Breaking firearms for living...

Of all the 22 calibre rimfires that I have shot, or seen shot, or examined, I have yet to see a single firearm that has been damaged by dry firing.
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I have seen firearms made in the 80s where the firing pin was damaged by dry firing. In one case the breach face was indented, and the firing pin was slightly bent, and began to bind in the bolt. The firing pin had to be replaced to resolve the situation.
 
There are some currently manufactured rimfires that will peen the chamber if dry fired. Whether this is by design or due to manufacturing tolerances I don't know but in general I would stick to the rule that you don't dry fire a rimfire.
 
I'm pretty sure everyone has dry fired a bolt action when they've lost count of how many rounds they've already fired.
If this was going to damage the gun, in all truth it would be fair to say that every single rimfire is damaged goods.
It isn't an issue.
Now, if as you say he ignored you and had any attitude...that would be a different matter as to whether I shopped there.
 
I have a second hand Savage MK II and it looks like/sounds like the firing pin smashes against the breech face when there is no round in there. There is certainly an indent but it isn't closer to the bore when it would have to be to strike the rim of a round...
Does anyone know if the MK II is safe to dry fire? What about the Marlin XT-22?
 
I'm not going to read through 5 pages of comments, but that's what you get for going to gaging on. I went there years ago before I got my pal doing a little research and I was basically told to hit the bricks if i was not going to buy anything, VERY rudely. The young kid there is alright tho. maybe if he takes over ill go back. the rest seem like a bunch of old fudds.

Williams is not much better IMO. I have gone there and had them tell me to wait to get some powder (I was the only customer in the store) because the 4 or 5 employees were busy joking around and shooting the #### in front of me. There just plain all around disrespectful and I don't play like that.

I will only buy firearms from accuracy plus in pet. because they treat me super well and are very respectful and kind to everyone no matter your experience or knowledge base. (There may be the occasional joke at my expense but I'm O.K. with that) They have my business.

I recommend to everyone to shop at stores where they like the service. Maybe the others will catch on one day that being douches wont get repeat customers.
 
Wow...treatment like that from both Gagnon's AND Williams'?

When I lived in Ontario I was fairly regular at Gagnon's and a long-time loyal customer at Williams' and have nothing but praise for both of them. Frankly, I have to wonder exactly how a person would need to behave and present himself in order to be treated poorly by the staff at Williams in particular. Very curious...
 
I have had mainly good experiences with gagnons. The younger guys definately outshine most of the older guys in customer service. I say most because i have had ok experiences with a couple older guys too........ BTW, I was there looking for my first rimfire and dry fired it. I didn't have any clue it was bad for the rifle. I was gently asked not to do it again cause it could cause damage. Williams is pretty good but like every store there are some employees that go out of their way to service you and others that make you feel you are imposing.
 
I have heard it both ways that one should never 'dry fire' a firearm. This of course, ranges from revolvers to bolt actions.
It has been my experience that its usually the owner who prefers one or the other. I have an antique that I prefer not to dry fire, however; typically I do not buy firearms that cannot handle being 'dry-fired' (just my .02). If it can't handle a simple operation like that, I was not meant to use it.

As for the OP, I'm sorry to hear that you were stung twice by Gangon's. I don't do business with people who keep and use my personal information at their disclosure. I would have spoken up and voiced your feelings so that "Wayne" was aware. Business is also about customer service.
In the mean time, cheer up and sight your rifle in.
Happy plinking
 
stubblejumper said:
I have seen firearms made in the 80s where the firing pin was damaged by dry firing. In one case the breach face was indented, and the firing pin was slightly bent, and began to bind in the bolt. The firing pin had to be replaced to resolve the situation.
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I've had or have had two differing rimfire rifles that have been or could be damaged by dryfiring. One was a H&R rifle made in the 1950s, and the others are the Toz series of Soviet rimfire rifles. IIRC, Volquartson does come with instructions that say, do not dry fire thier rifles. Each firearm design has it's own idiosyncracies. Consult the owner's manual before dryfiring the empty action. Or prepare yourself to lay out some cash for a brand new firing pin. That could be some grief with changes in cross border business! (Post 9-11)
 
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If it is safe to dry fire a rimfire 22 why does Brownells sell a chamber ironing tool to smooth out the edge of the chamber after being dry fired to remove firing pin indentations? I have such a tool and I have used it on my Marlin 39a after being dry fired by me when shooting and not realizing that my magazine was empty. My 39a is only 3 years old and it had firing pin marks on the chamber rim from being dry fired. These marks caused the soft brass to indent into the firing pin marks when fired and prevented the weapon from extracting and ejecting properly and reliably. Now for rim fires that are automatic. I can't speak to that because I have never owned one or shot one. It would make sense to me that the chamber rim would have special tempering or design to stop damage from dropping the firing pin on an empty chamber?
 
OK, how to deal with the situation of being offered an obviously abused firearm in a sale. What are the options, and which is best?
Stop the sale, and buy a different gun somewhere else that has not been subjected to the indignity of dry firing; or,
Buy the gun anyway, and start a dramatic thread on the 'net.
 
tiriaq said:
OK, how to deal with the situation of being offered an obviously abused firearm in a sale. What are the options, and which is best?
Stop the sale, and buy a different gun somewhere else that has not been subjected to the indignity of dry firing; or,
Buy the gun anyway, and start a dramatic thread on the 'net.
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I enjoy the Drama and comedy.
 
Well said tiriaq, plus Gagnon Sports has already commented in this thread. I read every post here and still don't see a valid reason for its existence.
 
Here's a solution.

Place feet about 18 inches apart.

Jump up and down until the sand falls out of your panties. May have to un-bunch them panties first.

Repeat as required.

Get over yourself.

Re: the Marlin Firing pin. It shouldn't reach. Stone it shorter, after checking that it actually has a hard stop to butt up against. Chalk one more up for the Marlinton quality control. No, it's not an issue that can be solved by trying to heat treat the chamber area of a .22. It's an issue to be solved by making the parts to the correct tolerances.
I ran wild in the hills with an older Marlin 39, and I figure I must have dry fired it a hundred times for every shot I shot out of it, which was lots, and it did not show any damage. The firing pin should butt up against a hard stop, before reaching the breech face.

I can tell you from personal experience, that a improperly assembled bolt installed on a Ruger Mk2 will cause damage when dry fired. Must have the cross pin for the firing pin!:(

I dry fire all my firearms.

RTFM. Read the F'ing manual.


Cheers
Trev
 
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