Dry Fire Question

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Eggbert

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Is it ok to insert a spent .22LR shell in the chamber for dry firing while making a trigger adjustment for pull weight? I know snap caps are made for that purpose. I've read several warnings that dry firing with an empty chamber can damage a firearm.
 
It would probaly work just fine but I would recommend using snap caps. They aren't tht expensive and they are of a color that you can differentiate from live rounds.
 
That's why I do, but the odd time I've found one that is difficult to remove and I have to use a cleaning rod down the barrel to push it out.
 
Using a fired case in rimfire is the easy way to run. Most of my guns will 'c-ock' on lifting the bolt handle and is reset-ready to fire. I have used the Tipton 'Red' snapcaps but I once had the rim tear off completely, leaving the remainder in the chamber. I only noticed when the 'next round' would not load. Luckily it was another snapcap - woe if it were Live.
I currently use the Pachmayer Orange plastic dummies - they are 'soft' rather than the brittle Tipton caps. And either brand is only good for a dozen or so shots b4 they fall apart. And some of my rifles will not cycle with the Drywall anchors that I have found at H-D - have to stick them in manually.
 
_Shorty said:
If you're talking about your CZ 457, the firing pin and bolt are designed to be safely dryfired without anything in the chamber. The firing pin cannot reach the breach face.
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They said 10/22 can be. I purchased a few barrels with peened chamber from dry firing.

8$ for 100 dry wall anchors is better safe than sorry.
 
Got a CZ? Take apart the bolt and look at the design of the bolt and the firing pin. It speaks for itself. For that matter, take a straight edge and hold it up to the bolt face and look at where the firing pin tip is in relation to the straight edge. Ain't happenin'.
 
Yes, why wouldnt it be? Literally exact same conditions as the real thing.

The drywall thing always looked stupid to me.

Any modern 22 can be dry fired without touching the breach face.
 
a few people don't because the residue from the burnt priming compound is abrasive and striking the rim of a spent case sends that abrasive material into the bore. I don't have any personal experience with it so I cannot give any anecdotal or empirical evidence. I would think only extended dry firing sessions with empty cases would be an issue, or high value firearms.
 
Some manufacturers say dry firing is not a problem. Others discourage the practice. Some even make special dry fire firing pins to allow dry fire practice.

For further reference, see, for example h t t p s://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2020/02/24/never-dry-fire-rimfire/
 
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Just a heads-up....a guy who looks a lot like me made an interesting discovery a couple years ago. I tend to use those blue aluminum dummy rounds on semis, de-cocking a bolt action is simple and doesn't require it.

BUT, on occasion...I'll use a spent round for exactly this=testing trigger pull, adjust, test again, etc. Those aluminum things deform and aren't meant for this. Anyway, I'd put a YoDave spring in a rimfire .22 bolt action, put the action back in the stock and torqued, back in the vise to test with the little Wheeler gauge. Put a spent .22 casing in the chamber, pulled the trigger, and BANG! It was a spent round....but as many decades as I've been at it, I'd never heard any mention or question about whether or not all the primer gets burned when a rimfire round is fired. I can say with 100% certainty-the answer is "not always".

That was a part primer only, indoors, and the ears were ringing pretty much the rest of the day. I had to do some laundry too if memory serves. lol
 
.22LRGUY said:
Just a heads-up....a guy who looks a lot like me made an interesting discovery a couple years ago. I tend to use those blue aluminum dummy rounds on semis, de-cocking a bolt action is simple and doesn't require it.

BUT, on occasion...I'll use a spent round for exactly this=testing trigger pull, adjust, test again, etc. Those aluminum things deform and aren't meant for this. Anyway, I'd put a YoDave spring in a rimfire .22 bolt action, put the action back in the stock and torqued, back in the vise to test with the little Wheeler gauge. Put a spent .22 casing in the chamber, pulled the trigger, and BANG! It was a spent round....but as many decades as I've been at it, I'd never heard any mention or question about whether or not all the primer gets burned when a rimfire round is fired. I can say with 100% certainty-the answer is "not always".

That was a part primer only, indoors, and the ears were ringing pretty much the rest of the day. I had to do some laundry too if memory serves. lol
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Oh sh..Im glad that you ok. This another reason for using snapcaps.
 
_Shorty said:
Got a CZ? Take apart the bolt and look at the design of the bolt and the firing pin. It speaks for itself. For that matter, take a straight edge and hold it up to the bolt face and look at where the firing pin tip is in relation to the straight edge. Ain't happenin'.
Click to expand...
https://czubstrapiwebsitestorage.bl..._CZ_457_05_2025_en_es_cs_de_fr_48cf870932.pdf

What does page 5 state?

https://czubstrapiwebsitestorage.bl..._Target_12_2025_en_es_cs_de_fr_6d2ab0831c.pdf

Page 4 also says for match chambers.
 
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IMHO, with it being so easy to avoid dry firing on anything...it's simpler to remember "don't do it" than to remember the short list of guns it's OK with. But then, on a monthly + basis the question gets asked "can I ignore the data stamp on the barrel and feed this gun something else?"...here on CGN. We know there are limited circumstances there too, but exactly why? Have a spare finger or eye layin' around? Can't guys direct their natural, dumb curiosity in some other direction? lol

Forgot to mention, for things like O/U shotguns or centerfire semis these are (to me) the best option. Smooth aluminum, red/easy identifiable as not brass, rubber/silicone where the primer would be.

https://www.gotenda.com/product/lyman-zoom-7-62x39-snap-caps-2pack/
 
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