I've always felt that dry firing center fire rifles should be harmless. Others have told me that it's bad for the rifle. What do you guys think?

Bob257

When a gun is dry-fired, the firing pin comes into hard and fast contact with the shoulder within the bolt that stops it from going too far and piercing the primer. Without a primer to slow and cushion the strike, a high component of energy is transmitted directly into the pin, which could cause fatiguing, bending or breaking. If you like to dry-fire, get some snap-caps and practice your bolt-handling technique; see how fast you can cycle the bolt and stay close to on-target. Just my idle thoughts...

Bob257,

To be clear, by "dry firing", you are refering to the practice of dropping the firing pin on an "empty" chamber, no?

If this is the case, then yes, the lack of anything which would act to slow down or arrest the forward movement of the firing pin, such as a primer or snap cap, will result in a full force impact to occur between some piece of the bolt assembly and the firing pin. The area where this impact occurs, will, over time, show signs of such impact and may eventually result in a part failure due to excess battering.

That said, I've examined litterally hundreds of weapons that underwent heavy dry firing from the long honored practice of "snapping in" while serving as a Marine Corps Armorer. For the most part, I couldn't tell whether the damage I witnessed was as a result of "snapping in", or from normal wear.

The parts of the firearm designed to receive heavy impact, which would include the firing pin and bolt assembly, are generally heat treated to point, to minimize damage from inadvertant contact as occasionally happens as a result of dry firing the bolt action rifle.

Can the firing pin and bolt assembly withstand continued full impacts such as that which happen during empty chamber dry firing? Who knows. As a gunsmith, I've seen damage caused by dry firing and I've seen guns which are occasionally dry fired which show little to no visible damage. The truth is, any such contact will result in damage, given time, so anything you do to minimize the unnecessary impact that dry firing promotes, will help extend the life of the weapon.

Good luck,

Malm

Sorry Rootbeer, I stepped away from the computer about the time you hit the send button. That's a good reply you made.

[ 09-23-2003, 22:48: Message edited by: G.Malmborg ]

I've dry fired my various Remingtons about a gazillion times with no ill effects. In fact, I begin each range session by dry firing the rifle I'm shooting several times to focus my mind on that particular rifle's trigger pull.

Thanks guys. I have some calibers that I haven't seen snap caps for such as 358 Winchester and some others. Is there a way to make your own?

Bob257

I have dry fired centerfire rifles, pistols and shotguns for half a century and I have never seen any problem with it.

Don't do it with rimfires, air guns and make double sure the gun is empty.

Bob,

A 308 Win (or even a 243 Win) snap-cap should work in your 358.

On a bolt action, you can relieve the firing pin spring tension for storage without dry-firing, by holding the trigger back as you close the bolt.

Regards, Bill

What I will do if I need one, is take an unprimed case or hull, and turn a plastic insert to fit snuggly in the primer pocket. I used to cut and use .125 thick neoprene, but the plastic was easier to work with and does what I need, when I need it.

Malm

The erasers for Cross mechanical pencils are a perfect snug fit in large rifle and large pistol primwer pockets. By the eraser refills, push it into a decapped cartridge case, trim off excess with a razor and you're done. I make dummy rounds function testing by seating a bullet in these cases with no powder. Works like a charm!

citori3 - The pencil eraser idea is a great one -Thanks!

Pagris,

You're welcome. Rereading my post I'm embarrassed by the errors.

I like the eraser idea too. I'll have to make up the dummy rounds. I already do that for bullet seating adjustments.

Bob257

You can make an easy "snap cap" buy depriming a case and filling the recess with slicon sealer. I think the whole thing should be classified under chasing ghosts. I don't use them and never have. I know they are strongly recommended for doubles but that is a horse of a different color.

with a bolt action I have a technique that also doubles as a good saftey mechanism;

With the bolt fully lifted you pull the trigger and hold it in while gently lowering the bolt handle. This eases the pin forward gently thus eliminating the snap.

I have always believed this to be a very safe "carrying" saftey while hunting, as the rifle is essentially de-cocked. My only concern is that a hard knock could make the round fire, considering the firing pin is snug up against the primer.

Can anyone shed some light on this practice?

Express,

that is how me and all my family decock our bolt action rifles, but not on a loaded chamber. I do it when I open the bolt to verify the gun is NOT loaded, then want to deck it without dry firing it.

I think putting the safety on would be a better way of carrying it, because what if you have a shot and don't remember to lift the bolt to recock? or that extra time or noise ruins the shot?

As far as a good jolt causing it to fire, I don't know enough to say what the chances are of that happening.

Red

I just use the safety these days, although if I take a new hunter out I often reccomend this type of safety, because it means I can watch them activate it and they won't slip it off like a safety.

A PH in Africa first introduced me to this method. Now I can see how it's nice you know that if you don't know the person you are hunting with very well, it's peace of mind.

BTW it's not really very loud, you can also dampen the noise a bit with the pals of your hand, though, yes, is can be a pain.(see opening statement )

Express... A friend once showed me how great that technique was..

He almost lost his life when he reached down to manipulat the bolt.

Something hung for just a split second, and boom..

Until that day, I had never known how loud a rife was when it discharged in a ScoutII.

Dry-firing Mauser-type bolt actions and Ruger No. 1's won't harm them. Don't dry-fire O/U's, SXS doubles or combination guns without using snap-caps!

Express, I cannot believe that you think it is safe to carry a rifle with the unrestrained firing pin resting on the primer of a live round! This is a recipe for death, destruction, and total disaster! Don't do it!! Aieee, Cheeewowah!!

[ 09-28-2003, 18:46: Message edited by: eldeguello ]

I dry fire my Browning A-Bolt II 5-10 times for every live round I shoot, and I've got 5000+ rounds through it without a broken firing pin yet. I don't use snap caps, though I did for a while. I just got tired of chasing after them when I shucked them out amongst my wife's house plants. I don't know why those plants need to be situated near the television.

My Winchester, which I've had for less time, doesn't use snap caps either. It kicks harder, and it eats more expensive components, so its dry-to-live fire ratio is higher than the Browning's. Winchester told me not to worry about breaking it by dry firing, so I don't.

I carry a bolt rifle cocked and locked with a round in the chamber. I unload the rifle and case it before putting it in the truck, per WV law.

H. C.

Snap caps!!!

I HAVE DRY FIRED MY CENTERFIRE WEAPONS, MOSTLY AT THE RANGE BEFORE FIRING, AKA "SNAPPING IN", BUT I HAVE NEVER, EVER UNCOCKED A BOLT ON A LOADED CARTRIDGE. THATS SCARES ME. JUST MY THOUGHTS,

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD SHOOTING
ETERRY