1.) Swamp Fox - 02/18/2015

She mentions specifically not to dry-fire rimfires. I know many rimfire manufacturers advise that their guns won't tolerate it, but is that the case with all? I've been under the impression that some bolts were okay. Yes?

How about RF revolvers? Semi-auto pistols or rifles? Does anyone shoot pump .22's anymore? LOL

As far as centerfires go, I think most bolt action rifles are okay. Are there some that aren't? It used to be a universal no-no with hammer-fired lever actions, as far as I know.

I see some CF semi-auto pistols using snap caps and others not. Is there a rhyme or reason to any of that? What about CF revolvers?

Shotguns: Seems like I see break-actions always using snap caps. Is there a mechanical reason for that, because I am unaware of the same tradition with pumps and SAs. I sometimes dry-fire turkey guns to get a feel for the triggers, not that I own any.

Finally, I've been paying attention to laser practice devices lately. They've come a long way, baby, in the last few years. Thoughts?

2.) bluecat - 02/19/2015

I use snap caps for everything even though I've heard that striker fired pistols aren't harmed. I know that rim fires (especially revolvers) should NOT be dry fired as the firing pin/mechanism hits the edge of the metal. There was a thread awhile back between myself and DParker about the best snaps to use. We could explore that if you need to.

I basically use them to fire the gun before storage so the spring is relaxed.

I once was made fun of by a Cabelas employee in Kearney Nebraska who told me it was dumb to buy snap caps for a .22 because firing pins were so cheap. What an ass.

3.) Wild Bob - 02/19/2015

I've always subscribed to the idea of following the manufactures recommendation when it comes to dry firing (imagine reading directions :re:) ...therefore the pistols I own; I dry-fire, the rifles and shotguns no.

4.) Swamp Fox - 02/19/2015

LOL re the Cabelas guy...

Good thinking about reading the manuals. :wink

I have a few thoughts on this whole thing, but you'll have to wait a little while so I can put them in a coherent form.

Besides, we haven't heard from the other three guys on the forum yet. :wink

5.) Wild Bob - 02/19/2015

"Besides, we haven't heard from the other three guys on the forum yet." - Swampy

:laugh:

Oh, and by the way...I like to snap my caps too. :wink

6.) bluecat - 02/19/2015

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;29907]

Besides, we haven't heard from the other three guys on the forum yet. :wink[/QUOTE]

Good one.


You might as well throw in releasing the slide without a round. It looks pretty good on YouTube. Makes you look like a badass. Not good for the gun though. Especially 1911s.

7.) bluecat - 02/19/2015

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;29897]


She mentions specifically not to dry-fire rimfires. I know many rimfire manufacturers advise that their guns won't tolerate it, but is that the case with all? I've been under the impression that some bolts were okay. Yes?

How about RF revolvers? Semi-auto pistols or rifles? Does anyone shoot pump .22's anymore? LOL

As far as centerfires go, I think most bolt action rifles are okay. Are there some that aren't? It used to be a universal no-no with hammer-fired lever actions, as far as I know.

I see some CF semi-auto pistols using snap caps and others not. Is there a rhyme or reason to any of that? What about CF revolvers?

Shotguns: Seems like I see break-actions always using snap caps. Is there a mechanical reason for that, because I am unaware of the same tradition with pumps and SAs. I sometimes dry-fire turkey guns to get a feel for the triggers, not that I own any.

Finally, I've been paying attention to laser practice devices lately. They've come a long way, baby, in the last few years. Thoughts?[/QUOTE]

You didn't include bolt action shotguns. I knew someone that had one. When he pulled it out I couldn't stop laughing.

8.) Swamp Fox - 02/19/2015

LOL...

They're not exactly uncommon here in slug gun format. I see them at shows every once in a while. More popular in shotgun-only states, I'm sure. They've apparently been around a lot longer than I knew. I always thought they came out of the deer hunting boom (starting, say, in the 90's) in those shotgun-only states, especially in rifled format, but I guess they've been used as smoothbore scatterguns for (at least) turkeys as well, for some reason that is beyond me. Maybe because old guns were cheap?

[url]http://www.guns.com/2013/08/21/mossberg-bolt-action-shotguns-odd-never-felt-so-good/[/url]

9.) Swamp Fox - 02/19/2015

[QUOTE=bluecat;29913]Good one.


You might as well throw in releasing the slide without a round. It looks pretty good on YouTube. Makes you look like a badass. Not good for the gun though. Especially 1911s.[/QUOTE]

Like flicking a revolver cylinder closed one-handed with some wrist action, LOL. Looks cool; an expensive problem waiting to happen.

Also, don't look into the muzzle to see if the gun is loaded, LOL.

10.) Floyd - 02/19/2015

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;29917]Like flicking a revolver cylinder closed one-handed with some wrist action, LOL. Looks cool; an expensive problem waiting to happen.

Also, don't look into the muzzle to see if the gun is loaded, LOL.[/QUOTE]

Closet pistol twirlers - you can see it in their eyes. (Humor)

You know the guy. He likes to twirl his pistol when he thinks no one is looking.

