Dry-firing .22s -- what's the truth?

[Dilettante]

If you know the answer, you probably don't need any more explanation.

The boss at a range told me not to dry-fire a .22, because it's hard on the firing pin.

Another shooter has told me that it's not a problem with modern firing pins. (I don't know if that means they got tougher, or easier to replace!)

Now I've been told to dry-fire a lot, but that may have meant using a centerfire (see "Beginners' Mistakes") .

What is the truth here?

 

[newman32]

I always understood that dry firing a .22 was a no-no because the firing pin is offset (rimfire) and unless the soft brass of the cartridge is there to strike, it could cause damage. I think it is OK to dryfire MOST centerfires. The only manuf. that I know of that explicitly warns against dryfiring is the Kel Tek (P11). There might be others, but that is the only one I know of. Lots of people like to use snap caps regardless.

 

[Owen]

Newmann is correct. The firing pin on a rimfire may strike the edge of the chamber. Eventually the edge of the chamber will be peened suficiently to cause 3 problems.

1) Material pushed into the chamber will cause poor feeding
2) Material pushed into the chamber will cause poor extraction and ejection
3) The divot on the end of the barrel will create a condition where the .22 casing is not supported sufficiently to allow for ignition...the rim can't be crushed is there is nothing behind it.

Some gunsit won't be a problem (Ruger MKII, according to owners manual) and some will (S&W M41, from experience)

owen

 

[whitebear]

I agree with Owen - read your owners manual. If one isn't available for the gun you are using, and you aren't familiar with the model, err on the side of caution.

If you always want to be prepared, check with Brownells for a box of their .22 action proving dummy rounds. About $7.00 - cheaper than most snap cap sets and much longer lasting.

 

[9x19]

Not all .22s have a firing pin that is long enough to reach the chamber.

In those guns, dry-firing will not harm the chamber... most older .22s had firing pins that were long enough to reach the chamber, so damage could be done with those.

 

[Dorrin79]

I've always heard it is a no-no for all .22s except Ruger MkIIs, the manual for which specifically states they are safe for dry-firing.

 

[Bravo11]

I guess its just something I heard for so long that its burned in my head but I never dry fire anything unless I have to(cleaning, repair, etc.).
I cringe everytime I see it done. I know that it is probably OK with most guns if not done frequently but still....

 

[Dilettante]

If you always want to be prepared, check with Brownells for a box of their .22 action proving dummy rounds. About $7.00 - cheaper than most snap cap sets and much longer lasting.

The dummy rounds look interesting.
What happens when you fire with one of them in the chamber?
They seem to come by the box, so I assume that you use up the dummy round somehow when you "shoot" it.

I still don't know what snap caps are BTW.

 

[Navy joe]

Just dry fire with a spent case in the chamber.

 

[Detritus]

What happens when you fire with one of them in the chamber?
They seem to come by the box, so I assume that you use up the dummy round somehow when you "shoot" it.

I still don't know what snap caps are BTW.

the brownells site does not seem to say that the dummies are expendable so i rather think that they are reusable. the reason that Snap caps (expalined below) are sold in multiples is to allow both dry-fire AND failure drills (ie preactice what to do if teh round does NOT go off) i have a buddy who used to have his wife or a friend load his magazine for him with a dummy or snap-cap int eh miox at random, said it helped him practive clearing failures etc...

ok now for you;re other question

Snap-Caps = a dummy round usually made from plastic, a spent cartrige and new bullet, or in the case of A-zoom brand snap caps anodized alluminum, that has in place of the primer, a resilient material (some guys who reload fll the primer pocket with RTV silicone) or a spring cushioned "strike area" made of brass or other soft metal. they are intended to allow dryfire without the raised likelyhood of damage to the fireing pin or other components.
they are supposed to feed, extract, ect just like a regular round but most of the plastic ones don't. this is where the likes of the A-Zoom snapcaps come in they tend to be much closer to the actual weight of a live round and better simulate the characteristics of a "real" round.

 

[JohnKSa]

The correct answer is read the manual for the particular firearm in question.

Ruger equips ALL its rimfire guns with firing pin stops which make dryfiring safe for the gun.

Most target guns are equipped for safe dry firing.

The manual will tell the story.

 

[Shane]

Ruger equips ALL its rimfire guns with firing pin stops which make dryfiring safe for the gun.

Really? Thats great news.

I have a couple .22 Ruger revolvers (Bisley and Single-Six), and I never knew that it was safe to dry fire them.

 

[mete]

JohnKSa has it right , it depends how the particular gun is designed.

 

[whitebear]

The dummy rounds look interesting.
What happens when you fire with one of them in the chamber?
They seem to come by the box, so I assume that you use up the dummy round somehow when you "shoot" it.

I still don't know what snap caps are BTW.

Dilettante -

The dummy rounds are unprimed .22 cases with a hole drilled in the center of the bottom of the case, and a standard .22 bullet seated in the mouth of the case. They are also painted black to prevent their being confused with live ammo.

They can be reused for dry-firing many, many times before the rim gets completely beaten up. The nice thing about the dummy rounds as opposed to snap caps, which are generally made of plastic or plastic and light alloy, is that they weigh and handle just like regular ammunition. My son, who is a smallbore precision rifle competitor, uses them for dry-firing practice. He likes the feel and sound they give him while dry-firing the rifle much more than what he gets from the other snap caps.

