# dry firing a 22?



## 22skill (Jul 15, 2009)

Hi all,

Ive read that it is bad to dry fire any rim fire weapon, particularly a 22, even if a used cartridge is in the camber for the firing pin to land on. 

I have also read that it is OK to dry fire the same weapon as long as a used cartridge is in the chamber for the firing pin to land on...

so whats the deal...can I dry fire a .22 with a used cartridge in there or is it a bad idea?

thanks,


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## James NM (Jan 4, 2007)

Personally, I think limited dry fire is OK with a used cartridge.

But why not just buy some 22 snap caps?


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

+1 James NM

:smt1099


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

Most manufacturers will say in their manuals that it is OK to dry file the weapon. That being said I still don't advise doing it often. Even with a used case the pin is going to land hard being you have that big dent in the case/rim. So it's not much if any different than not using as case at all. Using a snap cap is a really inexpensive insurance o keeping your firing pin in good working condition.

Link

Link-2

Link-3

All those sites have 22 rim fire snap caps. Hop it helps :mrgreen:


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## PhilR. (Apr 25, 2007)

Some rimfires are designed to withstand dry-firing. Their firing pins do not contact the chamber rim. If you don't know if your handgun is one of these, then it would be best to use a snap cap. Keep in mind that there is a difference between a "proving round' and a true snap cap. 

At the end of a range session, I will insert a recently emptied empty case and pull the trigger, so that I don't leave it cocked. The empty case is removed when the pistol is cleaned, and then I use a Pachmary snap cap and pull the trigger before putting it in the safe.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

If you do use a recently-fired .22 RF case as your "snap-cap," remember to rotate it about 1/4 turn after each snap.
If your gun's firing pin keeps hitting the same place on the fired cartridge's rim, you will end up denting the rim area of the chamber anyway.
Use the empty for only three or four snaps, and then switch to another empty case.


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## falchunt (May 8, 2009)

OK, maybe the question was just hypothetical, but if not:

Last time I checked, .22LR ammo makes dirt look expensive. I buy the 550 count boxes for $14 freakin dollars....come on. To me, I see no reason or need for dry firing. Being that the .22LR does not recoil much, and is not expensive, I don't know of any reason to dryfire a .22. Just buy some ammo and shoot the darn thing....:buttkick:


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## PhilR. (Apr 25, 2007)

falchunt said:


> OK, maybe the question was just hypothetical, but if not:
> 
> Last time I checked, .22LR ammo makes dirt look expensive. I buy the 550 count boxes for $14 freakin dollars....come on. To me, I see no reason or need for dry firing. Being that the .22LR does not recoil much, and is not expensive, I don't know of any reason to dryfire a .22. Just buy some ammo and shoot the darn thing....:buttkick:


If you were a competition shooter, you would know that dry-firing is in important part of training. That's one reason to dry-fire. A second reason is to leave the pin springs uncompressed while in storage, or after reassembly. Some people just don't like to leave a semi-auto cocked while in storage or while in transport.


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## falchunt (May 8, 2009)

While I am not a competition shooter, it does not make sense to me. I do not see the benefit of dry firing a .22LR. I can understand dry firing a .45, to train yourself on posture and eliminate flinching. If you are not going to be dry firing at the competition, why would you practice like that? I have always been taught that you will play/fight/compete like you practice. So why not just practice with live ammo? Especially when there are no negatives such as cost or recoil involved?


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## kev74 (Mar 22, 2008)

falchunt said:


> So why not just practice with live ammo? Especially when there are no negatives such as cost or recoil involved?


Because sometimes people like to practice when the bang or flying bullets might not be convenient. If I could only practice when I could get to the range, I would get a LOT less practice.

And while its not overpowering or uncomfortable, there is significant recoil with a .22.


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## falchunt (May 8, 2009)

*good point*



kev74 said:


> Because sometimes people like to practice when the bang or flying bullets might not be convenient. If I could only practice when I could get to the range, I would get a LOT less practice.


That is one factor that I did not consider at all. I step out my back door and commence firing. I have a few acres of land, and I am surrounded my 3/4 mile of field in any direction. Not everyone is so lucky, but it was a _major_ factor when I was looking for my house. I wouldn't even consider buying a place in the city.:smt033


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## PhilR. (Apr 25, 2007)

falchunt said:


> While I am not a competition shooter


Ha-ha -- yes, I could tell....

