Dry firing?

[clklez3]

I have a 10/22 Ruger Carbine. I got it about three months ago. The manual said dry firing was ok, but then I went to a hunter education class and the instructor said that you should never dry fire any 22 rifle. Could dry firing harm my rifle? I dry fired it a bunch the first few weeks and the gun seems fine. I just want some opinions.

[Minuteman]

Always believe the manual first. It's fine. I've "heard" this was a big deal with the old military rimfire target rifles. Maybe that's where the myth comes from.
Ask yourself: "why would a hunter education instructor know more about rugers, than ruger"?

;?

[donspag]

It seems as though ruger has a firing pin stop that keeps the pin from hitting the breach of the barrel so dry firing is OK so they say.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102946&highlight=dry+fire+10%2F22

http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-973.html

I personally wouldn't do it a whole lot.

Don

[Cue-Ball]

Originally posted by donspag


I personally wouldn't do it a whole lot.

Don

Ditto

[clipflashlite]

There is only one way to decock the 10/22 (that I'm aware of). I always like to make sure a round isn't chambered before I put the rifle up for storage. This leads to a problem for me because it cocks the gun and I don't want the rifle hanging out in the safe for weeks on end cocked. So I dry fire the rifle; I wouldn't want to dry fire a .22 revolver (I have heard this causes damage to the firing pin).

[KKG]

The "Real" answer here is "It depends upon the quality of the firearm in question." If the firing pin is properly designed and manufactured; it will do no harm to dry fire any firearm. But the rub comes with the fact that many firearms are not only not well designed but not well manufactured. If you want to dry fire for "Target Practise" then purchase several snap caps and use them while doing so in your 10-22. If you're just putting the rifle "away for the winter" then try holding back on the trigger while letting the bolt go forward. In most cases with a 10-22 this will allow the Hammer to follow the bolt home and "decock" the firing pin. If this works then you won't be able to put the safety on. If not, here is another very good place for snaps caps to be used.

[clipflashlite]

Originally posted by KKG
If you want to dry fire for "Target Practise" then purchase several snap caps and use them while doing so in your 10-22. If you're just putting the rifle "away for the winter" then try holding back on the trigger while letting the bolt go forward. In most cases with a 10-22 this will allow the Hammer to follow the bolt home and "decock" the firing pin. If this works then you won't be able to put the safety on. If not, here is another very good place for snaps caps to be used.


I’ll give this a try. Thanks for the tip.