Can firing pins be damaged by not using snap caps??

P

privateer1939

New member
Gentlemen
some people say that repeated dry firing of guns will not damage the firing pins...i personally cant believe this because those pins---especially for rifles and shotguns, really "slam" through that small opening and i cant envision no damage occuring to some part of that metal with repeated dry firings and a snap-cap would prevent that damage
what say you about this.......i need enlightenment and advice concerning this issue

tx
 
Depends on the gun. Almost all modern centerfire guns will not be hurt by dry firing. Even without snap caps. Many rimfires, and most double shotguns should not be dry fired. Revolvers with firiing pins mounted on the hammer should be dry fired in limited use.

Just need to read the owners manual. My Kel-Tec says NO. Most others actually advise that dry firing is fine.

I have guns close to 40 years old that have been dry fired 10's of thousands of times with zero problems.
 
I occasionally dry fire all of my fire arms except the rimfires. Never had problems that occurred from dry Firing without snap caps.
 
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Problem may be more with the springs than the pins themselves. If there is any controversy, and there sure is plenty, why would you not use snapcaps? They are cheap insurance just in case the people who say you don't need them are wrong
 
Yes, firing pins can break if you don't use snap caps. A little is ok / but no reason not to use snap caps if you're going to be dry firing the gun ...
 
Posing the question from a different perspective, has anyone ever heard of a firing pin damaged by a snap cap? I have not.
 
Posing the question from a different perspective, has anyone ever heard of a firing pin damaged by a snap cap? I have not.
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Never heard of a problem with snap caps, only without, me included back in the days when I had never even heard of snap caps.
 
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