The skills one needs to develop for competition shooting do not need the presence of a BANG! (oops, I hope I didn't startle anyone) and a bullet coming out the end of a barrel in order to be developed. High-level shooters dry-fire hundreds to thousands of times to develop breathing technique and trigger control. These things are important in the ability to become a successful competition shooter. Recoil management is just a small portion of overall ability. BTW, one does not dry fire to avoid recoil, but instead to develop good technique in a less expensive and less noisy way, often in the comfort of one's own abode where it would be dangerous to have bullets flying.

Dry-firing is so important in skills development that modern high-level match guns will often have a built-in dry fire mechanism that eliminates the need for snap caps and the like.


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## falchunt (May 8, 2009)

PhilR. said:


> Ha-ha -- yes, I could tell....


So you are _obviously_ a professional competition shooter then.

I realize why people dry fire. I never said that dry firing did not have any advantages. I just didn't see a need to dry fire a .22 pistol is all. FYI, I have been shooting longer than I have been riding a bicycle. I am an excellent shot with many different caliber's, from a .22LR, to a 308, to a 12 gauge shotgun, to 9mm or 45acp. I have always dedicated a lot of time and money to practice with all of my guns.

If I am hitting the target, grouping well consistently, and not having any problems in general, then I really do not have a need for dry firing. I'm not telling you that you are wrong, or anyone else is who dry fires. It is just not something that I need to do while perfecting my shooting. I have had my px4 9mm for a short time, I have only fired 150+ or- out of it, and I can consistently put a full magazine (17 rnds) into the bullseye (1 1/2") from about 30 yards.

To each his own.:smt1099


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## PhilR. (Apr 25, 2007)

falchunt said:


> So you are _obviously_ a professional competition shooter then.
> 
> *Very good!! You're catching on. Actually though, I do not do it professionally. But over the years I've thrown out my body weight in shooting trophies, so it would be correct to describe me as a competition shooter, sans the "professional" part. Unfortunately, there is no money to be made in the types of competition that I did/do.*
> 
> ...


One day, I'll have to put up a few pics of my competition guns..

regards,
PhilR.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

Dry fire or not..It really don't mean a thing at the end of the day. and what does competing have to do with this thread at all? What was being asked is is is safe to dry fire your 22 caliber weapon.

I personally think dry firing can hep a shooter. Especially a new shooter. You can watch your mistakes without slinging lead down range. I understand _falchunt_ pretty well. I can step out back and shoot all I want when I want and 22 ammo is dirt cheap. I'm well known while working on something to go out the door and squeeze off a few. to see how the trigger job went or to site something in real quick. We all don't have that (I will use that in my presidential run ..A range in every home!) and practice is practice. The more you do wont hurt you any. So dry firing can help a shooter when they can't get to a range but they want to practice draw and fire or just get thew trigger down pat and help their groups.

Lets get back to the subject at hand and try to help the OP with his question. We can whip out....pistols later and see who's is biggest.

Really it comes down to two schools of thought. 
1) The manual says you can dry file all you want so go for it.
2) I don't care what the manual says if you're going to dry fire, especially a lot you better get something in there to take away the chance of firing pin damage.

I'm one that thinks a little preventive measure that can take away a chance of a machine failing is cheap insurance. I don't run the same oil in my truck and I don't like to dry fire a weapon without a snap cap. A 22 gives you the opportunity to use an old case and that might help but you will have to rotate it. But if it was me the caps are just too cheap to not get them. If you are going to practice trigger drills dry then why not get the cap? You might not mess your pin up but you might. and what is easier to replace or install? The cap or the pin?


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## PhilR. (Apr 25, 2007)

DevilsJohnson said:


> Dry fire or not..It really don't mean a thing at the end of the day. and what does competing have to do with this thread at all?


If you go back and read the posts carefully, you will see that someone stated he didn't see why a person would dry-fire. I replied with reasons why a person *would* dry fire. Further posts discussed _one_ of those reasons to dry fire, hence the discussion about what competition shooters do. Obviously the person asking about this does not have a reason to dry fire (which is fine - most people don't), but that doesn't mean the reason shouldn't exist, nor does it mean one cannot discuss this one small particular area of the subject. This is after all a place where people discuss things.

Again, careful reading of posts already made would answer your question quite effectively.


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

Pissing contest over. I win.


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