Does it hurt the rifle? Like I said, I've never had a center fire.

i have heard that it does and can cause stress fractures to the pin. don't hold me to that, as i am not a gunsmith. just what i have been told. there are such products as zoom caps, and snapp caps to name a few. these are inert cartriges that you can get in any caliberand can use when practiceing trigger control/squeeze and breathing techniques. www.cheaperthandirt.com and www.sportsmansguide.com sells them. kyle

No, dry firing a modern rifle will, in no way, damage anything inside the gun. That little thin piece of brass we call a primer does nothing to slow down the firing pin or protect it in any way. The only time the firing pin stops is when the shoulder of the firing pin makes contact with the shoulder inside the bolt body.

Thanky sir

Snap Caps are mainly used so that you can exercise the bolt without having to pay the high price for real ammo to "break in" the bolt.

Of course, some guns that at older, or of certain actions, might run the risk of being harmed by dry firing.

\Generally, dry firing will NOT hurt most centerfire rifles. Don't dry-fire rimfires-that can bugger up the edge of the chamber ahead of the firing pin. Don't dry-fire doubles, either shoguns or rifles! That's where the snap-caps come into play!

Curious what the reasoning for not dry-firing the doubles is...

Me too. What's the difference between them and other centerfires?

I think double rifles are set up just like double shotguns, ... that is, their firing pins can be damaged by dry firing......it is different than a bolt action set up firing pin wise. Double rifles and double shotguns, don't dry fire.

Ok, why? Not trying to be a smart... just curious.