Dry Firing.

[onelastshot]

I've read that dry firing will not affect your rifle. Just wondering, I'm getting ready for a hunt where I'll be shooting off of sticks and I've been practicing constantly shooting off of the sticks. I just want to make sure that I'm not hurting the firing pin. I'm shooting it dozens of times a day. It's a Jewell trigger.

 

[Forum Boss]

You should be using a dry firing cartridge (snap cap) with a spring-loaded faux primer pad. Here are examples for .223 Rem.

 

[Brians356]

Snap caps are great, unless you shoot a wildcat not based on a common production cartridge, or shoot a production cartridge not in their offerings.
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[jds holler]

I'm a great fan of dry fire, and depending on your particular firearm it probably will not harm it. Why not play it safe and use a snap cap though.

I believe that in some ways, dry fire is more important than hot fire. jd

 

[onelastshot]

The rifle in question is a 338 Federal and they don't make caps for it.

 

[Brians356]

The rifle in question is a 338 Federal and they don't make caps for it.

Nor do they make them for production cartridges with "PPC", "BR", "Savage", "Whelen", or "284" in the name.
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[PDS]

You should be able to use a 308Win snap cap. The 338Federal is a necked up 308.

 

[Medic505]

Have a deprimed spent cartridge? Epoxy a piece of neoprene in the primer pocket, Beats nuffin'...

 

[R.Olds]

Years ago this question came up with some friends...there were 3 of us, so we all called Ruger and Savage at different times and days, we asked the tech guys if dry firing their center fire rifles and pistols would hurt their guns. We were all told the same thing, it will not! hurt the center fire stuff. They did say they would NOT dry fire rim fire guns.....FWIW....

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

It doesn't hurt a thing on MOST rifles. The TC single shots are an exception, for example. The fp return spring can get damaged by dry firing.
SOME rf's, the fp can strike the breech on, but not all. Snap caps are never a bad idea and I agree with the previous poster, that you should be able to use a 308 snap cap in your 338 Federal

 

[Whit holman]

Another way is to deprime a case and get a glue called goupe at hardware store put it in primer pocket when dry it will be somewhat soft

 

[xswanted]

I used to dry fire my silhouette rifle thousands of times a month when I was shooting regularly.

The rifle was then turned into a 6 Dasher and is now on its second barrel. Been using the gun for the long range game. Still dry firing it, the same trigger and firing pin assembly that was in it when it was a 308 silhouette gun.

I’d have to guess it’s been dry fired well over 50,000 times over the life of the trigger and pin assembly.

It still works like it’s suppose to.

 

[Papa Charlie]

IIwas brought up to not dry fire. The old firing pins heat treat and metals were different than today. The new ones are not affected like the old ones. But that being said, you are better protected using a cap as insurance.
At least this is my opinion.

 

[Intheshop]

I caught some very good natured ribbing for this but...... words cannot speak for how it upped my riflecraft;

A year or so ago,got on ebabe and ordered a <10$ metronome. Old US made from back in the 1970's.... reasonably well made(vs China crap). It has a few functions....pretty limited. It's made for piano lessons I reckon? Anyway one of the modes is an adjustable beep,beep,beep,.... BONK. We want to fire on the bonk.

Think "rapid fire" bolt work,offhand.Smooth is fast/Fast is smooth. RIP off a dry fire every 2 1/2 seconds....and.... maintain a crisp break and sight picture,AND keep it going for 30 seconds is blooming HARD to do.

Then check your pulse by adjusting the beep,beep to coincide with pulse,and it'll put #'s on the rate. Try to get your dry fire times quicker and hold your pulse rate down. Now,practice that for a cpl months and watch what happens to your bench shooting. Makes it almost like cheating.

 

[Intheshop]

Oh,had all kinds of smirks and images of queer little garden gnomes to contend with....but it was funny.