Settle an argument for me....

[Noximus03]

A buddy of mine and I shoot rimfire for training, and sometimes Steel Challenge. Here's the background. He hammers down after every string, I never do. I've told him that doing that is bad for the breech and the firing pin (thats what my dad always taught me and I never question dad), but he's convinced that doing that is not only safe, but poses no issue to the gun being damaged.

This debate has been going on for quite sometime, so in the interests of never speaking about it again we've both decided to put it to a nation wide poll. Please, if you cast a vote, explain your reasoning. Thanks for the look...

[Paul-the new guy]

On some rimfire firearms it is ok, the breech face is releived enough to not damage the firing pin.

[22 shooter]

As Paul say, it all depends on the gun

[whitedog]

Best way to tell...how I was taught. Is put crayon mark on breech. Pull trigger. If there is a mark don't dryfire. The firing pin is hitting. All the old rim fire revolvers I have restored ( 1900's ) all hit. Very common to have to reweld hammer. Hope this helps.

[gm iprod]

As far as I know. All modern semi autos handguns have a relieved bolt face and the firing pin rarely will strike the breech face with enough force to damage the firearm. Older guns however this is certainly not the case. As whitedog has said old rimfire revolvers will invariably hit. My own personal S&W M41 is some 27years old. Had thousands of rounds through. Hammer dropped at least 10times every time it went to the range and the breechface, chamber mouth and firing pin are in perfect order. The gun club I shoot at owns 5 or 6 Ruger Mk2 pistols and they have been around for longer than my M41 and they get a hiding. Not sure that we have ever had to clean up breech face or chamber mouth, but we have had the odd issue with the firing pins, but never chipping or hammering over the pointy end.

[GrumpyOne]

S&W M22 specifically says NOT to dry fire, as it will damage the gun. A friend didn't believe it, bought one, dry fired it for a couple of days, never firing a round. When.he went to live fire it, it never went bang.... Returned to S&W for repair.

[DCMJ]

Ruger MkII/III are safe to dry fire. The firing pin has a cross-pin that limits forward travel. Manual says dry firing is permissible.

That's the good news.

Bad news is that the cross-pin can fail and it is buried in the bolt making it impossible to do a quick inspection during a field-strip. The only way to know for sure is to perform a periodic tear-down/inspection of the bolt and firing pin.

Edited September 8, 2012 by DCMJ

[Pat Miles]

Ruger MkII/III are safe to dry fire. The firing pin has a cross-pin that limits forward travel. Manual says dry firing is permissible.

That's the good news.

Bad news is that the cross-pin can fail and it is buried in the bolt making it impossible to do a quick inspection during a field-strip. The only way to know for sure is to perform a periodic tear-down/inspection of the bolt and firing pin.

A word of caution...some of the Ruger Mk II's and III's I have worked on DID hit the breach face. Easy enough to check by putting a straight edge across the bolt face and pushing the firing pin forward. If the pin hits the straight edge pull the firing pin and face it back with a file so the firing pin clears the straight edge.

Pat

[HostileHabitat]

I have always read that 22 pistols in general should be a no go for dry firing. Thats my vote...

[MILDOTS]

I dry fired my mod 41 Smith & Wesson .22 when I was a lot younger (empty chamber) I had to replace the firing pin. I now take an empty .22 case and use it for a snap cap.

I have dry fired my center fires(empty chamber) with no problems. I try to learn from my mistakes. The gun in question was purchased in 1961 so they might be built differently now.