Dry firing damage?

[jwv2001]

Is this another one of those infamous myths in our sport? :-[

K22, I hope you realize that you made the most valid observation in this thread. Making your way through all of the myths stymies most new shooters and handloaders. Doing things just because "that's the way we've been doing it forever" is hard to overcome.

 

[divingin]

schumi,

I can't tell you how many times I dry-fired my centerfires; thousands. I don't it with rim fires, though.

Most rimfires are pretty safe to dry fire. The ones you shouldn't have no firing pin stop (in other words, the "stop" is the pin slamming against the breech of the barrel.) Most modern rimfire guns have stops.

This does ignore the possibility of broken pins (however unlikely); that can happen dry firing any type of firearm.

 

[K22]

K22, I hope you realize that you made the most valid observation in this thread. Making your way through all of the myths stymies most new shooters and handloaders. Doing things just because "that's the way we've been doing it forever" is hard to overcome.

I ain't the sharpest pencil in the box but I have a fair amount of experience.

Dry firing was a key training element when I was on a post Army pistol team. The idea was to create muscle memory by repetitive exercise. I continued this when I competed for 30 years in civilian NRA Precision Pistol (bullseye) and for about 10 years in Hunter's Pistol Silhouette.

I carried it over to rifle shooting. It's a great way to practice during times when you're shut in due to bad weather or for other reasons. I think it's one of the reasons that I became proficient with using cross sticks for all my hunting situations, honing my technique and keeping muscle memory from perishing.

PS: As noted in my original post, my comments applied only to centerfire. Dry firing with rimfires should only be done if there is a recess in the breach so the firing pin does not peen on the face of the breach. Although I have dry fired a lot with my rimfire pistols over the years that have said recesses in the breach without any damage, I can fault someone for being overly caution with rimfires.

 

[cem]

I've heard that repeated dry fires can damage the firing pin on a rifle.

True, but the question more properly is will repeated dry fires damage the firing pin or anything else on this firearm. I've broken a firing pin on a Star semi-automatic pistol -known issue - and hurt a .22 rimfire rifle but never had any issues on my centerfire rifles. Other potential issues with high round count dry firing include the firing pin retainer and firing pin return spring in a 1911. Dry firing will wear less than live fire but a little lube on the locking lugs and cocking cams won't hurt. On a target rifle I'll pay attention to mainspring length and weight with enough dry firing.

I know there are snap caps for dry firing purposes, but not in 6.5x47L.

As noted easy enough to make at home and likely cheaper too. I use room temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber as noted above in black to visually distinguish snap caps but rattle and a drilled hole are handy too - see e.g. Baldwin and Reed moral and legal problems. Cases poured full of lead can be used to make the rifle balance like a full magazine live fire exercise.

Will dry firing cause any damage?

I have no idea. I know the cartridge but I didn't see any mention of the firearm. Almost certainly not but as above I'd watch spring tension with a view to replacing any spring that lost tension with use.

 

[rlporter507]

Please let me know anything more about your progress in training with the SCATT, as you become aware of it. (as it will justify the cost to the wife!)

there's 3 things you just have to have if your serious about competing. Shot marker, garmin, and a Shooter Computer Aided Training Tool!

 

[7br]

A 4-6-8 X 7/8” plastic anchor for dry wall screws fits perfectly and makes a dandy snap cap for .22 rimfires.