[video=youtube_share;tYjnH8UfYOQ]http://youtu.be/tYjnH8UfYOQ[/video]

Seems the article was more about using 'dry fire' as a means to gaining or keeping proficiency; as in training. I wonder if next weeks article will talk about the placing a dime on top of the barrel while dry firing method for training trigger control?

11.) Swamp Fox - 02/19/2015

[QUOTE=Floyd;29919]Seems the article was more about using 'dry fire' as a means to gaining or keeping proficiency; as in training. I wonder if next weeks article will talk about the placing a dime on top of the barrel while dry firing method for training trigger control?[/QUOTE]



I don't know, but I can tell you I'm looking forward to seeing more of her videos. :wink

12.) Swamp Fox - 02/19/2015

Okay, here goes:

I threw the question(s) out there the way I did because I don't think there's a rule of thumb on dry-firing "anymore."

When I refer to dry-firing below, I mean without snap caps, unless I say otherwise.

Before I lost all my guns in a series of canoe accidents, I remember distinctly a few models that were proscribed for dry-firing, and a few that gunwriters/experts approved for the practice,[B] including rimfires[/B]. I'm not sure I've ever seen an owner's manual that specifically said dry-firing the weapon was approved, but I have heard of such notices.

Beyond that, the following is a combination of my personal experience, imperfect memory, and what I have been able to learn from reading and from my gunsmith, over time:

"Older" hammer guns of any sort are not okay to dry-fire because of the way the firing pin/whole firing mechanism was/may have been designed, while newer ones [B]generally[/B] are [B]probably[/B] okay, especially if they are of the centerfire persuasion. Stop and slowly back away from the gun, though, if the firing pin is integral to the hammer or otherwise strikes at an angle, as faithful modern replicas of “old” guns would require.

Rimfire hammer-fired revolvers or rifles that use a transfer bar [B]should[/B] be okay to dry-fire, while those that do not are probably trouble. I would think the same thing would apply to a semi RF pistol, but I have no experience with any hammer-fired semi-auto RF pistols, with or without transfer bars.

Again, I do know of some bolt and semi-auto RF's that are allegedly or in fact manufacturer-approved for dry firing. This is by virtue of the design of the firing mechanism and/or design of the throat/ breech. Here, your owner’s manual should be your guide.

So that's the “on the other hand" for rimfires, from my perspective.

The break-action shotgun thing (I think we can expand this to BA rifles as well) seems to be a matter of age and design, too, from what I understand. There are apparently newer designs/newer materials for BA firing mechanisms which would lessen or even eliminate the need for snap caps, but I'd say if Ol' Bessy is out of production you probably don't want to be taking any chances with her. Use snap caps.

I can't imagine why a straight-line firing pin in any other type of shotgun (including bolts, LOL) would be different from a straight-line firing pin in any centerfire rifle or pistol, so we're not talking about metal hitting metal with any of these fireams. We could be talking about strength of materials and slop and springs and over-travel, etc., though.

However, I've never handled a centerfire (rifle or pistol) that I know of that dry-firing was a no-no for (except pre-transfer bar and replica hammer guns, and the aforementioned older break-actions), but I'm guessing some exist, particularly among older guns.

I’ve probably left something out of that ramble, or been unintentionally vague or unclear somewhere, but I hope I’ve walked the proper line between generalities and specifics at least. Feel free to straighten me out if you see anything you disagree with, or add where I have omitted.

13.) bluecat - 02/19/2015

You're right and thanks for posting that. It's good practice.

14.) bluecat - 02/19/2015

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;29921]
Before I lost all my guns in a series of canoe accidents, [/QUOTE]

Darn the luck...:wink

15.) Swamp Fox - 02/19/2015

That's exactly what I said, except much louder. :wink

16.) Swamp Fox - 02/19/2015

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;29916]LOL...

They're not exactly uncommon here in slug gun format. I see them at shows every once in a while. [/QUOTE]

Well, I guess I should restate that. They ARE uncommon but not like unicorns are. The ONLY place I've seen them are at gun shows, LOL. I don't know what everyone has stashed in the back of their closets, though. Maybe there are more of them here than I know of.

17.) bluecat - 02/19/2015

I seem to think it might have been a re-purposed gun after having read the link you provided. I suppose it would be useful for deer or turkeys. At the time we were grouse hunting. I think if you knew this guy you would almost say it was fitting for him to own it. LOL!

18.) Swamp Fox - 02/19/2015

Grouse with a bolt, LOL.

I know guys like that! It's possible I'm one of them! :-)

I enjoyed that article myself. I had no idea about most of it. I particularly liked where he shoots the flare out of his gun...."Don't show my dad this article." LOL

19.) Deerminator - 02/20/2015

An occasional dry-fire is prolly ok but repeated dry fires not so much.

20.) bluecat - 02/20/2015

I know there is no rationale for using a snap cap when the manufacturer says it's okay to dry-fire. I just don't like to hear metal on metal. There's always that voice of doubt that runs through my mind.

If I knew how guns worked better I might not be so inclined to use snap caps. :-)

To disassemble a Glock you have to dry-fire. At least that's what I've been told. :wink

21.) Swamp Fox - 02/20/2015

Snap 'em if you've got 'em. :tu:

It's still almost a free country. :wink