Dry firing a shotgun

R

Roddy

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When I was at Wholesale Sports today I asked if I could dry fire a Stevens 350 shotgun as I hear they are nice except for the awful triggers. The woman told me I could not dry fire any shotguns because it would damage them. She said it was common knowledge that dryfiring ruins shotguns and everyone at the store knew that.

I have been shooting for years and have never heard this, I dry fire my shotguns all the time. I thought the only weapons you aren't supposed to dry fire are rim fires. I can totally understand them not wanting someone to dry fire a shotgun for safety reasons or because they want to sell them as "unfired", but damaging the gun? Is there any truth to this? The woman also told me a 12 gauge was not a centerfire so I don't know how much she really knows.
 
Sounds like she may not have a lot of practical experience. I too dry fire my shotguns, mostly when puttting them away to take pressure off the springs. I have heard its not good with some over unders because the bar transfer bar can break. snap caps are good for that. But I am sure of one thing, 12 ga is centerfire lol.
 
5440fight said:
Everything you hear in a gun shop is true, but the preceding statement is false.
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I never take anything I hear at a gun shop too seriously. When I want a solid answer I go the the most reliable source there is, the internet.:D

Oh by the way Wholesale Sports has 20% off ammo right now, which is how the non-centerfire thing came up. And even that was confusing because rimfire ammo is also on sale.
 
REM700J said:
Sounds like she may not have a lot of practical experience. I too dry fire my shotguns, mostly when puttting them away to take pressure off the springs. I have heard its not good with some over unders because the bar transfer bar can break. snap caps are good for that. But I am sure of one thing, 12 ga is centerfire lol.
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Springs dont weaken under pressure. They weaken when the range of motion is complete.
 
I thought the only weapons you aren't supposed to dry fire are rim fires.
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Correct. With a centrefire shotgun, you're fine.
The woman told me I could not dry fire any shotguns because it would damage them. She said it was common knowledge that dryfiring ruins shotguns and everyone at the store knew that
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.

No! Bad! Get back in that kitchen!
 
So are you saying I should leave all my firearms cocked?? Or am I miss understanding. Not being sarcastic but a bit curious.
 
I don't dryfire my shotguns on an empty chamber. I own snap caps for that.

That came from working as a trap kid in my high school years, and all the old-timers there were dead certain a dry fired shotgun would destroy itself.

Until I met military guys who are trained to dry fire a couple of times a day, I totally believed them.
 
de-mix said:
Would pulling the trigger on that shotgun really make or break the sale?
Im all for these folks turning away non-buyers.
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I might not have bought the gun that day, but yes dry firing is something I like to do before buying a gun. I know it isn't always an option but when the gun is in my hands and I want to harmlessly dry fire it and someone says "No!" for some reason they just made up it makes me not want to buy it. I bought a 700 SPS there and an employee insisted I dry fire it to see how the adjustable trigger felt.

I have spent thousands of dollars at Wholesale Sports. I am not a non-buyer. I went home and found a differant model online and bought that even though trying it out wasn't an option.
 
Yeah it was good you asked them first.
Just hate the feeling paying full price for a new gun the neighbourhood already handled.
Not many places offer display model discounts I doubt WSS does.
 
Some centerfire guns shouldn't be snapped. With others, it makes no difference.
Other people's guns shouldn't be snapped.
 
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