Dry firing centerfires?

[jaybull]

Is it bad for your centerfire rifle to be dry fired? I know that it is for rimfires. But i saw a vid and the guy said to practice by dry firing your rifle. Thanks jay

[Dick284]

Anything made in the past century will stand up to dry firing pretty good, there are a few models with unsupported firing pins, and no internal shroud in the bolt, so ya those can get iffy. The major manufactured stuff no problem what so ever.

If you still feel un easy about it, just buy a snap cap.

[jaybull]

thanks dick.

[Huntnut]

I've seen some guys take an unprimed shell and fill the primer hole with silicone.

you can buy factry ones for some caliburs

[Selkirk]

Originally Posted by Dick284

" . . . If you still feel un easy about it, just buy a snap cap."

One of many sourses; http://www.marstar.ca/ac-Snap-Caps/Main.shtm

Good little vid; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvCyj04snqA

[222rem]

If you worry about dry firing your rifle buy A-Zoom snap cap .
Check out A-Zoom Site http://www.azoomsnapcaps.com/

[roger]

Originally Posted by Huntnut

I've seen some guys take an unprimed shell and fill the primer hole with silicone.

i cant see that procedure making any differnce to the firing pin.
im guessing there is probably 15-20psi of spring tension exerted on a 3/32" pin surface area. 250psi?? maybe some math whizz can do that!
you would need at least an equal amount of spring tension to counter the enertia, but adding a equal spring tension/ weight you run the risk of bending the firing pin trying to save it!
id promote the snap cap from a safety aspect, of you having to make a conscience dicision of placing it in the breech.

id say just click away!!
firing pins are cheap and readily availble. replacement titatium ones are more expensive

[jaybull]

id say just click away!!
firing pins are cheap and readily availble. replacement titatium ones are more expensive. Ya until the elk in my dreams is standing 30 yards from me and my gun won't fire.

[twofifty]

If a guy wants to do a long dry fire practice session, I'd suggest
making sure the bolt lugs and the cocking/camming surfaces are well greased.

The general consensus is that for most modern rifles the firing pin can be dry fired without trouble. I don't imagine a snap cap can hurt either.

I've seen several very experienced & talented shooters dry fire their CF rifles once immediately before starting a shot string at a match. Apparently, it gets them in the groove, awakens the finger's muscle memory.

[roger]

Originally Posted by jaybull

Ya until the elk in my dreams is standing 30 yards from me and my gun won't fire.

-And whats wrong with it remaining in your dreams?
-Thats why its called hunting and not killing...
-at 30 yards you can still miss(never happened to me)
-short stroke the bolt (never happened to me either)
-there are hundreds of things that can and will go wrong!
-Anxiety can make a problem out of anything and nothing
that is why every gun should be totally disasemmbled and cleaned, closely inspected, lubed correctly, assembled and zero confirmed before and possibly after season. it may be little more involved on a lever or auto loader, but just as nescarcy, maybe moreso.
if your in the least bit concerned about that peice (or any peice) failing you, maybe replace the pin annually..its cheap insurance and real easy on most bolt actions.

[W2K]

Go ahead and pull the triger! Old school thoughts, dry firing your rifle is one of the best ways to practice shooting without the costs of todays high dollar amo, plus it makes it alot easier to make it through my wifes re-run episdoes of "friends" if I have my rifle pointed at the TV screen getting some practice in.

[Huntnut]

Originally Posted by roger

i cant see that procedure making any differnce to the firing pin.

Probably better than nothing if you're worried about dry firing-there is at least some resistance but ya I agree-just click away

[roger]

Originally Posted by Huntnut

Probably better than nothing if you're worried about dry firing-there is at least some resistance but ya I agree-just click away

Sorry to steal the thread, but i think its relative to the succes of the thread...
If anyone here could help who has had a firing pin break?
were did it break?
are some modern models prone to this?
did you dry fire a lot?
re: some resistance
any forces that the spring creates is directed to spring block on the firing pin shaft and/or the bolt housing, the part of the firing pin that does the detenation has 0 forces on it directly, therefore the supposed weak link is not the pin section, but the rear portion that is encased by the expanding spring...at least thats how my simplicated right brain sees it>

[pika]

Originally Posted by jaybull

Is it bad for your centerfire rifle to be dry fired? I know that it is for rimfires. But i saw a vid and the guy said to practice by dry firing your rifle. Thanks jay

I just had a model 700 short action firing pin break on the tab which resets the firing pin when you lift the bolt and it was a bugger to get apart, I'll never dry fire a gun again!!!

There are awesome replacement pins out there however but you'll still have to get the bolt out of your gun.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by pika

I just had a model 700 short action firing pin break on the tab which resets the firing pin when you lift the bolt and it was a bugger to get apart, I'll never dry fire a gun again!!!

There are awesome replacement pins out there however but you'll still have to get the bolt out of your gun.

Actually it's probably a good thing you dry fired that rifle, rendering it useless in your living room. I'll bet that that POS after market yankee junk would have broke striking a primer on a 370 class bull Elk. You'd have undoubtably missed the first shot. Then that bull would have stood their and watched you jump up and down on your bolt handle trying to get things apart to reload.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by pika

I just had a model 700 short action firing pin break on the tab which resets the firing pin when you lift the bolt and it was a bugger to get apart, I'll never dry fire a gun again!!!

There are awesome replacement pins out there however but you'll still have to get the bolt out of your gun.

Dry firing may not have caused this.

I personally have broken three firing pins on a M12 shotgun ( never dry fired) ,
had one replaced one on a Franchi Falconet ,one on a Ruger single six.
never had to do one on a center fire rifle that i can remember.

I dry fire my match rifles likely more than many hunters shoot their hunting rifles with live ammo, never had a problem in allthe years that I have been doing it, niether had my father or older brother, one an Armed forces coach and rifle team captain, the other a Canadian Olympic coach and one of the most respected coaching advisors of his time....
Cat

[pika]

Originally Posted by chuck

Actually it's probably a good thing you dry fired that rifle, rendering it useless in your living room. I'll bet that that POS after market yankee junk would have broke striking a primer on a 370 class bull Elk. You'd have undoubtably missed the first shot. Then that bull would have stood their and watched you jump up and down on your bolt handle trying to get things apart to reload.

Arghh them's fightin words, but your probably right. Wait a minute "missed on the first shot" never!!! this is getting serious!! Actually tried opening the bolt with a 2X4 not a good idea now that I think about it. Guess I better get another rifle for backup!!

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by pika

Arghh them's fightin words, but your probably right. Wait a minute "missed on the first shot" never!!! this is getting serious!! Actually tried opening the bolt with a 2X4 not a good idea now that I think about it. Guess I better get another rifle for backup!!

Of course you should. In fact, I'd suggest two. Or three........

[gopher]

Have broken a few firing pins on shot guns 2 in a Lujic mono gun and 1 in a Perazzi mx 8 o/u these guns were very rarely dry fired only when adjusting triggers and before a major tournament 25 thousand rounds a year will stress any firing pin mind you. I say go for it firing pins for rifles are cheap try to buy one for a Lujic then you can complain