Dry Fire.. Break the firing pin?

[firestorm89]

Will dry firing a gun break the firing pin? That is what I was told many years ago.

 

[Indiana Jones]

What type of firearm?

 

[Diamonddoug]

Should not in a mordern day firearm, I have dry fired my 9 mm xd over 500 times at frontsight with no problem

 

[Blazin]

I DF at least 1/2 hour a day, for about 13 years now, and I've broken MANY gun parts over the years but never a FP. I don't DF 22's.

 

[Johnthetoolguy]

That's what I have always heard......never a rimfire but a centerfire should be okay. Might want to use 'snap caps'.

 

[Deep Creek Rock]

It depends on what type of firearm. Most owners manuals will state if this is a non recommended practice or not.

 

[clandestine]

Depends on the gun. Dry firing a glock can rupture the breach face. If it happens glock will replace the broken parts.

I dont suggest you dry fire ANY gun you designate as a carry or self defense firearm excessively.

 

[vin]

Snap caps are cheap insurance.

 

[chooks9]

For what I've seen/done, newer guns do better with DFs. I don't DF shotguns or Rimfires unless it says its ok in the manual. However, I have accidentally DF-d an A5 before without harm.

 

[Mooseman]

Never rimfire.

 

[offroaD]

Snap caps are cheap insurance.

for what they are they are pricey. Unless they have 0.0000000000000000000001+/- accuracy with their dimensions.

 

[ohen cepel]

Only things I know which can be an issue are rimfires and CZ 52's. The CZ's have a brittle firing pin which may be an issue.

Snap caps get my vote if I'm going to dry fire much.

 

[Streetgang]

I've always been taught not to dry fire rimfires but don't know why...
Can anyone shed insight or is it something you've always been told without explanation like me?

 

[INMY01TA]

Dry firing a Kel-tec PF9 can break the firing pin retaining screw.

 

[John from MD]

"I've always been taught not to dry fire rimfires but don't know why..."

Rimfires by design crimp the rim of the cartridge between the chamber edge and the firing pin. If you have too much fore and aft movement of the FP or if you have tight headspace, the firing pin will hit the chamber edge and cause a burr. This will cause extraction problems until it is ironed out.

Regards,

John

 

[GNLaFrance]

"Never dry-fire a rimfire"?

I'll have to remember that for my Marlin 60SB, Marlin 922M, Ruger Single Six, Beretta 21A, and any other rimfires I've forgotten to mention. They have all been dry-fired extensively, but I guess I'm taking my chances.

 

[John from MD]

"I'll have to remember that for my Marlin 60SB, Marlin 922M, Ruger Single Six, Beretta 21A, and any other rimfires I've forgotten to mention. They have all been dry-fired extensively, but I guess I'm taking my chances. "

The firearms you mention aren't known for tight headspace so you're probably not taking too much of a chance.


John

 

[chooks9]

Come to think of it, my Ruger Mk iii needs to be dry fired to be taken down...

 

[nedsurf]

How are 10/22s for this issue?

 

[John from MD]

I have never seen a Ruger peen a chamber. The .22's I have seen that will are Winchester 52's, T/C Classic's, Dakota Arms, Annie's, and early Kimber 82's. The production guns normally have enough room so that it is not a problem.

All bets are off if you put an aftermarket firing pin in though.

John