Dry firing--
 

I need a little information here. Iv'e always known that dry firing can do damage and as a result I don't ever do it, but while showing my Ruger number 1 Tropical to my brother, he levered the action and before I could say anything, he pulled the trigger. Now keep in mind, it was pointed in a safe direction and the ammo was outside in the car. I'm just asking what kind of damage occurs when a rifle is dry fired and will just the one time cause any problems? ---------- John

None. The military dry fires for practice and has done so for years. It is a great way to get over rifle flinch and if you are too worried about what damage might incur then you can always get a snap cap. I used to think the same way, but then did a lot of reading and a few friends who did time in the service let me know that they dry fire a lot.

Good point RR. I inherited a 22 revolver that somebody had dry fired and it put dings all over the cylinder and somewhat smashed the firing pin inside the hammer.

as others have said nothing happens to them. When we are on the range to re-qualify or I'm on the range instructing rookies at the academy we have them dry fire the handguns, and never damage them

My gunsmith told me to dry-fire my rifles prior to storing them to release the internal spring and assured me that no damage would occur.

Theres another way to do that as well. Pull the trigger as you close the bolt, it uncocs it.

Good thread. And possibly one that can save some forum members some money. I have mostly bolt actions and have been told that dry firing bolt actions is fine, ... in fact I practice it for trigger feel, knowledge, and control.

However, as others have stated dry firing rimfires is a no-no, and I've also been told (as has also been said here) to not dry fire my double Stevens/Savage 311.

Now for my question ... What is the best sage gunsmith advice about all other kinds of firearms? Shotguns that are not doubles? Shotguns in general? Are there some shotguns wherein this is OK and others not? I would guess that my bolt action High Standard 16 ga might be safe to dry fire .. but I don't cuz I don't know about it.

What about pistols? Obviously rimfire pistols should be a no-no, but what about my centerfire Makarovs? A 1911 .45?

And I've also been instructed not to dry-fire my centerfire revolvers. My S&W 657 in 41 Mag and my Taurus 357. Why? What is the damage to the hammer/firing pin, cylinder? I don't but really don't know exactly why I don't and shouldn't. Would love to be informed.

I'm guessing my center-fire bolt Muzzle-loader (Traditions Lightning) might be safe to dry fire, but i don't know?

I only dry fire my center-fire bolt actions at this point because I've never had enough information to do otherwise.
But I thought this might evoke some good discussion and yield some good advice and knowledge.

Please jump in with your advice and information including specific models of firearms and the damage risked by improper treatment.

If you feel the need to dry fire ...use snap caps.
Dry firing may damage some firearms. CZ52 pistols in particular are notorious for cracking firing pins .
Dry firing IMO ,shouldnt be done at even though damage rarely results , why chance it.

When I went through LE Academy we had to do a lot of dry firing. We fired over 1,000 rounds of live ammo and dry fired atleast the same amount. I have thousands of dry fires on Sigs, Berettas and Glocks. Has not hurt them a bit.

You've been told not to dry fire because people think they know what they are talking about and are just repeating BS.

Rimfires and Break Action shotguns, no.

EVERYTHING else is fine. Won't hurt it a bit. Snap caps only exist because people demanded them based on BS myths. Except for the types of actions above, it won't hurt any rifle, handgun, whatever.

The CZ's had inherent problems with the firing pins. Replace them with current production pins and they are fine.

Every gun store/internet cowboy will tell you never to dry fire a weapon. Every respectable firearms instructor/armorer will tell you to do it for practice. Who ya gonna believe?