Dangers of dry firing a gun?

[PX4me]

Another reason to go Beretta.

I'm just wondering, how does a gun recoil without the explosion of the charge? I didn't think that was possible...

 

[pudly]

Ruger SR9c. I tried it based on PX4me's comments. I could semi-rack the slide sometimes to reset the trigger, but not nearly often enough to consider it useful. If I was working that way, I would use a mag of snap caps. Instead, I am happy to dry fire it.

 

[chezuki]

I'm just wondering, how does a gun recoil without the explosion of the charge? I didn't think that was possible...

Huh?

 

[Libertarian01]

So by your reasoning, any warning, or actually, ANYTHING in a user manual "doesn't mean anything" as long as you don't understand it or disagree with it. Those pesky facts and science just get in the way of your "truth".
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight...

To LANShark42 (et alia),

I haven't seen a straw man argument combined with an ad hominem attack in a good while. Outstanding!

If you would read what I said then you would understand that I was pushing people to use facts and science to come to conclusions, not a jumble of anectdotal stories.

I simply questioned the premise that, without proof or substantiation, we do not blindly as sheep accept that what a manufacturer says is the gospel truth.

Perhaps the warnings are based on science and facts. If so, good for them.

However, perhaps the warnings are simply there to provide some CYA without any more thought than that.

Has anyone asked them?

As much as I enjoy shooting and respect the work of gun manufacturers there is not pedestal for them from me. They need to prove themselves just like everyone else.

And for those reading I am NOT saying they are wrong. I am simply questioning whether their "warning" is based on anything. Is it?

In the final analysis as I see it not a single scientist or engineer has made a logical, fact based argument on here as to why, backed by data, dry firing is "bad" considering modern metallurgical and manufacturing standards.

Ergo, my argument still stands: Dry firing = no statistically significant risk of damage to a centerfire weapon.

Regards,

Doug

 

[PX4me]

Huh?

Correct the newb if I'm wrong but...

When you pull the trigger of a semi-automatic hangun with a live round in the chamber, the hammer moves forward, pushing firing pin forward. The firing pin strikes the primer in the casing which in turn creates an explosion of the powder (charge) sending the projectile down the barrel. The "reaction" to this "action" is a recoil of the slide. The now empty casing is ejected during the rearward travel of the slide, a new unit of ammo is picked up during the subsequent forward travel of the slide, and you're ready for the next trigger pull. Right?

If there is no explosion to create the recoil in the first place, what is causing the slide to move backwards and eject the snap cap? Please explain it if you know, because I really don't.

 

[chezuki]

If there is no explosion to create the recoil in the first place, what is causing the slide to move backwards and eject the snap cap? Please explain it if you know, because I really don't.

On some striker fired pistols, Glock for example, the trigger is actually "reset" as a part of the action cycling. If the slide isn't at least partially cycled, the trigger stays in the rearward position. During dry fire practice, you must manually work the slide to reset the trigger for the next dry fire.

Trigger not set:

Trigger set:

On others, such as the M&P, the trigger returns to its forward position but doesn't reset. If you want to feel the actual break, again, you have to manually work the slide to reset the sear.

Personally I'll take this any day over having the two different trigger pulls of a SA/DA.

 

[PX4me]

On some striker fired pistols, Glock for example, the trigger is actually "reset" as a part of the action cycling. If the slide isn't at least partially circled, the trigger stays in the rearward position. During dry fire practice, you must manually work the slide to reset the trigger for the next dry fire.

Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense now.

Personally I'll take this any day over having the two different trigger pulls of a SA/DA.

We all have our preferences.

 

[pudly]

If there is no explosion to create the recoil in the first place, what is causing the slide to move backwards and eject the snap cap? Please explain it if you know, because I really don't.

There are only two ways to move the slide, either by the force from a fired round or manually racking. Ejecting a snap cap obviously comes from manually racking a slide since it can't fire.

Chezuki was confused (as was I) on what would make you think otherwise.

 

[PX4me]

Yep, I was just unaware that the trigger didn't reset on certain guns and that a racking was necessary.

Thanks guys!

 

[PX4me]

And I could see why that would make using snap caps a PITA.

 

[Grelber]

There is a very big problem with dry fire, it is hard to make yourself do it nearly as much as you should (assuming you shoot IDPA or IPSC or Steels , etc.).

For guns like the 1911 I recommend it as a safety practice when developing your draw, with no ears on you can hear the safety click off and verify that this is not happening until the gun is pointed downrange.
I think it is a very good idea to work on the draw-aim-fire safely and at competition speed regardless of what type of gun you shoot.

With revolvers I'll use snap caps, particularly if the revolver has been competition tuned and has an extended firing pin (the firing pin maker also advises this). With glocks, 1911's, xdm's, etc I just click away over and over again.

You can break the $2.00 roll pin on an xdm (design screw up in my opinion) but $2.00 and a couple minutes gets you back in business.

 

[donnie1581]

I always keep a couple spent casings to practice my dry fire drills on my 92fs. It's probably a slim chance the firing pin will break but the manual says not to dry fire with nothing in it.

 

[chezuki]

I always keep a couple spent casings to practice my dry fire drills on my 92fs. It's probably a slim chance the firing pin will break but the manual says not to dry fire with nothing in it.

Using a spent case is purely psychological. Once a case is fired, the firing pin has deformed the primer cup and you are essentially dry firing. The only difference between your dry firing and my dry firing is you EXPECT to see brass in the chamber. I do not.

 

[donnie1581]

Using a spent case is purely psychological. Once a case is fired, the firing pin has deformed the primer cup and you are essentially dry firing. The only difference between your dry firing and my dry firing is you EXPECT to see brass in the chamber. I do not.

I just follow the instructions in the manual for practicing dry fire drills. But hey, what would they know?

 

[Hohn]

So no one has yet answered WHY a rimfire is bad to dry-fire.
Anyone?

 

[chezuki]

So no one has yet answered WHY a rimfire is bad to dry-fire.
Anyone?

Because the firing pin strikes on the rim instead of the center. Dry firing can cause damage from the firing pin striking the lip of the chamber if there is nothing there to protect it.

 

[Onebad06vtx]

Yes the pictures pretty much explain it.

 

[corronade]

is it possible to make your own snap caps?

 

[Bosshoss]

For .22 I use the yellow(smallest size 4-6 IIRC) dry wall anchors that you can buy at hardware stores in 100 packs. Cheap and easy to replace.
If after you use them awhile and if they don't have firing pin hits on them you don't even need them as the firing pin won't touch the chamber if it isn't hitting and deforming the wall anchor.

 

[tdmman]

Roger on most of the above. I've got some old rimfire guns that have been damaged by dry firing. I don't like dry-firing revolvers with the firing pin on the hammer without a snap cap. You have to dry-fire some guns like Ruger .22 autos in order to take them apart. I spent one winter dry firing a S&W while watching TV in the living room (Elvis does it with live ammo). My scores were 10 points better in the Spring than the previous Fall.