Snap Caps with centerfire?

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  • pilot25

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 13, 2016
    1,822
    Is it accurate to say that dry fire on a centerfire won't hurt without snap caps? I get the mechanics of the firing pin however I have been making sure I don't pull the trigger without a snap cap. Another thing someone told me that I just trusted and never verified. At IDPA events I cringe when they ask to pull the trigger to verify it isn't loaded.

    I just read this from PewPewtatctical:
    "If your handgun/pistol shoots centerfire rounds (9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, etc) instead of rimfire rounds (such as .22 LR), then you can dry fire all you want since the firing pin is not actually hitting anything. Rimfire firing pins hit the mouth of the chamber when there’s no cartridge so you should practice with snap caps that take the hit."
     

    basscat

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 23, 2012
    1,390
    No harm dry firing any modern center fire hand gun. Just don't do it on a Star B.
     

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,689
    I'm thinking that a lot of dry firing could cause some embrittlement on metal parts that are slammed onto one another.

    IANAMetallurgist.
     

    photoracer

    Competition Shooter
    Oct 22, 2010
    3,318
    West Virginia
    Is it accurate to say that dry fire on a centerfire won't hurt without snap caps? I get the mechanics of the firing pin however I have been making sure I don't pull the trigger without a snap cap. Another thing someone told me that I just trusted and never verified. At IDPA events I cringe when they ask to pull the trigger to verify it isn't loaded.

    I just read this from PewPewtatctical:
    "If your handgun/pistol shoots centerfire rounds (9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, etc) instead of rimfire rounds (such as .22 LR), then you can dry fire all you want since the firing pin is not actually hitting anything. Rimfire firing pins hit the mouth of the chamber when there’s no cartridge so you should practice with snap caps that take the hit."
    This is not true of all rimfire firearms. Only a few will actually hit the breech face when dry-fired. Late model (2001+) Browning Buckmarks will peen the breech face if dry fired because they extended the FP slightly when they redesigned the assembly. Older ones do not. Nor do Rugers or S&Ws I have owned. No .22 rifles that I know of will hit the breech when dry-fired. I never use snapcaps or anything else and I have dry-fired some guns in the thousands of times with no problems. Most really good and pro shooters dry-fire even more than I do, since many have daily training routines they go thru many of which require dry-firing.
     

    bigdv

    Ultimate Member
    May 17, 2010
    1,297
    Calvert Co.
    I dry fire my guns all the time. I have never had an issue. I like to do it to get the feel of the trigger. I also store them fired. It takes the pressure off the firing pin spring. Not that I think that really matters.
     

    pilot25

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 13, 2016
    1,822
    I’m just curious; as long as the firearm is pointed safely at the downrange berm, why “cringe?”
    Because I was once told never to pull the trigger unless there was a snap cap in there and I'm OCD about everything.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    It depends on the gun. A number of rimfires it causes issues. But not all. The Ruger 10/22 manual specifically says it is fine. AR-15 it is fine. There are some older pistols where it is no bueno. The M57 and P64 come to mind. In most cases, it is unlikely to destroy it first time out. Do it a thousand times and it may cause problems.

    A Glock, 1911 and a ton of others, no problems.
     

    smokey

    2A TEACHER
    Jan 31, 2008
    31,412
    It depends on the gun and frequency. With a Kel Tec pf9, for instance, dry firing it can wreck the screw that retains the firing pin and cause it to fly out the back. Theoretically on something like a glock, it could cause metal fatigue to the back of the breech face and/or the firing pin and cause them to fail. Giving the firing pin something to strike that will adsorb some energy with snap caps is the best way to practice in a mechanical sense. Safety is another issue, and you must be VERY sure you aren't mixing snap caps with live ammo unless you intend to. Some will mix in a random snap cap into mags to work on clearing malfunctions or flinching at the range.
     

    pilot25

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 13, 2016
    1,822
    It depends on the gun and frequency. With a Kel Tec pf9, for instance, dry firing it can wreck the screw that retains the firing pin and cause it to fly out the back. Theoretically on something like a glock, it could cause metal fatigue to the back of the breech face and/or the firing pin and cause them to fail. Giving the firing pin something to strike that will adsorb some energy with snap caps is the best way to practice in a mechanical sense. Safety is another issue, and you must be VERY sure you aren't mixing snap caps with live ammo unless you intend to. Some will mix in a random snap cap into mags to work on clearing malfunctions or flinching at the range.

    I think I'll keep the practice of using snap caps. Obviously, it can't hurt. I always lock up the live ammo when I get home but definitely a good tip.
     

    knastera

    Just another shooter
    May 6, 2013
    1,484
    Baltimore County
    It depends on the gun. The vast majority of my center fire guns can be dry fired without damaging then. However, I have a Beretta Pico which should never be dry fired. I broke a firing pin from dry firing. When I contacted Beretta support to get the replacement, they informed me that the Pico should not be dry fired. Ever since I've used Snap Caps with it, I've had no problems.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    GuitarmanNick

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 9, 2017
    2,221
    Laurel
    As others have stated, most modern centerfire guns can be dry fired with no damage but there are a few exceptions. Care should always be taken to avoid dry firing any rimfire and again there are a few exceptions.

    On older firearms, manufacturing methods of the times mean that some have components that may be brittle, fatigued or already microscopically damaged from use. I bear this in mind on my milsurp shooters and always use snap caps with the pistols. So far, I have not found any issues common to my Mosin-Nagant or SKS rifles and have not bothered with snap caps for them. Now, if you have a very rare, all matching rifle like a '66 Rasheed where parts are impossible to find, it would be wise to exercise great care to avoid any unnecessary dry firing.
     

    OLM-Medic

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 5, 2010
    6,588
    I’m just curious; as long as the firearm is pointed safely at the downrange berm, why “cringe?”

    While I agree that it doesn't harm the gun, I too dislike this practice. I always see people lazily do a visual clear and then pull the trigger lazily down range. Well finally, someone I know had a ND into the ground because of it. It was a safe direction, but apparently rang my friends ears pretty bad. Still, what was the point of this practice?

    The practice itself isn't bad to show a range officer it is clear like in IDPA, but you need to do a good visual or tactical check as your #1 means of clearing. Otherwise you'll end up like the guy I know.
     

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