Dry fire: Do and Don't?

[oathkeeper]

When I began my journey into the military I was issued a rifle (her name was Lola) that was to be carried everywhere (within limitations). Before we were allowed to shoot for the first time we dry fired for hours. It felt boring as all hell but once the first round went down range it was apparent why we did it.

Now that I am shooting my own I want to be even more proficient with them than my issued weapons. It starts off with a condition 4 firearm and an empty magazine. I verify it and say it out loud (just like with reloading) and insert the empty mag. That is when my dry fire starts.

I was dry firing with my buddy (I'm only allowed 1 rifle range day a month due to my budget) and he a spent case in his chamber before we started. His argument was that when you dry fire the firing pin will brake. The case gives it something to hit to reduce the chance of it breaking.

What do y'all think about this? How do you dry fire?

 

[Erud]

Just dry fire. No need for spent case, dummy round, snap cap etc. for any modern firearm. Unless it's a rimfire.

 

[oathkeeper]

So what is the difference between rimfire, old firearms and modern firearms that would require a dummy/snap cap?

 

[Xcount]

there are people that worry about firing pins and there are elite level shooters. What category do you want to be in? There are NO elite level shooters that don't dry fire. It is something that one must do and never stop doing as long as you compete.

there are many variables related to how the rifle/pistol is built that determine what preventative steps to take for equipment safety/maintenance. I don't want to break a pistol or rifle if I can prevent it. Do whatever you need to do to prevent breakage and move on to dry firing religiously. When I competed in pistol I learned that many guys never dry fired because they thought it hurt a 1911 well I did dry fire and just got myself an extra firing pin. I Distinguished in two years after beating many guys that had shot for over a decade. I still have that extra firing pin and had no ill effects after over 10k dry fire snaps.

If you can't get to the range but once a month you had better dry fire even more. There is some ratio of 10:1 dry fire to live fire but you may had to adjust up from that to get any real improvement.

 

[buks]

Dry fire practice is good.
Other things to consider....
If at home....do it in a room where there is absolutely no ammo....point in a safe direction....and still know what is behind those walls....have
some old phone books as a spot to aim at, and a "just in case" bullet trap.

 

[projectpat0]

I dry fire without any snap caps or dummy rounds. To make my dry firing more meaningful, I purchased a cover/lense that lets your scope focus down to 10-12 feet parallax free. A member on the forum used to make them I've had mine for almost a year so I can't confirm if he still makes them. Here is the link if you want to check it out and also see more information on dry fire routines.

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting.../66789-i-o-t-indoor-optical-training-aid.html

 

[smokebomb]

The downfall to dry-firing a rimfire is that, by literal definition of a rimfire, the firing pin strikes the rim area on the cartridge. With no cartridge in place, most rimfires will then strike firing pin to breech of barrel. Steel on steel. This can damage your firing pin, but more detrimental can eventually peen the struck portion on the breech of the barrel. That can cause feeding and chamber concentricity issues.
More than likely, it would take bajillions of dry-fires to truly effect the chamber...that's for you to decide. I choose not to. I dry fire all my other firearms A LOT, with no ill effects.

 

[oathkeeper]

So center fire is cool then? Are there any I'll effects of of that firing pin going home with nothing? What has changed between the newer and older models? I tried to Google it before I asked.

Another post tracked by the government.

 

[smokebomb]

I can only attest with a centerfire I've never used snap-caps or the like, and have never had a hint of an issue.

I do know my .308 win savage 10fp (sold now..stupidly) was dry fired by me well over 100,000 times with zero ill effect. I figure if a spring or firing pin/hammer ever does "wear out", it'll cost me $50 tops and assuming I saved over $35,000 ammo cost in dry-fire vs life fire with the .308, I'm good with that

I haven't seen Lindy post here in a couple years, I know he had an AI AE with around 90,000+ live rounds through it...something like 7 rebarrels... I always wondered if he had to replace bolt components. Frank?

 

[NevadaZielmeister]

I dry fire without any snap caps or dummy rounds. To make my dry firing more meaningful, I purchased a cover/lense that lets your scope focus down to 10-12 feet parallax free. A member on the forum used to make them I've had mine for almost a year so I can't confirm if he still makes them. Here is the link if you want to check it out and also see more information on dry fire routines.

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting.../66789-i-o-t-indoor-optical-training-aid.html

Yes, Chuck still makes them. He sold one to a fellow shooter just 2 weeks ago.

 

[tnichols]

Definately "do" dry fire. It's an invaluable training tool and doesn't cost a dime. I don't like the idea of spent brass being used though as it too closely resembles live ammo. No need to confuse the old noggin as we double and triple check an empty chamber prior to starting. If you think you need something in there to prevent firing pin damage, use a snap cap as it's color isn't anywhere close to resembling a live round.

