Dry Firing Webley
- Thread starter Kmeqk
- Start date
Oh jeez.... it's a MKII.
Some of my friends and family that have handled it recently (I just got it before Christmas) dry fired it a couple times (they all knew the pistol was safe, don't worry)... only 20-30 times in total I would say. I guess I will shut that down from now on. I'll look online for some snap-caps. Thanks lads.
Some of my friends and family that have handled it recently (I just got it before Christmas) dry fired it a couple times (they all knew the pistol was safe, don't worry)... only 20-30 times in total I would say. I guess I will shut that down from now on. I'll look online for some snap-caps. Thanks lads.
tactical870
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Buckhorn, Ontario
Epps stocks 455 A-Zoom snap caps.
With some designs, damage from dry firing is non-existant.
In others, if a firing pin were to break, it is may be readily replaced.
Then there are those where any damage is serious, and repairs are difficult or expensive.
Snapping an antique is not a good practice.
Not too long ago I made a replacement floating firing pin for a vintage British hammerless sidelock double 12 bore. It wasn't a difficult job. If the firing pin had been integral with the hammer, it would have been a misery.
In others, if a firing pin were to break, it is may be readily replaced.
Then there are those where any damage is serious, and repairs are difficult or expensive.
Snapping an antique is not a good practice.
Not too long ago I made a replacement floating firing pin for a vintage British hammerless sidelock double 12 bore. It wasn't a difficult job. If the firing pin had been integral with the hammer, it would have been a misery.
Dry fireing is hard on the main springs to, at least it is in 120 year old RimFire type guns, i seen a few break right in half from dry fireing.
im thinking its the shock that busts the springs, the primer is like a shock absorber.
I dont do it to my guns and if someone i handed one of my antique guns to started dry fireing it they would maby get to do it once before i got the gun back.
If you want to test the true trigger pull then put your finger in cross wise between the cocked hammer and frame it only hurts abit
and thats only if you dont have a snap cap.
I have never had anyone ever even #### one of my guns without asking me frist let alone dry fireing and antique.
im thinking its the shock that busts the springs, the primer is like a shock absorber.
I dont do it to my guns and if someone i handed one of my antique guns to started dry fireing it they would maby get to do it once before i got the gun back.
If you want to test the true trigger pull then put your finger in cross wise between the cocked hammer and frame it only hurts abit
and thats only if you dont have a snap cap.I have never had anyone ever even #### one of my guns without asking me frist let alone dry fireing and antique.
I've dry fired plenty of guns (antiques included) and never had a single issue. Personally, I think there's a lot of paranoia going around with these things, but that's just me. Maybe I'm wrong and the few hundred guns I've dry fired multiple times in my lifetime were just in such a great shape that nothing broke...?
Anyway, to each their own... I don't dry fire on purpose all the time like a fool and try to limit that practice, but sometimes I do when I want to check a gun for proper operation or to get a feel of a collectible gun that I haven't handled in a long time (trigger pull, etc) - in other words, I am not overly concerned about it, as some collectors seem to be. So far, 0 incidents... and yes, I also own a Webley MkI and think that it would take a lot more than dry fire to damage that big & thick firing pin on its' huge hammer, lol!
As for the springs, I really don't know the possible negative impacts of working the mechanism and/or dry fireing, as they were made for that. If the spring has good elasticity and isn't corroded, then it should be just fine. If it snaps, that's because it was due and was going to snap anyway in a not so distant future under normal operation.
My 2 cents... and I'm only talking from my own personal experience, so opinions (based on other experiences) may vary.
Anyway, to each their own... I don't dry fire on purpose all the time like a fool and try to limit that practice, but sometimes I do when I want to check a gun for proper operation or to get a feel of a collectible gun that I haven't handled in a long time (trigger pull, etc) - in other words, I am not overly concerned about it, as some collectors seem to be. So far, 0 incidents... and yes, I also own a Webley MkI and think that it would take a lot more than dry fire to damage that big & thick firing pin on its' huge hammer, lol!
As for the springs, I really don't know the possible negative impacts of working the mechanism and/or dry fireing, as they were made for that. If the spring has good elasticity and isn't corroded, then it should be just fine. If it snaps, that's because it was due and was going to snap anyway in a not so distant future under normal operation.
My 2 cents... and I'm only talking from my own personal experience, so opinions (based on other experiences) may vary.
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
The .455 Webley had a dry firing attachment. It is a brass device that clips on the hammer with a leather pad affixed tothe front of it. (I have one)
I can only ask, if you damage the hammer, WHERE are you going to get a replacement?????
Snap caps are the only other solution
I can only ask, if you damage the hammer, WHERE are you going to get a replacement?????
Snap caps are the only other solution
I had a Mk VI that I dry fired alot. The firing pin and springs were fine. BUT the breech face became peened and distorted and interfered with the proper rotation of the cylinder when the revolver was loaded. I would recommend not dry firing Webleys in general.
I've dry fired plenty of guns (antiques included) and never had a single issue. Personally, I think there's a lot of paranoia going around with these things, but that's just me. Maybe I'm wrong and the few hundred guns I've dry fired multiple times in my lifetime were just in such a great shape that nothing broke...?
Anyway, to each their own... I don't dry fire on purpose all the time like a fool and try to limit that practice, but sometimes I do when I want to check a gun for proper operation or to get a feel of a collectible gun that I haven't handled in a long time (trigger pull, etc) - in other words, I am not overly concerned about it, as some collectors seem to be. So far, 0 incidents... and yes, I also own a Webley MkI and think that it would take a lot more than dry fire to damage that big & thick firing pin on its' huge hammer, lol!
As for the springs, I really don't know the possible negative impacts of working the mechanism and/or dry fireing, as they were made for that. If the spring has good elasticity and isn't corroded, then it should be just fine. If it snaps, that's because it was due and was going to snap anyway in a not so distant future under normal operation.
My 2 cents... and I'm only talking from my own personal experience, so opinions (based on other experiences) may vary.
I agree with many of your points. I also have occasionally dry fired guns just to get a feel or check them out. I don't make a habit of it. I am not worried about any damage that may have been caused by some of the recent dry firing- I just won't do it anymore without snap caps (thanks for the tips on where they are lads). I actually have a friend who insists that firing a gun takes TEN YEARS off the life of the firing pin. I don't understand how he came up with this conjecture.
david doyle-I am not really worried about people talking about the revolver, these were family members and friends- all of whom own their own firearms. They know the protocol. But your advice is sage, the less people the better I suppose.
I am going to call EPPS about the snap caps, hopefully they will have ammo too....
I've seen some guns (revolvers and rifles) that raised a bit of a lip around the hole where the firing pin pokes through from dry firing, even high quality guns (winchester '94 rifle and french 1892 revolver). It can be fixed by filing down the raised edge or peening it down.
