Dry firing breaks pin
- Thread starter ClayInTx
- Start date
katana8869
New member
I broke the firing pin in a Taurus 85UL by dry firing it too much.
It's quite possible to break Winchester 94 firing pins from dry firing, I've done it. When I took it into the gunsmith's, the first thing he said was "Been dry firing it, haven't you."
Ruger transfer bars can break from dry firing also.
Snap caps are cheap.
For those that say "If it breaks, I'll just fix it and go on", that's fine for a range toy, not so fine for something you rely on for protection. You don't know its broke til you hear "click" instead of "bang".
Some Ruger transfer bars, from a couple different guns. (BTW, my gunsmith says he's replaced several also)
Ruger transfer bars can break from dry firing also.
Snap caps are cheap.
For those that say "If it breaks, I'll just fix it and go on", that's fine for a range toy, not so fine for something you rely on for protection. You don't know its broke til you hear "click" instead of "bang".
Some Ruger transfer bars, from a couple different guns. (BTW, my gunsmith says he's replaced several also)
How about you do it and when it breaks you can have all the guys
that said do it pay for a new pin. But honestly why risk it.. It's not a
great urban myth. It happens but it's your rifle and your choice. So
do with it what you will but you were warned and if it breaks then your
kinda screwed. Idk pretty much you ask your self would I spend $11 for
a snap cap or do I feel like takeing their word and risking a nice repair bill.
So it's all up to you what YOU really feel like you need to do. First thing I
ever buy with a new gun is snap caps. Cause I don't even bother risking it
and everyone I know pretty much calls you an idiot if you do. So gl on you
decision.
But you can count me on the no votes.
that said do it pay for a new pin. But honestly why risk it.. It's not a
great urban myth. It happens but it's your rifle and your choice. So
do with it what you will but you were warned and if it breaks then your
kinda screwed. Idk pretty much you ask your self would I spend $11 for
a snap cap or do I feel like takeing their word and risking a nice repair bill.
So it's all up to you what YOU really feel like you need to do. First thing I
ever buy with a new gun is snap caps. Cause I don't even bother risking it
and everyone I know pretty much calls you an idiot if you do. So gl on you
decision.
But you can count me on the no votes.
LukeA said
I had to wait until I stopped laughing to reply to this one.
LukeA, you are just dead wrong. I've replaced several firing pins, a few other assorted parts, and fixed other damage for folks who did a lot of dry firing without snap-caps.
Is breakage going to happen every time or with every type of gun? Of course not. But it does happen and is hardly "impossible".
But even beyond that, I will never understand the mindset that leads someone to spend $400-$2,000 on a handgun and then go all "frugal" about buying some good and long lasting "A-Zoom" caps for $20.
I had to wait until I stopped laughing to reply to this one.
LukeA, you are just dead wrong. I've replaced several firing pins, a few other assorted parts, and fixed other damage for folks who did a lot of dry firing without snap-caps.
Is breakage going to happen every time or with every type of gun? Of course not. But it does happen and is hardly "impossible".
But even beyond that, I will never understand the mindset that leads someone to spend $400-$2,000 on a handgun and then go all "frugal" about buying some good and long lasting "A-Zoom" caps for $20.
It depends.
Especially with older rimfires, dry firing will peen the chamber.
On the other hand, the instruction manual for the Ruger 10/22 specially recommends dry firing so that you may learn the feel of the trigger.
CZ52 pistols are famous for breaking firing pins when dry fired.
Especially with older rimfires, dry firing will peen the chamber.
On the other hand, the instruction manual for the Ruger 10/22 specially recommends dry firing so that you may learn the feel of the trigger.
CZ52 pistols are famous for breaking firing pins when dry fired.
I'm not denying that firing pins, and all other parts, can break under normal use.
But what I am questioning is how many of those parts actually broke because of dry-firing. I'm not sure how accurate your anecdotal, remembered data is. I also don't know how many parts you replaced that broke under normal conditions that you don't remember.
The phenomenon is called confirmation bias. It means that it's much easier to notice and remember (or misremember) examples that agree with the narrative your mind has created than ones that don't. I think that's what has happened to you.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
LukeA said:
The same phenomenon applies to discounting first hand knowledge that disagrees with our predetermined opinions.
30-30remchester
New member
I replaced a broken firing pin on a Winchester model 94 after some knot headed kid kept dry firing it. And yes I know for sure this is what caused it, for you see I was that knot headed kid. Ah the hard lessons we all learn in life.
mikejonestkd
New member
I broke the firing pin on my dad's ancient no name .22 bolt rifle when I was a kid from dry firing it. He helped me to learn my lesson by making me pay for a new one to be machined by a local smith, as there were no parts available for it any more. $50 to a 14 year old kid was a TON of money and a life lesson I'll never forget.
Snap caps are such an easy solution, everyone should buy them for their firearms.
