Dry firing smallbore rifle

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MatS
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2013 11:34 am

Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by MatS »

Hello,

I'm wondering what kind of ''bullets'' (inserts) are you using fot dry firing your smallbore rifle. I'm using used empty bullet cases but it seems not to be healty for the barrel entry, since there are already damage and deformation marks on it from the fire pin. I need to train dry fire because I have rarely access to a range and at the same time I do not want to damage my almost new rifle.
jhmartin
Posts: 2620
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 2:49 pm
Location: Valencia County, NM USA

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by jhmartin »

Go to your local hardware store and purchase a pack of #4 drywall anchors.
Insert easy & eject like the real thing.
KennyB
Posts: 396
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:32 am
Location: London, England

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by KennyB »

Mat - if the breech face is getting marked then it would be worth having a gunsmith look at it and maybe shorten the firing pin a fraction. As I understand it, the pin shouldn't be able to contact the breech face. If the chamber entrance gets a burr on it then you could end up shaving lead off the bullet as you load it and the rifle will probably not shoot accurately.

When dry firing my Anschutz's, I disassemble the bolt and remove the indicator pin and spring before I start. I then find that the snap-caps last much longer before the pin destroys them. I dry fire a LOT.

K.
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Bob Smalser
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Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by Bob Smalser »

Image
Bob
MatS
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2013 11:34 am

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by MatS »

Thanks for the quick respone!

I'm considering to search for the wall anchors but it will get a bit tricky since I'm not from US.
I also tought of getting a ssecond firing pin just for dry firing and chop the end off so it won't reach the chamber wall.

@KennyB I have a Walther KK300 system and there is no ''indicator pin'' listed under the parts. Any ideas?
http://prntscr.com/6q6jm0

I'm going to the range today and make a comparmasion with the guns of my collegues who have the same system. Thus definetely going to se a gun smith.
KennyB
Posts: 396
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:32 am
Location: London, England

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by KennyB »

I suppose the equivalent would be to remove the spring (16) on your exploded diagram.

I haven't dismantled a Walther bolt but it looks as if the "cocking pin" (19) has to be removed in order to extract the firing pin from the body of the bolt. That could make the swapping of firing pins non-trivial...

Probably best left alone.

K.
KatoomDownUnder

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by KatoomDownUnder »

Depending where you live the dry wall plugs should be fairly easy to find at your local hardware store.

For .22 snap caps, if your not in the UK then have a look at the ones supplied by Intershoot. Ryan sources his from a club in the Bisley area and I think that they are probably the best ones about. The plastic is soft enought to handle quite a few impacts with no major damage.

As a last resort keep using used cart cases to protect the chamber face and your firing pin.

Given how expensive parts can be it'll be a lot cheaper to source either wall plugs or snap caps instead of getting another firing pin. However, one option if you're handy enough would be to make your own shortened pin using the standard one as a template.
joel
Posts: 460
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 4:30 pm
Location: San Diego, CA

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by joel »

It might be helpful if you:

1. Include your location in your profile, and
2. Use the search function as this has been discussed many, many times before.

Joel
jhmartin
Posts: 2620
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 2:49 pm
Location: Valencia County, NM USA

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by jhmartin »

These folks will ship outside the US.
http://www.amazon.com/Hillman-Group-370 ... ll+anchors
Martin H
Posts: 153
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 2:01 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by Martin H »

NSRA Shop - .22 dry firing plugs

Online ordering and will ship internationally

http://www.nsrashop.co.uk/

Cheers
Martin
jhmartin
Posts: 2620
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 2:49 pm
Location: Valencia County, NM USA

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by jhmartin »

Martin H wrote:NSRA Shop - .22 dry firing plugs
Online ordering and will ship internationally
http://www.nsrashop.co.uk/
Cheers
Martin
Martin ... are these a soft or hard plastic? I've used the hard plastic ones before, and the rim comes apart after a few shots ... had some of the pieces get in the loading tray & below.
The reason I like the soft plastic as it tends to recover.
Tim S
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Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 11:33 am
Location: Taunton, Somerset

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by Tim S »

The NSRA plugs are normally a softer plastic, and will take a good few strikes. These don't shatter, but the rim does get chewed up.
jhmartin
Posts: 2620
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 2:49 pm
Location: Valencia County, NM USA

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by jhmartin »

The good think about the softer drywall anchors is they are practically self healing
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Andre
Posts: 464
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2014 12:09 pm

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by Andre »

When I dry fire I take the cocking indicator and it's spring out, then loosen the back cap till it's barely held on there. Pin has very little force, but just enough to load and drop the sear.
jenrick
Posts: 158
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:16 am
Location: Central Texas

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by jenrick »

I just use a piece of thin felt slipped under the extractor of my rifle. It works just fine, and stays in place as I work the bolt.

-Jenrick
patriot
Posts: 272
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:59 pm

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by patriot »

I have a second firing pin that has been shortened. Over time a firing pin will break from dry firing.

Mark
Rhyno
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Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2015 10:56 am
Location: Chattanooga, TN

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by Rhyno »

Honestly, depending on your rifle, you may not even need them. No one on our collegiate team uses them and we dry fire hundreds of shots each week. I haven't used anything for the three years that I have been training here and nothing has happened to my rifle or firing pin.

If it really scared you, don't buy anything, just use some old brass that you have lying round.

As some of the others said, the firing pin should not contact the breech face, if it does, you need to have that looked at.

**Edit: just reread and saw that you have already tried old cases... if it really is marring up breech face, you should get that looked at...
MatS
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2013 11:34 am

Re: Dry firing smallbore rifle

Post by MatS »

I brought it to the gunsmith who made a slight polish on the chamber entrance since it looked damaged. I shot at the range yesterday and it finaly seems to function as it should. I discovered that the entrance was already damaged a year ago, because the bolt didn't want to pull out all cases. Cases of cheap SK munition kept stuck in the chamber all over again so I shot the Eley wich did not have the problem (smaller diameter?). Now after polish it pulls out everything.

Now I'm 3D printing myself plastic (ABS) rounds and with the bolt cap (part 14) unscrewed (reduces significantly the strike force) the plastic rim survives 10+ firings w/o problems.
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