[Stephenn]

hello all, I hope everyones good today.
I have a quick question for y'all. I have a brand new gp100 4inch barrel in SS, and I've heard a lot over the years but will dry firing my revolver damage it?
I have not done this at all, but I wanted to know if I need to buy some snap caps to dry fire it to break in the trigger. This pistol shoots very accurately and it is fun, but everyone knows that.lol.
Thank you in advance for any help.
Take care and god bless.

 

[Neon Horse]

Read your manual... and find out that dry fire is ok.

 

[MarkB]

Ruger says that the GP100 can be dry-fired without snap caps with no problem (pg 12 of manual). BUT, it's not a bad idea to use the snap caps. Why do extra stress on the firing pin and frame if you don't have to. I know the frame and firing pin can take the punishment but I don't mind being a little careful.

 

[Bepe]

If you watch the videos for break down and cleaning on the Ruger web site you will often see the narrator dry firing the different weapons. While an occasional dry fire will not harm the revolver I'm just not comfortable doing sustained practice. I'm sure someone will chime in and say they have dry fired their gun thousands of times with no ill effects. Maybe so and all the power to them. I purchased the A-Zoom snap caps for every caliber I own. Made of coated aluminum and the primer area is a soft rubber filler able to withstand use with no damage.

In the past I have purchased snap caps with a heavy spring loaded primer made of what appears to be solid brass. The springs were so heavy that the primer would not budge. After one dry fire you could see a small dent in the hard brass. They quickly went into the trash as using those particular ones is probably more harmful than not using any. Been quite happy with the A-Zoom.

 

[Big Ol Boy]

I have dry fired many Rugers never had a problem but you should do what makes you happy. If it breaks they will fix it.

 

[d.h.]

I cut off a short piece of o-ring the diameter of the primer and stick it in the primer pocket of a piece of brass.
Cheap and easy...........

 

[Aqualung]

I cut off a short piece of o-ring the diameter of the primer and stick it in the primer pocket of a piece of brass.
Cheap and easy...........

I've heard of folks filling the primer pockets with silicone caulk.

Aqualung

 

[Trog73]

I've heard of folks filling the primer pockets with silicone caulk.

What am I missing here? Why not just use spent cases with spent primers?

 

[Stephenn]

Thanks for the info. I'm like most everyone here, and I'll wait to get the snap caps before I start dry firing. I'd rather be safe than sorry even tho I know most likely nothing will go wrong.

 

[gunjunkie]

I usually just catch the hammer with my thumb, or put a finger from my other hand in front of the hammer, down low where it doesn't hurt. Watch out with hammer mounted pins though.
I'll just sit there with a new revolver or lever action, watchin a race, game or movie, and get hundreds of pulls in.

 

[palabman]

I recently had to send my Super Redhawk back for repair and while describing the problem to CS I mentioned that I used snap caps. His comment was that it is safe to dry fire and that Ruger does not recommend using snap caps due to the possibility of material blocking the firing pin. I see this as an extremely rare possibility but I guess anything is possible. Just figured I'd pass it on.

 

[Stephenn]

Thank you Palabman.

 

[Bepe]

I've heard of folks filling the primer pockets with silicone caulk.

Aqualung

The A-Zoom uses the same concept except the primer is a very resilient rubber material. I've done hundreds of fires with no break down of the rubber. Perform a dry fire and you feel a cushioned impact of the hammer / firing pin and no loud metal to metal clanging. If I clean and assemble a gun I will perform a couple dry fires to insure operation with no worries, but for extended dry fire I always use the caps.

The added bonus of the caps is that it resembles the complete loaded round with projectile. The full round is a necessity for loading in semi autos from a mag. Can also be used in FTF / tap rack drills in training. Dry firing many guns will not harm them but I have a few where the manufacturer specifically warns against it. Cheap piece of mind. Whatever floats your boat.

 

[MeagerHair]

+1 for occasional.

I remember the thread a couple months ago of the person not Understanding why they were having issues with a gun fire so few times. Latter on in the thread It was mentioned that to help get trigger feel he had dry fired it a few thousand times, in a row.

Just about anything in excess can be a problem.

 

[GunWanderer]

You can dry fire. You don't need the snap caps unless you want to practice quick loading using the strips. It's a good way to help training muscle memory. I initially dry fire mine but eventually bought a package of A-Zoom snap caps.

 

[mcwsky09]

Another thing to consider with snap caps, especially versus using spent brass, is that while they are the same shape and size of a live round they tend to look very different in color. Some being solid red others being transparent etc meaning that it adds a visual check that you are not accidentally putting a live round into the forearm during your dry fire practice whcih may be occurring somewhere that even with the other rules of guns safety being followed would not be a good place to have a negligent discharge.

 

[PennGrizz]

If you still want to use snap caps tipton makes ones. They have a little spring in them. I use tipton snap caps when I practice that home with the HK.

 

[Aqualung]

What am I missing here? Why not just use spent cases with spent primers?

Trog73,

After the primers have been beat up enough, they no longer cushion the firing pin because they don't rebound.

Aqualung

 

[Iowegan]

This topic comes up quite often and the answer is always the same ... no need for Snap-Caps.

Check post #6 in this thread: http://rugerforum.net/ruger-double-action/11178-dry-firing.html or post #8 in this thread: http://rugerforum.net/ruger-double-action/103944-dry-fire-without-snap-caps.html

 

[Stephenn]

Wow, thanks guys for all the great advice, and all the posts.