Dryfiring a rimfire rifle

[bush1]

I was always under the impression that it was bad form to dry fire a rim fire firearm as the firing pin could cause receiver damage.

So just picked up a new Ruger American 17 HMR and low and behold the manual states that after unloading and ensuring the chamber is empty, close the bolt and with the rifle pointing in a safe direction, pull the trigger.

Also says that after trigger pull adjustment, to familiarize yourself with the trigger’s pull weight by dry-firing.

Goes against what I believed before and I don’t think I’ll be doing it but thought I’d mention it.

 

[coleman1495]

Its not a problem for modern rimfires. The firing pin will not contact the chamber face. You’d have to dry fire it obsessively for a long time before you had an issue. Even then it could likely be repaired easily.

 

[stuckon308]

Most newer rimfires can but you would be foolish to not check with the manufacturer first. If I'm not mistaken Henry, CZ, Browning, and Ruger are fine. Savage and Anschutz are not recommended.

 

[Butcherbill]

My modern Marlin .22 is good to dry fire, iirc the factory manual specifically mentioned it.

 

[boxhitch]

We just make it a rule of thumb , do not dry-fire rimfires , easier than trying to remember specific offereings
but then again we handle more vintages and models and brands at a rimfire day

 

[Potashminer]

I was like the OP - I was also "under the impression" not to dry fire rimfires - I still do not like to do so - but, I have also noticed that several of the manuals say that the particular make or model is fine for that. So, I generally do not, or I use a blank or previously fired case as "cushion", unless I once again check in the book to see what the maker says about that one. Is not worth it to me to "guess", anymore - I have been shown to be incorrect too many times ...

 

[Wendell]

As they say, read the manual.

 

[OkayShooter]

Just goto the hardware store and get some yellow drywall anchors. Cheap snap caps. I don't as I seen 1022 with firing pin dents.

 

[ben777lemay]

Just goto the hardware store and get some yellow drywall anchors. Cheap snap caps. I don't as I seen 1022 with firing pin dents.

+1
I also recommend them.

 

[Hitzy]

If the rifle has a firing pin stop they can be dry fired. It's pretty rare to find a rimfire without one, even the Browning SA22 that is over 100 years old has a firing pin stop.

 

[dugasgunner]

I also use snap caps.

 

[JimV]

I use the yellow dry wall anchors just to be on the safe side. They’re cheap and work fine.

 

[Chumlee Bumsnag]

Yellow drywall anchors actually chamber and eject out my MK IV Hunter. Firing pin leaves a good dent in them.

 

[BattleRife]

As Hitzy said, if the gun was designed with a stop, it's fine.
Every single Ruger ever made has such a stop, they can all be dry fired indefinitely. I recall seeing on the US forums some mention of a US Army doctrine that existed for a while of doing pistol training with Ruger Mk II pistols, and heavy emphasis on dry firing. Apparently those guns were dry snapped many, many thousands of times.

 

[Potashminer]

I do not know "correct" answer, so reading this thread to learn. How can Post #8, " ... I seen 1022 with firing pin dents.", and Post #14, "Every single Ruger ever made has such a stop, ..." both be true?

 

[OkayShooter]

I do not know "correct" answer, so reading this thread to learn. How can Post #8, " ... I seen 1022 with firing pin dents.", and Post #14, "Every single Ruger ever made has such a stop, ..." both be true?

Excessive dry firing causes the pin to bend, then damage to your chamber. Google, as there are reports of this. While it okay to do it on a dry chamber, or cleaning, it's not meant to be done excessive.

 

[gunrunner100]

Having repaired quite a few chambers from dry firing, I make it a habit not to dry fire on an empty chamber.

 

[Big Bad]

Excessive dry firing causes the pin to bend, then damage to your chamber. Google, as there are reports of this. While it okay to do it on a dry chamber, or cleaning, it's not meant to be done excessive.

It also can cause the the metal of the pin to crystallize and become brittle, certainly a problem on older guns.

 

[JaysonCraig]

i dry fire the #### out of every firearm i own.

 

[Chumlee Bumsnag]

And last but not least, the worst of them all. Dry firing a muzzleloading percussion rifle. It mushrooms the end of the nipple and leaves this nasty mark in the hammer cup.
This was on an 'unfired' rifle I purchased a couple of years ago.