen, I think the best advice is: "When in doubt, don't." Many should not be dry fired, especially rimfires, but also centerfires because you can damage the firing pin. The best course is to get snap caps and fire away. 0 -
Would it be better to leave a semi-auto rimfire cocked for weeks on end or to dry fire it to relieve the tension?
Three Precious Metals: Gold, silver and lead0 -
In any case, I have dry fired my MN's many times with no Ill effects, the rifles are so cheap, and the parts are cheaper, I don't worry about it.
rich0 -
I store mine with snap caps in the chamber (plastic ones) and drop the pin on those, so that the snap cap spring rather than the fireing pin spring takes the load. 0 -
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Would it be better to leave a semi-auto rimfire cocked for weeks on end or to dry fire it to relieve the tension?
Three Precious Metals: Gold, silver and lead
I would either leave a rimfire cocked or drop the hammer on a empty shell casing (or snap cap). The potential for damage to the breach face of the barrel and firing pin is to high (and expensive) to risk.
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.0 -
Five caps, much less a single, will cost you substantially less than a firing pin, to say nothing of the services of any decent gunsmith. Less than a box of loaded ammo, also. Why take the risk? If storing the firearm for an extended period, a snap cap is much more problematic. But repeated use with an empty chamber can cause the pin to break - BTDT. 0 -
Thanks for the info. 0 -
I rarely dry fired my rifles but when I took the CMP course with the club's M1 I was surprised and a bit leery that dry firing was encouraged. No one had any trouble. Still I don't like to make a practice of it.
"...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conf0 -
It's only bad if it's not your firearm or if your in the store doing it before you buy it.
CHGOTHNDER
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