Dry Fired Antique Swiss Revolver

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cz858lover

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I noticed a mild mechanical malfunction in my swiss revolver. In an attempt to replicate it, to see if it would happen again, I dry fired it maybe 50 times in a row.

In hind sight i know this was a huge no no, especially for an antique revolver with the firing pin built into the hammer. I really don't know what I was thinking doing that:(

do you think I may have caused damage to the gun by doing this?
 
cz858lover said:
I noticed a mild mechanical malfunction in my swiss revolver. In an attempt to replicate it, to see if it would happen again, I dry fired it maybe 50 times in a row.

In hind sight i know this was a huge no no, especially for an antique revolver with the firing pin built into the hammer. I really don't know what I was thinking doing that:(

do you think I may have caused damage to the gun by doing this?
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Short answer, probably yes. Quite a few years ago when I was green around handguns, I dry fired a 1975 Colt Detective with similar hammer mounted firing pin.
It only took less that a dozen dry firing sequences I broke the firing pin.
 
It's probably OK. Just looked at mine to see what would happen if dry fired. The Swiss 1882 firing pin doesn't come in contact with anything when dry fired. Part of the hammer touches the frame.
 
It’s the same with a percussion gun, I learned at an early age a hammer falling on an anvil with nothing to soften the blow will have bad results. Example the first rifle I built was percussion. First dry fire it snapped at the tumbler, sheared it right off flush with the lock plate. I got a lecture on dry firing, without a piece of leather on the nipple, from the guy who taught me contemporary gun making. Never dry fire a hammer gun of any sort. Especially one with a fixed pin in the face, or if it strikes on a nipple in the case of a percussion. You break it good luck sourcing parts. You gotta make them these days, they don’t sell them off the shelf.
 
cz858lover said:
I noticed a mild mechanical malfunction in my swiss revolver. In an attempt to replicate it, to see if it would happen again, I dry fired it maybe 50 times in a row.

In hind sight i know this was a huge no no, especially for an antique revolver with the firing pin built into the hammer. I really don't know what I was thinking doing that:(

do you think I may have caused damage to the gun by doing this?
Click to expand...

On those revolvers hammer whacks directly against the frame, while firing pin protrudes through its passage to the breach. So more you dry fire the more damage you will make to the frame. What is harder, frame or hammer? I think hammer will win in that contest and your frame will crack sooner than hammer will brake. Frame is antique firearm in Canada, not the hammer. So stop dryfiring your revolver and take it to gunsmith to fix issue if you can't do it yourself.
 
I inspected it and didn't notice any visible damage to any components. Part of the firing pin, near where it makes contact with the hole, is a little lighter in color then the rest of the firing pin. Doesn't look like its cracking or breaking though.

Do you think there could be any hidden damage that I'm missing?

I definitely won't be dry firing it ever again. I got tunnel vision trying to see if the problem would happen again and failed to see the big picture.
 
bgcameron said:
I don't have an answer for you, but I am curious what your malfunction was?
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In double action mode, sporadically, the cylinder fails to rotate to the next chamber. It always happens on the same cylinder too.

I'm so worried that I may have damaged this fine piece of history trying to recreate the problem.
 
do you guys think I caused any real damage to it?

can it be damaged with no visible signs of damage?

Is there anything I can do at this point to salvage it?
 
Just use it you worry to much lol. If it fails it fails. Cross that bridge when and if you get to it. This is the risk and the fun of using antiques.
 
cz858lover said:
do you guys think I caused any real damage to it?

can it be damaged with no visible signs of damage?

Is there anything I can do at this point to salvage it?
Click to expand...

Sounds like you need some peace of mind. If it was mine and I was as worried as you I would send it to my friend who does NDT (non-destructive testing).

You could always get an opinion from a gunsmith as well.
 
No. Not what so ever by and measurable amount. Steel does not soften, harden, change its metallurgy, become weaker or stronger over any period of time.

These guns did not have an expected dry fire countunless there was a manufacturing defect in one of these components one would certainly imagine the gun as designed should be able to handle hundreds of dry fires, if not thousands or tens of thousands.


Your dry firing was a mere drop in the bucket of its dry firing lifespan. Was the bucket almost full when you got the pistol or were yours the first drops?

I wouldn't be afraid you created any significant damage. If there is damage, it was already there.
 
Oh crap youve buggered it beyond all value and safety. My best advice to you is to ship it to me on your dime so I can safely dispose of this destroyed historical death machine.
 
It's to late to worry about it now... take someone you don't like to the range and have them shoot it first 20 times. Hahha - I'm kidding.
 
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