# Dry Firing



## PaulT228 (Dec 20, 2008)

Hello All, 

I have been lurking here for months and thanks to this forum i have obtain valuable gun safty tips and handgun knowledge. For Christmas i decided to treat myself. I bought a Taurus 24/7 (40cal), a Smith and Wesson M&P (9mm) and a Ruger SR9 (9mm). All in my opinion are great shooting gun.

I have search this forum about Dry Firing but came up empty. With todays newer guns (like the one's I bought) is it ok to dry fire them without fear of any damage? 

Thanks in advance all. I look forward to asking many questions as my collections grow!!!:smt023


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

Here is a good one:

http://www.handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=12612

I dry fire all the time (not as much as in the post above). I do use snap-caps, don't see a reason not to. Cheap insurance.

AFAIK any modern center fire handgun can be dry fired without a problem. However, if the owners manual says _not_ to dry fire I wouldn't.

edit: oh yeah...Welcome aboard! :mrgreen:


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

Welcome

I know the M&P's will handle dry firing. They are pretty good with bullets also.


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## Dsig1 (Dec 23, 2007)

I dry fire my 24/7 a lot, always using snap caps. After each SA pull, you need to set your finger on the trigger with a bit of force but not enough to invoke the DA second strike. With that bit of force on the trigger, pull the slide back about 1/4" - 3/8" (not far enough to eject the snap cap) to reset the striker mechanism for the next SA pull. 

Otherwise, you will pull SA on your first squeeze and then keep on dry firing in DA. This would be a fruitless effort since the 24/7 is a SA gun and you may never fire it in DA (only for second strike of a failed primer).


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## Doc Amentler (Dec 29, 2008)

I dry fire all the time. Like others, I also use snap caps. Make sure when you dry fire that ALL live ammo is out of the room. Another good use for snap caps is when you go the range. Have your buddy load your magazines and you load his. Put snap caps randomly in the mags and work on malfunction clearance. Oh yeah, did I mention that you need to make sure that ALL live ammo is out of the room before you dry fire? :mrgreen:


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## BT2Flip (Jan 1, 2009)

Doc Amentler said:


> Make sure when you dry fire that ALL live ammo is out of the room. :mrgreen:


WELCOME .. This is a VERY good point !:smt023


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## PaulT228 (Dec 20, 2008)

Thanks for all the helpful info!! I'm going to buy some snap caps for my toys (better safe then sorry :smt023 ) ...

P.S.. I make absolutely sure there are no live ammo in the room while dry firing..:smt083


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## buck32 (May 26, 2008)

Welcome from Big Sky Country.


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## Ram Rod (Jan 16, 2008)

Check with the specific manufacturer or owners manual for your pistols. I dry fire my Glocks thousands of times in a year, but I won't dry fire my SIG P220 SAO since it's hammer and firing pin. Striker fired pistols are generally okay to dry fire...conventional hammer/firing pin pistols can be up to debate, but I wouldn't.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

Dry fire is a great way to ingrain habits, but they can still be good habits or bad habits. Make your practice as realistic as possible by wearing the same safety gear (eye and ear protection) and by using dummy rounds to practice loading at the same time.


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## WVleo (Jan 25, 2009)

Hi, Just purchsaed a Kahr PM9 and the Kahr Web site states that it's ok to dry fire Kahr pistols ! I still throw in a snap cap as old habits die hard ! I like the idea of having no live ammo in the same room You dry fire in . ....WVleo


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## buck32 (May 26, 2008)

I would only go by the owners manual or website. I too have a PM9 and have dry fired it with no ill effects. However, if the manual states not to or does not state then that HG will NOT be dry fired. I will use snap caps for that one.

Just my .02


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## tonyjh (Dec 31, 2008)

What are "snap caps", and where can I find them? Thanks!


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## buck32 (May 26, 2008)

Snap caps are dummy rounds made specifically for the caliber of weapon you own. They are used for dry firing to prevent over extension of a firing pin and other critical parts of a gun.

They can also be used to highlight shooting errors. For example, have a friend load your gun and place a snap cap in the mag or cylinder. If you pull the trigger and it goes click you will notice where the gun is pointing etc. and determine if you are jerking the trigger, anticipating recoil etc.

They are a good little shooting aid and help protect your firearm.

Typically Snap Caps can be found at a well supplied local gun store. If not you can buy them on-line but the amount of shipping typically is as much as the snap caps.

Hopefully, I have explained this cleary and accurately without too much manutia.

Good luck and keep asking questions.

buck32


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

TOF said:


> Welcome
> 
> I know the M&P's will handle dry firing. They are pretty good with bullets also.


Most the poly Smith autos will say in the manual it's OK to dry fire. I've not seen a M&P manual ...yet


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## clanger (Jan 27, 2009)

DJ Niner said:


> Dry fire is a great way to ingrain habits, but they can still be good habits or bad habits. Make your practice as realistic as possible by wearing the same safety gear (eye and ear protection) and by using dummy rounds to practice loading at the same time.


Excellent advice.

I love using A-Zooms. Always use some sort of dummy-round. Why? Cuz you are checking, loading, unloading the mag/cylinder and just not picking it up and clicking away.

Treat them as live ammo a well. Follow the Rules, pretend you are at the range. Focus and practice with a plan. Not in front of the tube, etc. 
Treat dry-friing as the real thing and training, cus that's exactly what it is. Training. Nothing else will train your hands and eye's as well, and, save wear and tear on your rig and body.

I'm usually pretty amped to go shooting and pretty darn hyper for an old guy. After I set up, I dry-fire several cylinders on a live line- at least 5 mins, especially indoors. Outdoors, I'll do a round on all the swingers, etc. I never just toe-up and start blamming. Dry-firing calms me down and gets me into a rythym. It looks wierd to some, but when the paper comes back on the wire with the orange thing in the center of it missing, or yer clanging steel at 200y, it sure don't feel weird. :mrgreen:

Dry-firing, like any training, is key. If it's good enough for the Pro's, it's good enough for me.


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