I dry fire all the time, when I look at new guns to buy I first ask before I dry fire.Some people don't like dry firing their guns. Never had an issue with dry firing

I have heard it is okay to do so as long as it is not a rimfire like a .22 caliber gun. But like pic said, if the gun does not belong to you, always ask for permission before attempting to dry fire it in case the owner feels otherwise.

If its not yours ask. Personally I use snap caps. I think that $15 is a good piece of mind even if the manual says its ok.

My LGS guy/gunsmith said that the only modern handgun that should not be dry fired is a rim fire weapon.

Most centerfires aren't a problem but it does put undue stress on the pin and spring so snapcaps are a good idea.Without a round in the chamber something has to stop the pin's foward movement and usually it's the spring under full compression,so that's stressing the spring,hence sometimes they break.Some designs or tolerance variations allow the pin to stop by wedging in the pin hole of the breechface,some 1911s can do this.This can cause the pin to break or it peens the edge of the hole and can cause the pin to stick foward.Contrary to popular belief this normally will not cause the gun to go full auto because the stuck pin will not allow the rim of the cartrige to slide up the breechface into position.

These problems aren't very common,but they do and can happen.I've dryfired thousands and thousands of times with no problems,but I replace the FP spring before it can be beaten to death.Snapcars are just good insurance.

What do the snap caps do exactly? Take the stress?

Originally Posted by TheLAGuy

What do the snap caps do exactly? Take the stress?

They have a spring in them that absorbs the energy.

BTW.....I've never felt the need to dry fire any firearm.

Originally Posted by TheLAGuy

What do the snap caps do exactly? Take the stress?

basically yes. they act as an inert round in the chamber and give the firing pin something to run into vs traveling further than it would normally.

I never dry fire any firearm.....why? Just go shoot the thing.

I only use snap caps to simulate malfunctions in training... probly the best reason to own a few.

Originally Posted by berettabone

I never dry fire any firearm.....why? Just go shoot the thing.

Well not everyone has a firing range in the backyard like you! lol

Rather than dry fire, I prefer to "stage the trigger or hammer" on a new gun that I haven't fired yet.

I like to know where the trigger creep stops and the hammer will begin to fall.

Dry firing is a great way to practice the fundamentals of shooting, and in particular trigger press. Bruce Gray wrote an interesting article about the subject that you can find here:

Bruce Gray and Dry Firing

I use it fairly often to practice trigger control as well as the double action pull on my DA/SA pistols. If you choose to do it, please be safe. I suggest you remove any live ammunition from the room, then double and triple check that only snap caps are within reach and inserted into the chamber or magazine.

Dry practice can be a benefit for trigger control, sight alignment and sight picture training. It is not the end all be all for training, but can be a benefit. Like TapnRack said snap caps are great for training in weapons manipulations and stoppage drills.

Originally Posted by paratrooper

Rather than dry fire, I prefer to "stage the trigger or hammer" on a new gun that I haven't fired yet.

I like to know where the trigger creep stops and the hammer will begin to fall.

Is it bad for the gun in a DA/SA to manually pull back the hammer, hold the hammer, pull trigger and lightly de-cock the gun? Bad for the hammer spring?

Originally Posted by TheLAGuy

Is it bad for the gun in a DA/SA to manually pull back the hammer, hold the hammer, pull trigger and lightly de-cock the gun? Bad for the hammer spring?

Naw, you can do that if you want. In this day and age, modern firearms have improved vastly, just in over the past 20 yrs. or so. Metallurgy has improved significantly, and has been one of the best improvements.

Originally Posted by TAPnRACK

I only use snap caps to simulate malfunctions in training... probly the best reason to own a few.

That's a great idea,I am slowly teaching my wife. She wants to start shooting. I need to make sure she can rack the slide and feed ammo with a semi. Would the snap caps feed and eject similar to live ammo?
I never owned a snap cap

Originally Posted by pic

That's a great idea,I am slowly teaching my wife. She wants to start shooting. I need to make sure she can rack the slide and feed ammo with a semi. Would the snap caps feed and eject similar to live ammo?
I never owned a snap cap

They will not rack the slide or eject. Most simply have a spring inside to absorb the energy from the firing pin.

Originally Posted by paratrooper

They will not rack the slide or eject. Most simply have a spring inside to absorb the energy from the firing pin.

Exactly.The cheaper plastic snapcaps will get beat up in time and fail to feed well,and some just don't want to from the start without a little finessing.The good ones from AZoom are good and last well feeding like dummy rounds.Another trick is make a dummy round and put a pencil eraser in the primer pocket,but you need to know someone that reloads and put a serious crimp on the bullet to prevent setback with extended use.They too eventually get beat up but they're cheap to make.

Originally Posted by berettabone

I never dry fire any firearm.....why? Just go shoot the thing.

Because there are techniques that can be learned and improved without making it go bang every-time, which can even disguise some poor techniques.

Exactly!

Went to buy some ammo, sorry no 9 mm, 40 sw, or 45 cal. At my favorite supply store..looks like I' ll be dry firing this weekend

Originally Posted by pic

Went to buy some ammo, sorry no 9 mm, 40 sw, or 45 cal. At my favorite supply store..looks like I' ll be dry firing this weekend

I wish I had a shooting range inside.

Originally Posted by TheLAGuy

I wish I had a shooting range inside.

Can't you just shoot down in your basement..go make your own gun range,be careful