 

[Deadshot2]

With the metallurgy of today you won't be breaking any firing pins from dry firing. Maybe in an old 1929 Crescent Double barreled shotgun but not in any modern firearm.

Take into consideration the force placed on the tip of a firing pin when a center fire round ignites. First it slams forward into a primer and then is whacked back slightly from the 50K plus pressure that is momentarily imparted on it from the charge.

One good use for "snap caps" in a bolt action rifle is to fine tune how your aim, fire, reload, fire, etc, all without losing sight of your target. Snap cap's are safer than dummy rounds, simply because it's too easy to mix a live round with a similar looking dummy.

 

[Rogue111]

I found this on the interwebs (it must be true) about dry firing rimfires:

"I was listening to Tony Kidd (Kidd Innovative Design) on a podcast today, where he talked about dry firing, with particular attention on rimfire firearms. He gave some history on how rimfire dry firing used to be a problem, and described what exactly that problem was. Then he proceeded to say that on modern firearms, dry firing is not a problem, both on centre fire and rimfire."

Can anyone confirm this?

 

[Pinecone]

There is a thread in the Rimfire section about someone peening the chamber of an Annie in just a few dry fires.

SOME modern rimfires are set so the firing pin actually won't touch the chamber when drying firing. But not ALL of them.

If the firing pin actually strikes the chamber, something has got to give. The softer part will be deformed.

 

[damoncali]

Don't dry fire a rimfire if the pin is hitting the chamber. It's that simple. On many (even most, I'd guess) modern rimfires, this is not a problem. The manual will often say one way or other. On old guns, it can be.

I don't know of any modern centerfire that has any issue with dry firing, and I can't see how dry firing could possibly hurt anything.

 

[Jackalope33B]

You are correct Tony does state on his website that you can dry fire his rimfire rifles without any effect

I found this on the interwebs (it must be true) about dry firing rimfires:

"I was listening to Tony Kidd (Kidd Innovative Design) on a podcast today, where he talked about dry firing, with particular attention on rimfire firearms. He gave some history on how rimfire dry firing used to be a problem, and described what exactly that problem was. Then he proceeded to say that on modern firearms, dry firing is not a problem, both on centre fire and rimfire."

Can anyone confirm this?

 

[oldfatguy]

So what is the difference between rimfire, old firearms and modern firearms that would require a dummy/snap cap?

Rim fire firing pins hit the edge of the chamber causing damage to it if there is no case to hit. Just be damn sure it is a SPENT case. Also helps to rotate it to hit a fresh spot every few hits.

OFG

 

[CandleJack]

I only own rifle caliber snap caps for feeding and function checks after doing some work on my rifle. Other than that, I've never used them for practice with my center fires or shotguns.

For my rimfires I've always just used an empty case. I collect several while I'm shooting have them rattling around my rifle case for when I want some dry fire time.

 

[Weeble19]

By no means am I an expert or gunsmith and I'm still relatively new to this site so if I over step my bounds please let me know. I am a factory armorer and have a basic working knowledge of most firearms which leads me to second was Deadshot stated. The only thing NOT happening when you dry fire is the controlled explosion occurring millimeters away from your action. The hammer still strikes as it would when firing, the pin still moves as it would, and the sear still rubs as it would. The pin moves back and forth without impacting the primer which doesn't incur any stress on it. This leads me to think in my limited knowledge of mechanics and metallurgy that it's actually less stressful on the weapon to dry fire than live fire. I also have a former Scout Sniper I work with that dry fired his M40 for several hundred thousand "rounds" with no ill effect to his duty weapon that he trusted his life to. I personally dry fire all of my guns except rim fires as I have seen newer rim fires have damage to the pin from dry firing, I can't say if that's all modern rim fires or not, but until I can say for sure I err on the side of caution. Any modern center fire firearm that I own has been dry fired way more than live and I've seen zero ill effects. Hope that helps.

 

[Kinsman]

I have had OLD rim fires that were peened so badly that it caused misfires. I will not dry fire a rimfire weapon.

 

[rljatl]

Besides rim fires, do not dry fire a Colt SAA and its clones on an empty cylinder chamber. The firing pin bushing will be pushed out of the frame and into the path of the cylinder. Ask me how I know.

 

[fister13f]

I did a test of a matter of one year using two guns, a LWRC M6A2 and a Glock 17. I dry fired the guns for an hour each day everyday for a year and never had one malfunction. In between those dry firing sessions I fired thousands of live ammo out of both. Never even a failure to fire. The dry firing will damage your gun myth is just that a myth.

 

[CNC_Apps_Guy]

Thanks for the great practice advice. I just got a 110BA chambered in .338 Lapua and places where I can actually fire the rifle at distance are fairly limited for me so all the extra practice I can get with it will be of great benefit.

Thanks again all! When I actually learn something of value I'll be here to share it.

 

[downrange67]

Dry firing is great practice! try doing it in a quiet room and in the dark to develop feel