Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Semi automatic and single shot handguns, revolvers and other pistols

Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by Toolnup » 12 Apr 2019, 7:16 pm

Hi all,

What is the general opinion on dry firing pistols?

Just picked up my first handgun, a CZ SP01 and the manual states that on the unload, after clearing the chamber, release the slide and dry fire the pistol.

While I'm no stranger to dry firing firearms, I've never actually done it to one of my own. I use snap caps when practicing at home but on the range is it ok to dry fire every time I unload, will this damage the pistol after a while?

Thanks.
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by on_one_wheel » 12 Apr 2019, 7:32 pm

IMO

Rimfire, definitely no. Every time it dry fires the firing pin smacks the back of the barrel.

Modern centerfield, all day long. They can handle it. There's possibly models that mirth have issues with it but generally speaking most are built and designed to handle it.


Vintage centrefire, no... older designed, older metallurgy and old timers stories of it being bad practice says there's probably been issues in the past.
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by Zappa » 12 Apr 2019, 8:15 pm

IF I dont feel like dry firing mine after a slide drop, I decock it.
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by bladeracer » 12 Apr 2019, 9:09 pm

Toolnup wrote:Hi all,

What is the general opinion on dry firing pistols?

Just picked up my first handgun, a CZ SP01 and the manual states that on the unload, after clearing the chamber, release the slide and dry fire the pistol.

While I'm no stranger to dry firing firearms, I've never actually done it to one of my own. I use snap caps when practicing at home but on the range is it ok to dry fire every time I unload, will this damage the pistol after a while?

Thanks.


I'm not against it, but I don't do it unnecessarily. Once, at the end of a competition stage should be fine.
Older rimfires are a definite no, the striker can hit the face of the barrel. Newer rimfires shouldn't have any problems, but it'd be worth checking your firing pin travel first. I would avoid it with older centrefires as wel,l unless you've examined the design to ensure it's harmless.
Rugers are fine, but I managed to break a striker in my 10/22. I didn't go about dry-firing it but it had no bolt hold-open so it invariably dry fires after the last round in the mag.
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by Toolnup » 13 Apr 2019, 8:20 am

So should be ok being a new pistol.

That said, I'm in the habit of not doing it so I will probably stick to just decocking it.
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by JSS » 13 Apr 2019, 9:46 am

As the others have said, generally centerfire is ok but would avoid doing it with rimfires.

If you want to be playing with it at home and going through the motions to get comfortable & used to it just go and get some snap caps and you can play all day without any concerns.
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by Gamerancher » 13 Apr 2019, 10:44 am

If the manufacturer recommends it, do it.
I have a Kimber 1911 and the factory recommends dry firing not slowly releasing the hammer.
Conversely, it warns against letting the slide slam shut on an empty chamber. Recommends slowly guiding it shut.
How many times have you seen people just thumbing the slide release and letting it slam home on an empty gun? :unknown:
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by JSS » 13 Apr 2019, 1:03 pm

Gamerancher wrote:How many times have you seen people just thumbing the slide release and letting it slam home on an empty gun? :unknown:


That's one of my pet hates too. Especially if it's some tool in a gun shop trying showing you a gun and playing with it and letting the slide slam home....how many times has that poor gun had that done to it?
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by Zappa » 13 Apr 2019, 1:25 pm

I always thought thumbing the slide in an empty chamber was a big no until I started taking my gun apart and measuring the different forces.
A round getting chambered offers little resistance against a correctly functioning (and force) of a slide. So I don't bother guiding the slide anymore. Slingshot or thumbing works for me.

Ymmv
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by JSS » 13 Apr 2019, 1:37 pm

Zappa wrote:I always thought thumbing the slide in an empty chamber was a big no until I started taking my gun apart and measuring the different forces.
A round getting chambered offers little resistance against a correctly functioning (and force) of a slide. So I don't bother guiding the slide anymore. Slingshot or thumbing works for me.

Ymmv


Depends on the pistol. Some it's no biggie but some will do damage if done repeatedly. So i just don't do it on any of them out of habit.
Last edited by JSS on 13 Apr 2019, 4:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by RoginaJack » 13 Apr 2019, 2:03 pm

Use snap caps.
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by bladeracer » 14 Apr 2019, 4:32 am

RoginaJack wrote:Use snap caps.


I've never seen anybody at the end of a stage pull out a snap cap when asked to show clear. Would RO's generally allow it?
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by RoginaJack » 14 Apr 2019, 10:40 am

Quote - A snap cap is used to ensure that dry-firing firearms of certain designs does not cause stress and impact damage to the firing pin and/or the barrel breech. Some snap caps contain a false primer that is either spring-buffered, made of rubber or soft polymer, or none at all.

Sorry, I thought we were talking about practicing "dry Firing".Do't see why not....Have you tried it?
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by Toolnup » 14 Apr 2019, 1:01 pm

What about after cleaning and re-assembly?

I'd imagine it would be good practice to do some form of "function test" that includes pulling the trigger on an empty chamber. Would you put a dirty old snap cap in your nice clean pistol?
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by bladeracer » 14 Apr 2019, 2:20 pm

Toolnup wrote:What about after cleaning and re-assembly?

I'd imagine it would be good practice to do some form of "function test" that includes pulling the trigger on an empty chamber. Would you put a dirty old snap cap in your nice clean pistol?


Why are your snap caps dirty?
The main reason I would be dry-firing anything would be because I'm working on the trigger pull, otherwise there's rarely any need to. Some designs actually require dry-firing an empty firearm to be able to disassemble it.
I have never done any dry-firing practice.
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by Jt-2019 » 02 Feb 2020, 4:19 pm

I wouldn't. I try to avoid it will all my firearms where I can.
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by snag » 02 Feb 2020, 9:59 pm

Mate, you can do it all day with a CZ and you are not going to hurt it. Would not be in the manual if it wasn't so. I don't know about other guns, but my CZ gets plenty of dry fire practice in the shed and works flawlessly.
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Re: Dry Fire. Yes or No?

Post by Toolnup » 04 Feb 2020, 10:41 am

snag wrote:Mate, you can do it all day with a CZ and you are not going to hurt it. Would not be in the manual if it wasn't so. I don't know about other guns, but my CZ gets plenty of dry fire practice in the shed and works flawlessly.


Nice, that's good to know. I still can't bring myself to do it though. :lol:

I'm in the habit of just de-cocking after clearing and I can't see myself changing to be honest.

But since we're reviving an old topic, what about revolvers?
Every review I've seen they are dry firing those things like crazy!
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