View Full Version : Dry Fire
is it good or bad?
I found this on the net, what do the instructors say?
Dry Firing Guns
Myth – “Dry firing guns can damage them or wear them out.”
Fact – Dry fire exerts virtually no wear on most firearms.
Other than some slight wear and tear on some moving parts, dry fire does no harm and is crucial to learning to shoot better. Besides, if a firearm is doomed to failure if exposed to dry fire how can it ever hope to withstand the tens of thousands of pounds of pressure exerted inside the barrel every time a live cartridge is discharged?
Let’s pretend that dry fire will wear out parts prematurely. Ammunition is expended after one firing and must be replaced in order to shoot again, too. Having to occasionally replace some other component is just the cost of learning how to shoot better.
I don't think it's bad. However, it may be with specific firearms. For instance, Chris had told me the barrel on his 10/22 was showing wear from dry firing.
On some modified firearms you may want to worry as Dave pointed out. In most cases it doesn't harm the firearm. This is the way most people have gotten used to their firearms along with testing modified triggers. If it were that bad they would have come up with another technique to do this. Now if you have a Kel-tec, I may worry that it would fall apart in your hands. LOL!!
Chris
11-06-2008, 08:28 AM
dry firing centirefire guns is ok. I would highly recommend NOT firing a rimfire without a snapcap.
Its primarily due to the fact of where the pin strikes on a rimfire, the pin actually makes contact with the outer fortified portion of the chamber or barrell and will cause damage.
chrismia
11-06-2008, 09:33 AM
i always though it was bad for the firing pin, but the barrel?
On a center fire it can be Chris. You are probably thinking of center fire where its not a factor.
i always though it was bad for the firing pin
that's what I was told 20 yrs ago.. to this day I had probably dry fired my guns only 10 times due to fear of doing damage..
On a center fire it can be Chris. You are probably thinking of center fire where its not a factor.
you been sniffing the gun powder again? :rolleyes:
Yep, too much of it today. First one should have been rim fire.
Chris
11-06-2008, 11:35 PM
centerfire= ok
rimfire = not ok
im pretty sure thats what i typed the first time
centerfire= ok
rimfire = not ok
im pretty sure thats what i typed the first time
got it...
I was a dry firing fool last night.. also re-evaluated my finger placement on the trigger...
I've personally have only seen deformation and wear on firing pins or hammer due to dry firing on my .22's as well just by the nature of the need for the breech to support the rim. If there is no rim, the pin hits the chamber's rimmed wall. I imagine those centerfires that don't have a firing pin spring could suffer damage from overtravel with no primer to strike, but I can't imagine that wear to be significant or the firing pin to be that brittle in modern designs. I also know many people who don't like dry firing, so when I am handling other people's firearms, I usually ask if it is ok to dry fire. Obviously, enough people and manufacturers feel it is a necessary precaution not to dry fire or snap caps would not have a market place.