Dry firing a 22
- Thread starter rebs
- Start date
The only 22 lr rifle that can be dry tired is a CZ, you can use a yellow day wall plug as a snap cap. Even with a CZ though I wouldn't dry fire with out a shot case or a snap cap. Nice rifle, don't bing the seat on the chamber. Could try blocking the hammer fall with a cotton swab.
Blindstitch
New member
A few shots is fine but a lot could be a problem. I tend to keep a few used shells if I need to test pull if a snap cap isn't around.
I do like the rugers ability to dry fire. Makes things nicer for trigger practice.
I do like the rugers ability to dry fire. Makes things nicer for trigger practice.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Dry firing won't appreciably smooth trigger pulls.
If you do dry fire a .22, use snap caps-real ones. Wall anchors, pencil erasers, hot melt glue, do absolutely nothing to cushion the firing pin blow. You can use empty .22 cases, but they should be turned to a fresh spot each time you dry fire the gun.
If you do dry fire a .22, use snap caps-real ones. Wall anchors, pencil erasers, hot melt glue, do absolutely nothing to cushion the firing pin blow. You can use empty .22 cases, but they should be turned to a fresh spot each time you dry fire the gun.
On many 22's, especially older and cheaper models, dry-firing will peen the edge of the chamber mouth so that it protrudes into the chamber, tying up the gun so that rounds do not want to chamber or extract. When this starts to happen, you will see a long scratch in the side of fired and extracted brass.
This is not easy to fix. If you just file off the part that is sticking out into the chamber, then there is a dip left where the rim goes, that lines up with where the firing pin strikes. This will cause uncertain or erratic ignition as the firing pin cannot squish the rim as well as it should.
Instead, the chamber must be "ironed" into proper shape again, driving the displaced metal back into the rim area again. This requires a special tool that a gunsmith may own, but would be an awfully pricey investment for a one-time use at home.
Now days some, but not all 22's are being designed to avoid this problem by building in a stop on the firing pin that will not let it go forward enough to impact the area around the chamber where the rim is seated. It will go forward enough to squash the rim and fire the round - but it will not peen the chamber.
As suggested earlier, check the user manual. If they have this new feature, they will be sure to brag about it. Otherwise, the manual will usually warn against dry-firing. A good rule of thumb is that dry-firing is not mentioned in the manual, it is safest to assume that you shouldn't be doing it.
If you've just gotta, then chamber a fired case with a fresh spot on the rim where the firing pin strikes, or buy a 22 snap-cap.
If in doubt, then do not dry-fire your 22, and you can't go wrong... Instead, buy some cheaper ammo for informal practice, concentrating on trigger control.
This is not easy to fix. If you just file off the part that is sticking out into the chamber, then there is a dip left where the rim goes, that lines up with where the firing pin strikes. This will cause uncertain or erratic ignition as the firing pin cannot squish the rim as well as it should.
Instead, the chamber must be "ironed" into proper shape again, driving the displaced metal back into the rim area again. This requires a special tool that a gunsmith may own, but would be an awfully pricey investment for a one-time use at home.
Now days some, but not all 22's are being designed to avoid this problem by building in a stop on the firing pin that will not let it go forward enough to impact the area around the chamber where the rim is seated. It will go forward enough to squash the rim and fire the round - but it will not peen the chamber.
As suggested earlier, check the user manual. If they have this new feature, they will be sure to brag about it. Otherwise, the manual will usually warn against dry-firing. A good rule of thumb is that dry-firing is not mentioned in the manual, it is safest to assume that you shouldn't be doing it.
If you've just gotta, then chamber a fired case with a fresh spot on the rim where the firing pin strikes, or buy a 22 snap-cap.
If in doubt, then do not dry-fire your 22, and you can't go wrong... Instead, buy some cheaper ammo for informal practice, concentrating on trigger control.
Blindstitch
New member
Actually a 22 chamber iron is pretty cheap at $25.
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...r-tools/22-chamber-ironing-tool-prod8869.aspx
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...r-tools/22-chamber-ironing-tool-prod8869.aspx
The main danger in dry-firing a rimfire is the firing pin hitting the chamber and peening it. There are modern rimfires that are safe and others that are not - the same is true of C&R. I do not know about the Golden boy. The only way to know for sure is to try it and see if there is a mark from the impact. Ruger .22 pistols are safe as are Colt 1st series Match Targets, High Standard Citations, and Browning T-bolts; even my old Wards single-shot .22 is safe. High Standard Dura-matics and Sport Kings are not safe and neither is a Remington 581. Smith & Wesson post-war rimfire revolvers are safe. This is my experience.
SGW Gunsmith
Moderator
Beware of the advice from those who say it's "safe to dry fire any .22 rimfire pistol". They don't know what they write about.
The firing pin stop pin on the right is from a Ruger Mark II pistol. This pin is a bit more than 1/8-inch shorter than the normal, solid firing pin stop pin on the left. The slotted roll-pin was used as a substitute when Ruger ran out of the solid, longer firing pin stop pins. I did an extensive survey on another Ruger forum and found that of the fairly large number of pistols reported, as to whether or not, the bolt has a slotted or solid firing pin stop pin, the response was 50/50 with an equal number having one or the other.
