Dry Firing

[JC420IN]

When I took my safety class a couple weeks ago the instructor said that if you can't make it to the firing range as much as you'd like you should at least spend awhile every day dry firing so the you have a good feel for your gun's trigger pull. I was always taught that dry firing was bad for a gun, what is your opinion on this? Do you think you should at least use a dummy bullet if you are going to do this?

[9MMDerringer]

I think it changes from gun to gun, but I am totally unsure which can be dry fired and which cannot. I know that I the range instructors on the police department told me we should dry fire our Glock 19s and 17s, but I also read in some literature on other guns I own that dry firing other guns would damage them. I know someone here can answer this !!

[gunderwood]

Most pistols have a spring buffered firing pin (the hammer provides the energy to push the firing pin forward, while the spring pulls it back). These are ok to dry fire. Most rifles do not and the firing pin hits metal. Overtime the firing pin will become brittle and break. If you are unsure, get a snap cap.

[JC420IN]

I have a Ruger P95 and read the whole booklet and didn't see anything about it one way or another but as I said growing up I was always taught that you shouldn't do it.

[BluemontGlock]

this is only what i was told, and made some sense...so, again, anyone feel free jump in and correct me...

but i was 'informed' that dry firing "modern" pistols is fine due to modern metalurgy... and that striker fired pistols are basically "imune" to the effects of dry firing ( ??? please chime in one this item...as i believe that nothing is immune to wear...but ???) but that pistols that are older (30+ years) should not be dry fired because they tend to have alot of metal on metal contact and that the metals they used did not stand up to the wear and tear nearly as well as modern metal combinations...also proffered up was the "fact" that many of hte older revolvers had the firing pin on the end of the hammer, and it could bend, crack, and/or fall off, making it into a great paper wieght, usually at the worst possible momment...

I do dry fire my Glock...and i believe it has helped "quiet" my trigger pull...and dry firing and empty handling of my pistol allows me to focus on finger pad placement on the trigger with out looking, reloading, moving with a firearm straped on (ever try to roll on the ground with a holster strapped to your side?) etc. and everything else it take to effectively operate a firearm...I have picked up and put back snap caps about a 100 times...I suppose if i have a real issue, i will buy a new firing pin...we have a few (older or repro) revolvers, and i do not dry fire those...

Additionally, if i handle my firearm often, it is like my car, I know when something is amiss, as you drive your car everyday, and anything that is different than yesterday will stick out...and i am lucky, if i want to, i walk out back and burn through a clip and see how it is shooting today...

anyone else gotten this explanation before..? or others, and to the pro's or cons?

thanks for all the add in's...


Great day today on the VGOF board!

[ProShooter]

+1 on snap caps. A Zooms are the best.

[Everett113]

You never DRY FIRE a RIM FIRE. 22lr are the most popular.
All modern firearms will not be affected by dry fireing.
Feel free to CLICK away

[maljay]

Well, let me correct one point. Not all modern or striker fired guns can be dry fired without a snap cap. I recently took my M&P 9 into Virginia Arms to find out what was going on with my stiker. I thought the spring was broken. Rob immediately told me that the striker was broken and when he pulled it out in three pieces, I believed him. He said that I should always dry fire with snap caps. I am not sure if he meant with the M&P or all striker fired but he made a sale of snap caps anyway. Wasn't too painful to replace the striker, including new springs and he replaced it right then and there. I agree that dry firing is probably as important, if not more so, as live firing. It has really helped with my trigger pull. BTW, I will continue to take my guns to Virginia Arms for any gun work. Great service.

[Diomed]

You never DRY FIRE a RIM FIRE. 22lr are the most popular.

Modern Ruger rimfires are okay to dry fire. Others, check the manual.

Never heard anything about it being bad for striker-fired guns.