does dry firing any gun hurt it?

Question

does dry firing any gun hurt it?

Answer 1

Yeah the firing pin could break off.

Answer 2

Just like buying a car, you should know everything you can about any firearm that you own or use. There is so much info on-line that there really is no excuse for not knowing. Some models have proven to have delicate or brittle pins. Some have replacement parts that solve all their problems and some are hard to find a pin for. Others, like the Ruger 10/22, tell you to dry fire it, right in the owners manual.

There are great forums out there with people who have been using and testing certain models for years who can also give you valuable info. Some people have done their own "Mythbusters" by dry firing certain models hundreds and thousands of times to see the results. It's good to find such info.

Using a snap cap is good advise as a measure to prevent damage, but it is no substitute for knowledge. The more you know the safer you will be and the longer your purchase will last.

Have Fun!

Answer 3

Most modern guns are designed to tolerate dry firing.
This is not true for all older guns.
I've inherited a nice old Sauer Dreiling
(2-16Ga. over 8 x 57 Rimmed)
that has been damaged by dry firing.
If you're not sure about a particular gun, use an
expended cartridge or a snap-cap.

Answer 4

the easiest way to know if it can be dry fired is this: if it is a revolver and the firing pin is fixed to the hammer and does not "free float" ( you can push up or down on it and it won't move, like on the old colt saa revolver) then do not dry fire as this will damage the pin or the frame. If it is a pistol, and the firing pin is spring loaded like on a 1911 style pistol, you can dry fire it with no harm. No rifle or shotgun with exposed hammer should be dry fired at all. On bolt action rifles, or shotguns with non exposed hammers, you can unload it and after making sure it has an empty chamber, go ahead and point it in a safe direction and pull the trigger(s) to release the hammer. It saves the springs not to be under tension when stored, will not harm anything if only done when unloading, but do not continue to dry fire the firearm as this can cause damage in the long run. Lastly, do not dry fire any antique firearm, nor should you dry fire any military weapon except to unload as described above. That is the most basic way I can explain it, if you still have questions on a specific firearm, contact me, or a local gunsmith to ascertain if it will harm that firearm. If you need to test it by dry firing, purchase a good quality "snap cap" type tool that has a spring loaded "primer" area on it so that it will absorb the impact and not harm the firearm.

Answer 5

It really depends on the design of the firing pin. It has nothing to do with the caliber. Some old CZ-52 pistols will shatter the firing pins after dry firing them once or twice, while the M16s we had in Basic had been dry fired thousands of times during the "Inspect, Arms" command. My Beretta shotgun is no good to dry fire, but my Mossberg has nothing against it. The Mossberg pin has a stiff spring holding it, though, whereas the Beretta does not. Consult your user manual, or do a search for your specific firearm before you dry fire it. Or, even better yet, load it with 'snap caps' or action proving rounds to cushion the blow of the firing pin as well as a soft primer would.

Answer 6

No. I did a search online to be sure of this before answering. You can check such websites as:
http://www.gunsworld.com/safety_us.html
Some people dry-fire for practice. However I can see why the idea might circulate that it would be bad for two possible reasons:
1) You should always treat a gun as though it's loaded. So never dry-fire a gun without aiming at a valid target as a matter of safety, no matter how sure you are that it's not loaded.
2) It is potentially bad to dry-fire something like a bow (without an arrow).
So either of these may account for the idea that it should not be done. However it won't hurt the gun according to everything I read.

I should qualify this however by saying it could depend on the type of gun.

Answer 7

Don't dry fire any weapon: dummy rounds for that purpose are cheap. Even if the failure is not immediate, the harsher, dry fire, impact can change the metallurgical qualities of the firing pin, extractor, springs and other closely related parts. Dummy rounds soften the impact, just like the strike into a live primer. On the other hand, gunsmiths have to earn a living too!

Answer 8

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
does dry firing any gun hurt it?
does dry firing any gun hurt it?

Answer 9

If you're afraid to fire your weapon dry there is a dummy round made that you can have in the weapon and use for dry firing. It's made by Armsport. Check with the local shop to see if they carry it.

Answer 10

On Most high quality guns, NO. On some guns like the el cheapos like the Taurus PT-22 and the Raven semi autos, the firing pin breaks.

Answer 11

Its better to be safe than sorry, put a dummy cartridge in it or snap caps.*