Many small parts are outsourced instead of being made in-house. When the slotted roll-pin is positioned poorly, and because the length of the slotted-pin is shorter on both ends, the driven force on the hardened firing pin will bend the slotted pin allowing contact of the firing pin tip with the chambers edge. Result below:
Now, there will be those who will tell you, "not to worry, there's a chamber ironing tool you can buy to fix that ding". Again, that's more bovine excrement than it is truth. While the ironing tool does roll the metal that the firing pin moved down and into the chamber mouth, it does nothing to push the rolled up metal on each side of the ding back to flush with the breech face. That requires a much different approach. Here's a picture of a brand new Browning Buckmark Contour after ONE (only ONE) dry fire hit without protection from a snap-cap or dry wall anchor:
The breech face has a very visible representation from the firing pin tip after that ONLY hit. For anyone to claim that using a cheap, plastic dry wall anchor to cushion the firing pin blow and prevent damage to the breech face doesn't work, they are so full of it that it's running out of the vent just under their nose. I've been using and recommending the use of #4/#6 dry wall anchors for at least 15 years.............they work just fine and I've never incurred any chamber mouth dings when using these as a snap-cap. They even feed from a Ruger Mark II magazine.
The firing pin stop pin on the right is from a Ruger Mark II pistol. This pin is a bit more than 1/8-inch shorter than the normal, solid firing pin stop pin on the left. The slotted roll-pin was used as a substitute when Ruger ran out of the solid, longer firing pin stop pins. I did an extensive survey on another Ruger forum and found that of the fairly large number of pistols reported, as to whether or not, the bolt has a slotted or solid firing pin stop pin, the response was 50/50 with an equal number having one or the other.
Many small parts are outsourced instead of being made in-house. When the slotted roll-pin is positioned poorly, and because the length of the slotted-pin is shorter on both ends, the driven force on the hardened firing pin will bend the slotted pin allowing contact of the firing pin tip with the chambers edge. Result below:
Now, there will be those who will tell you, "not to worry, there's a chamber ironing tool you can buy to fix that ding". Again, that's more bovine excrement than it is truth. While the ironing tool does roll the metal that the firing pin moved down and into the chamber mouth, it does nothing to push the rolled up metal on each side of the ding back to flush with the breech face. That requires a much different approach. Here's a picture of a brand new Browning Buckmark Contour after ONE (only ONE) dry fire hit without protection from a snap-cap or dry wall anchor:
The breech face has a very visible representation from the firing pin tip after that ONLY hit. For anyone to claim that using a cheap, plastic dry wall anchor to cushion the firing pin blow and prevent damage to the breech face doesn't work, they are so full of it that it's running out of the vent just under their nose. I've been using and recommending the use of #4/#6 dry wall anchors for at least 15 years.............they work just fine and I've never incurred any chamber mouth dings when using these as a snap-cap. They even feed from a Ruger Mark II magazine.
michaeldarnold
New member
^^^FUNNY!!!^^^
Some can be dry fired and some can't be dry fired.
Here is another example of a can't but a bit too late:
The Ruger 10/22 is a good example of can be dry fired as outlined in their manual. I like the example using the yellow dry wall anchors. When in doubt it is better to be safe than sorry.
Ron
Here is another example of a can't but a bit too late:
The Ruger 10/22 is a good example of can be dry fired as outlined in their manual. I like the example using the yellow dry wall anchors. When in doubt it is better to be safe than sorry.
Ron
Cheapshooter
New member
Excellent advise from an actual gunsmith with years of experience!
g.willikers
New member
So, how do ya' avoid dry firing a rimfire after that last round, especially when using one for any kind of action game?
Unless it's absolutely guaranteed not all the rounds in the mag or cylinder will be needed, it's mighty hard to not have a dry fire in the heat of competition.
And one of the reasons our steel challenge rimfire is a Ruger - with the solid cross pin.
Didn't know about the roll pin option.
Thanks, SGW, for the tip.
Unless it's absolutely guaranteed not all the rounds in the mag or cylinder will be needed, it's mighty hard to not have a dry fire in the heat of competition.
And one of the reasons our steel challenge rimfire is a Ruger - with the solid cross pin.
Didn't know about the roll pin option.
Thanks, SGW, for the tip.
g.willikers:
Depends on the gun. All of my bolt guns it involves holding the trigger back and closing the bolt on the empty chamber. On rifles like the Ruger 10/22 for example dry firing is OK so just pull the trigger on the empty chamber after the last round. Not all semi-automatic rifles or handguns have a hold open feature and many are designed to be dry fired without harming the firing pin or breech face.
Overall consult the manufacturers manual to see if dry firing will or will not harm the gun. You have to look at it on a case by case basis.
Just My Take....
Ron
Depends on the gun. All of my bolt guns it involves holding the trigger back and closing the bolt on the empty chamber. On rifles like the Ruger 10/22 for example dry firing is OK so just pull the trigger on the empty chamber after the last round. Not all semi-automatic rifles or handguns have a hold open feature and many are designed to be dry fired without harming the firing pin or breech face.
Overall consult the manufacturers manual to see if dry firing will or will not harm the gun. You have to look at it on a case by case basis.
Just My Take....
Ron