dry fire
- Thread starter rkr
- Start date
Some 22's are safe to dry fire because of how they are designed/built. I believe Ruger 10/22's are listed as safe to dry fire in the manual. I don't remember exactly but I believe there is a catch that stops the firing pin before it hits the back edge of the chamber (but after it would have hit the case rim).
Some are not safe but 2-3 dry firings wont hurt anything in even a mediocre quality rifle. A lot of people get really excited about dry firing and say to do it even once is the worst thing you can do. The reality is with modern steels and better designs, it's a lot safer to dry fire firearms than it was 50+ years ago.
What happens most often is over time, with many dry firings, the edge of the chamber can get peened and cases either stick or don't chamber properly anymore. You can also damage the firing pin with dry firing. Once when I was at the range a guy had his firing pin crumble to dust in a brand new Norinco rifle when he snapped it on an empty chamber. Of course that's Norinco for you; quality is hit or miss, all over the map.
I had a BSA Martini with a peened over chamber. It was from the 1920's though so no idea how many times it was dry fired. A friend of mine dry fired his Cooey repeater many times, probably hundreds of times over several years, and it wasn't the worse for wear.
This video is about how to fix a damaged chamber but shows a really good shot of what it looks like at the 28 second mark:
Some are not safe but 2-3 dry firings wont hurt anything in even a mediocre quality rifle. A lot of people get really excited about dry firing and say to do it even once is the worst thing you can do. The reality is with modern steels and better designs, it's a lot safer to dry fire firearms than it was 50+ years ago.
What happens most often is over time, with many dry firings, the edge of the chamber can get peened and cases either stick or don't chamber properly anymore. You can also damage the firing pin with dry firing. Once when I was at the range a guy had his firing pin crumble to dust in a brand new Norinco rifle when he snapped it on an empty chamber. Of course that's Norinco for you; quality is hit or miss, all over the map.
I had a BSA Martini with a peened over chamber. It was from the 1920's though so no idea how many times it was dry fired. A friend of mine dry fired his Cooey repeater many times, probably hundreds of times over several years, and it wasn't the worse for wear.
This video is about how to fix a damaged chamber but shows a really good shot of what it looks like at the 28 second mark:
Bought a used Walther TPH .22 . It would sometimes fire - other times - examined the barrel face - had been dry fired enough to work a "divet" in the barrel face that would prevent the crushing of the rim primer. Removed the barrel - into the milling machine - shaved a few thous off the face - problem solved. In some guns it is a real problem. Easier not to do it than to repair the damage. IMO.
I have a modern .22 of recent design and manufacture (within the last few years), and the owners manual specifically says to NOT dry fire.
Lesson? Consult the owners manual for the specific gun you have. If unsure, contact the manufacturer.
elimsprint
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- Kelowna, BC
If you don't mind my asking, What modern .22 would that be?
Attilathecanuk
CGN Regular
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- On the way to Onoway
I believe the manual for my ruger mk 2 tells you to dry fire before cleaning(you cannot open the mainspring thingy without releasing or firing the firing pin). I have also been dry firing the cooeys and other rifles for years without issue.
I picked up a tip from another website (can't remember the source) and have been using it for a while. Use #6 (yellow) drywall plugs as snap caps. In my experience, they fit into the chamber and magazines of my .22 rifle or pistol. The firing pin hits and dents the plastic rim but the firing pin does not contact the barrel face. Often you can only feed one "round" from the magazine as multiple "rounds" tend to get hung up - put one "round" in the chamber and one in the magazine and you can practice running the bolt. The rims get pretty chewed up after about 10 dry firings or get bent if they don't chamber properly. Throw it out and get another for a few cents. After you are done dry firing and have perhaps bent or broken a few plugs feeding them into the chamber, make sure to check your barrel for plastic bits (just in case) before you use real cartridges.
hometownhero
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- Toon Town, Sk
On a bolt action take the bolt out and decock it see if the pin sticks out farther then the bolt face.
I knew someone was going to ask. Little Badger. No, it is not an advanced design, but it is what would be considered a modern .22 by most.
This, the LB will damage the chamber if you dry fire it - the metal is so soft it isn't hard to remedy, but it's still a pain, and if you do it enough, the damage will be permanent.
Also, if you use chamber inserts in a 12gauge, you'll face the same problem.
I'm sure there are other examples as well. Best bet is to read your manual, or look it up for your specific gun. Some it is safe, some notsomuch.
