[coconut]

Hello All,
Question, I've purchased a NIB P345 back in April 07. I did a lot of dry firing with the magazine in almost everyday and shot a total of 600 rounds. The last 400 were on a basic and advance handgun course I just attended last week. I was practicing some drills with some snap caps I just bought yesterday and when I racked the slide, I noticed that my firing pin is exposed at least 1/4 on an inch. Did I just ruin my pistol with using the snap caps? Will Ruger repair this? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RNettles]

I would give them a call, and they should take care of it...

By the way, is the back of the firing pin still in the correct position, and can you still operate the safety/decocker? You may have a broken firing pin...

 

[coconut]

Thanks for the response RNettles,
I'll be call Ruger soon. I can work the decocker but the Firing Pin is completely stuck. I can't even load any bullets. When I shine a light up in the magazine well I could see the pin. I'm just trying to figure out what the heck happened and pass the word out to anyone using snap caps to proceed with caution.

 

[coconut]

Just talked to Ruger reps, it's a broken pin. I'll be shipping it for repairs. The pin now just slides in an out. I thought this only happens when dry firing without the mag installed.

 

[jimbo1096]

Probably damaged before the snap caps and they caused the pin to stick in the plastic. I dry fire SA & DA but never autos except to let the hammer down if they are decockers or don't have exposed hammer.

 

[coconut]

jimbo1096,
I think you're right. I'm just scratching my head figuing out how I could possibly damage the firing pin so when I recieve my pistol back I won't have a repeat. I had to special order this pistol so I know it wasn't a display model and I made sure I dry fire with the mag in.

 

[deputy125]

A lot of arguments both ways on dry firing. Never had a problem with it myself but did see a gunshop display browning bdm dry-fired by a customer and we both noticed part of the firing pin come out of the bore and land on the counter-top.

 

[Snuffy]

I have a basic rule that I learned after my dad slapped the back of my head once for dry firing. I never ever dry fire a weapon unless Ihave either a fired case in the weapon or a snap cap in the weapon. I had a Remington 1100 just got the gun took ona bird hunt a paid hunt mind you. 5 shoots 3 dove and a broke firing pin, ya know I was happy. I didn't bring another shot gun, now ya wouls think I was going to open a gun shop lol.

 

[coconut]

I love the way my P345 feels and shoots but I'm beginning to lose confidence as a self defense tool. Thank god I still have my 6 inch SS GP100 that I purchased 18 years ago. A 1000 plus rounds later and many times dry firing, it performs like I just bought it yesterday. I'm going to have to agree on Iowegan's other post on his P345 experience and start saving up on a Sig P220.

 

[tkarter]

I don't dry fire any gun period. I practice with ammo and in all of my almost 50 years I have never had a firing pin fail in even the cheapest gun.

What can you really learn by dry firing?

tk

 

[coconut]

I thought the two main reasons for dry firing was to become familiar with your firearm as well as trigger/recoil dicipline. Am I wrong? Should I use airsoft pistols as an alternative training tool instead? Thoughts/opinions?

 

[btrumanj]

Firing pins breakage isn't something that happens too most people often but it's not all that rare either. Gunsmiths seem to keep firing pins for certain guns in stock. The pin broke in an 870 Rem shotgun I'd bought from a gun trading friend. The gun looked good and I'd hunted with it and very few people dry fire shotguns much. I've never had a problem dry firing any of my handguns through the years but here lately I'm beginning to think a bit differently. Some metal parts just plain fail due to various causes, not only in guns but other things too.
Baker

 

[coconut]

 

[coconut]

My apologies for the late picture. I finally have some free time to post.

cocnut

 

[coconut]

While I'm still waiting for Ruger to repair my P345, I came across a response that Iowegan posted on the other Ruger site concerning dry firing P345. The day my firing pin broke, I was practicing different reloading techniques that I just learned using snap caps(tactical, mag change while wounded etc...)I'm no gunsmith, but to me this is the most logical explaination I can think of unless Ruger finds something else.


coconut.



"I would like to tell you "you're out of the woods" but.... I wouldn't feel safe with a self defence gun that has such a poor track record. Another issue ... if you fail to seat a magazine properly, the gun will not fire and in essence, you are doing the same thing as dry firing without a magazine. Personally, I would feel much safer if the mag disconnect plunger and spring were removed."

http://www.rugerforum.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/007971.html

 

[tkarter]

That certainly may explain it.

Understand from my point of view I just flat don't dry fire. Okay or not. I wasn't raised that way.

Folks that shoot way better than I do suggest practicing that way. It must have its merits.

The 345 sure sounds like it needs an old timer like me to survive is all I can reckon.


tk