From my local smith's experience, it happens quite often with rimfires and is a direct result of the pin hitting the breech face.
Snap caps are such an easy solution, everyone should buy them for their firearms.
From my local smith's experience, it happens quite often with rimfires and is a direct result of the pin hitting the breech face.
GA Limited GM
New member
To many types to say yes or no as a standard. I'll go so far as saying I don't think a 1911 will ever damage from it. Lord knows I've tried.
My brother inlaw had a pump 12 ga. it was an inexpencive type, that the firing pin became lodged in the bolt face from dry firing.
Unfortunatley, he didnt know this and when he chambered a #1 buck round the shell went off, due to the pin protruding out of the bolt face, before the shell reached the chamber. All the shot went out the barrel (we guess) but the plastic and brass shards came out the ejection port and in his face. He was very lucky, just minor cuts.
Could have been alot worse!!!
I wont dry fire anything!
Unfortunatley, he didnt know this and when he chambered a #1 buck round the shell went off, due to the pin protruding out of the bolt face, before the shell reached the chamber. All the shot went out the barrel (we guess) but the plastic and brass shards came out the ejection port and in his face. He was very lucky, just minor cuts.
Could have been alot worse!!!
I wont dry fire anything!
ZO6Vettever
New member
I had the foot break off the striker on a Sigma when dry fireing. S&W said dry fire away, it will not cause a failure.
While there is no doubt that confirmation bias is a verifiable human behavior, labelling everything as such that doesn't meet YOUR personal bias seems a bit, well, unfair and more than a bit circular.
Many manufacturers have addressed dry-firing in their owners/operations manuals. Some state that it is OK. Some state that it is not, presumably out of a concern that it causes wear issues on specific gun parts. It is well known in the shotgun world that firing pin breakage (especially of older designs like O/U and SxS shotguns) due to dry-firing is a very real issue.
My Citori is of modern vintage but its design harkens back almost a century. I am quite comfortable stating that it should not be dry-fired without snap-caps, and very comfortable stating that continued dry-firing of a Citori will result in firing pin breakage.
jersey_emt
New member
If the manufacturer says that dry firing is OK, I wouldn't worry about it. For example, the manual for my Ruger Mark II .22 LR pistol says that the gun can be dry fired without damage. It does mention to verify that the firing pin stop (a crosspin in the bolt assembly) is properly in place when reassembling the pistol, because without it, dry firing will damage both the firing pin and the breech face.
If the manufacturer does not come out and say that dry firing is OK, but the design requires the trigger to be pulled during field stripping, I also would not worry. Glock pistols are one example of this -- because the striker is partially cocked, it needs to be uncocked by dry firing in order to take it apart.
In any other case, whether or not dry firing will damage the gun is hard to determine. When you consider how cheap snap caps are, I would recommend using them. The peace of mind alone is worth the 10 bucks, and it also lets you practice (at home) malfunction clearance drills and other things that could be unwise to practice with live ammunition.
If the manufacturer does not come out and say that dry firing is OK, but the design requires the trigger to be pulled during field stripping, I also would not worry. Glock pistols are one example of this -- because the striker is partially cocked, it needs to be uncocked by dry firing in order to take it apart.
In any other case, whether or not dry firing will damage the gun is hard to determine. When you consider how cheap snap caps are, I would recommend using them. The peace of mind alone is worth the 10 bucks, and it also lets you practice (at home) malfunction clearance drills and other things that could be unwise to practice with live ammunition.
KevinBeyerJr
New member
Dry Firing XD pistol
I typically try to refrain from dry firing any weapon, it has to with always being told to treat any weapon as if it were loaded. But unfortunately, in order to field strip my XD pistol, I have to bring the slide back, lock it, and flip the disassembly lever up, release the slide and dry fire it before I can take the slide off to clean it.
I typically try to refrain from dry firing any weapon, it has to with always being told to treat any weapon as if it were loaded. But unfortunately, in order to field strip my XD pistol, I have to bring the slide back, lock it, and flip the disassembly lever up, release the slide and dry fire it before I can take the slide off to clean it.
Some handle it better than others.I have seen the breech face peen forward around the firing pin hole.This was on a side by side I had as a kid.
I also saw it on a Uberti /Colt SAA copy.
Though it seems obvious,never do it to a percussion muzzle loader.
I appreciate learning about the Ruger transfer bar.
I also saw it on a Uberti /Colt SAA copy.
Though it seems obvious,never do it to a percussion muzzle loader.
I appreciate learning about the Ruger transfer bar.
I have an older .22 that has the chamber breech peened to the point where cartridges sometimes fail to extract. Had to buy a special tool that smooths out the chamber wall so the spent casings can be removed to keep the gun shooting. Don't know if a firing pin was ever broken because of that; the gun was bought used by my father when I was a kid, and most of the damage had occurred prior.