 

[rick_reno]

dry firing 22's

Lary Carter sells a neat chamber plug for the Hammerli target pistols that lets them be dry fired. The advantage of this plug over using a spent case is the extractor doesn't grab it every time you cycle the gun to reset the trigger. I've used mine in Hammerli's and High Standard pistols for dry fire practice, and I gave one to a guy with a S&W 41 to use (it worked). They're very inexpensive, you get 5 of them for $6.40.

http://www.larrysguns.com/hammguns.asp

Other have reported good luck using one of those plastic things that goes into sheetrock allowing you to anchor a screw. I don't know what they're called, I believe it's the "blue" size that works in a 22. These might be grabbed by the extractor, having never used one I wouldn't know.

My Pardini SP came with a plug for it's chamber that is very tough, it's made of hard plastic. One of these might work in other 22's, I've never tried it. Don Nygord should have them.
http://www.nygord-precision.com/nav.html

 

[Old Fuff]

It depends on the particular firearm. Some have the breechface recessed for the cartridge's rim and the barrel's face is flat. These may be safe to dry-fire if they're is a positive stop built into the fireing pin because the pin can't reach the chamber. However extensive dry-firing may cause the pin to batter, and eventually break.

Other guns (especially revolvers) have the rim clearence cut into the chamber. Here is where you may end up with a battered "dinged" chamber that effects chambering.

In any case I think it is advisable to use snap-caps or empty cases in the chamber while dry-firing. Why take unnecessary chances that might result in damage to the gun, even when that possibility is remote?

Shane:

I have seen dinged chambers in Ruger Single-Six revolvers caused by dry-firing, the manual not withstanding. When I want to practice with mine I simply remove the cylinder and have at it.

 

[Kharn]

I have a bag of the Brownells Saf-T-Trainers in .22lr (I also have .45acp, .223, .308 and 7.62x39, I needed to be able to test the feeding of my guns after some dremeling without risking discharging a round in my basement so I bought them for every caliber I commonly work on), the impact of the firing pin does indent the plastic a little but they are reusable.

I chose them over snap-caps or dummy rounds because setback basically ruined a set of Brownells .45acp dummy rounds by their second or third feeding through my 1911 (I was working on the feed ramp), luckily Brownells credited my account when I returned the dummies and bought the Saf-T-Trainers.

Kharn

 

[SelfProclaimedExpert]

Even with a Ruger, I would keep the dry firing to a practical minimum. You might not be beating up the chamber, but that stop pin isn't going to last forever, either.

 

[Keith]

Hey, .22 ammo is like ten bucks a brick... why dry fire?

Keith

 

[Penforhire]

My problem practicing with A-Zooms in my 686+ is they practically jump out of the cylinder where spent rounds are stickier and require some technique to quickly extract 100%.

 

[Dilettante]

Hey, .22 ammo is like ten bucks a brick... why dry fire?

Keith

Is this a test or something?

I assume it's in order to learn the feel of pulling the trigger. Precise trigger control seems to be very important and hard to get, so I want to practice without all the other distractions that accompany live firing: recoil, anticipated recoil, noise, gunpowder smell, wondering if I hit anything.

But the real reason is because I asked some experienced people how to improve, and among other things, they told me to dry-fire a lot.

 

[Jaco]

My wife's .22 Revolver broke it's firing pin due to dry firing. Not advisable.

 

[Keith]

I assume it's in order to learn the feel of pulling the trigger. Precise trigger control seems to be very important and hard to get, so I want to practice without all the other distractions that accompany live firing: recoil, anticipated recoil, noise, gunpowder smell, wondering if I hit anything.

Shooting a .22 is tantamount to dry firing since it has negligible recoil, noise, ammo cost, etc.

The moving parts of .22's are fairly fragile and made of small stampings and tiny little springs, etc, so even if a particular model is supposedly safe to dry fire (or you use snap caps), I don't think it's a good idea.

Use your .22 for accuracy training with live fire. Use your centerfire gun for all other exercises.

Keith

 

[Owen]

Keith, advanced target shooters dryfire more than they live fire. Some free pistol shooters typically dryfires 2 or 3 times for every shot they take, during a match. And that is to maintain proper trigger control on a gun with a trigger pull of 1/4 pound or less.

One of the things it allows a shooter to do is concentrate on the process of firing a shot, without worying about the result. A good shot is generated by the process. It is possible to shoot a ten with a poor shot process, but it is impossible to shoot a clean match without a good process. Dryfiring allows the shooter to evaluate and improve the process of firing a single shot, without the unnecessary distraction of the gun firing, or the temptation of counting up the score. Score is happenstance, and only secondary to the process that is being developed through dryfiring.

Dry firing is extremely valauble, and in many ways is better than live fire for practice.

 

[Shane]

Shane:

I have seen dinged chambers in Ruger Single-Six revolvers caused by dry-firing, the manual not withstanding. When I want to practice with mine I simply remove the cylinder and have at it.

Oh heck, the .22 LR all plastic dry fire snap caps are cheap. I'll use them to be extra safe. I love my .22 Ruger revolvers, I certainly don't mind buying extra snap caps.