Is it harmful to dry fire a remington 700 for shooting practice?

[mbarnes122578]

Is it harmful to dry fire a remington 700 for shooting practice?

[JM]

Nope.

[Derik Lee]

get a snap cap if you are worried

[huntfishtrap]

No, the only modern guns that might be hurt by dry-firing might be some of the high-class doubles, and even then I kinda doubt it.

[DSMbirddog]

I wouldn't worry to much about it but Yoda does have a good suggestion. Snap caps are also useful for storage. I always store my rifles with the firing pin in the fired position.

[IND_NRA]

Dry firing a 700 will actully cuase less harm then firing with a live cartridge. There will be no return force on the firing pin. But, I agree with yoda and dsmbirddog--a snap cap, and I always leave my guns stored in the fire position.

[officerdom1987]

I've heard of keeping guns with the firing pin in the fired position because it's less stress on the firing pin spring. Is that the actual reason why? And what is a snap cap?

[Trapper Vic]

I've always been told not to dry fire. use a snap cap or a spent cartridge.

[huntfishtrap]

@OfficerDom: 1) Yep, the reason for storing a gun "uncocked" is to keep the spring from potentially losing its strength. 2) A snap cap is just an empty shell or case with the primer replaced with a rubber plug to provide the firing pin something malleable to strike when dry-firing.

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


I once had a firing pin break off when dry firing. Once was once too much. Don't do it without a snap cap...!!

[Treestand]

YES....use a spent round or a Snap-Cap!

[land_cruiser_73]

DMS, You don't need a snap cap for storage. Open the bolt, pull the trigger, slowly close the bolt. Your firing pin should gently come forward.
I have no opinion on whether dry firing harms or not, but I do know NEVER dry fire a rimfire.

[duckdog07]

I have put this to the test I bought a Rem 700 Bdl a number of years ago at an estate sale for 50 bucks and it looked like a 50 dollar rifle but what the heck I thought. It sat in the corner of my closet when we decided to challenge this question. Years of us, me and my friends deliberately trying to break the firing pin by dry firing. A buck a session in the kitty each session lasts until you get tired of pulling the trigger if it breaks during your session you get the kitty.$146 and counting to date no pin breakage. we did JB weld a metal rod an inch long into the chamber so it could never be loaded but there is a 1/2 inch of free(empty space) between the bolt and the chamber so if dry firing hurts it I haven't see it

[Chris Jackson]

We did dry firing exercises in the Army all the time. I have dry fired a M4 and bolt gun hundreds of thousands of times.