Dry firing Garands

[bombdog]

Question? i know the Army didn't have a cow when we did dry fire exercises with our M16's. So, to my Garand Guru's out there, is it detrimental to my hammer, bolt, or firing pin, to dry fire my 53 Garand? i don't do it more than 2 or 3 trigger squeezes twice a week. Was wondering, should i go on and pick up a couple dry fire cartridges, and which ones? There are so many to choose from. Maybe i should get another firing pin too, JIC............
Tango mike guys.
bombdog, out..............

[Griff Murphey]

You will find a lot of encouragement to dry fire in the M-1 manual. That said I have a particular rack grade Ex- Dane M-1 rifle I keep handy for dry firing.

One day I had a major jam while dry firing and it was in fact a broken firing pin tang.

How many times had I dry fired it? Suspect I dry fired it 20-30 times a day for maybe 30-90 days a year for 13 years. This works out to 7,800 to 35,000 dry fires before it failed. Of course I may have "mis-underestimated" or "mis-overestimated!"

Well let's say 8,000.

Plus whatever wear and tear the Danish and U.S. military put on it.

[Darreld Walton]

Never seen it happen, nor even a reliable link to such a thing, but I've heard several times that extended dry firing can peen the firing pin or the back of the bolt to the point that the firing pin won't retract at some point, sticking forward, and give an unintended discharge. Sorta like an automatic weapon that fires from an open bolt with a fixed firing pin. I could see that happening, but I must reiterate my first caveat.

[joet]

Dry fired in PI boot camp hundreds of times.We called it snapping in.Great way to practice trigger control,and sight alignment.I snap in all i can, it makes range time go much better.

[bombdog]

That's what i was thinking, Just wondering if the Comp guys have the caps, and are they worth it? i've been reading reviews on Midways' site on the caps and most guys do not recomend them for Garands or M1a type rifles. Think i'll stick to my Army days like all you gents have acknowledged.
Again, tango mike brothers.
bombdog, out!!!!!!!!!

[Griff Murphey]

Well it happened to me. Posted photos here about a year ago?

[UUURah]

Dry fired in PI boot camp hundreds of times.We called it snapping in.Great way to practice trigger control,and sight alignment.I snap in all i can, it makes range time go much better.

We did it with our M-14's and the DI's laid a quarter across the front sight. If it didn't fall off, you had great trigger squeeze.

[StockDoc]

I could possibly see that Firing pin protrusion could be effected after a few thousand time, and some wear in the trigger group. But I would not worry about it. If you worry about it use an fired case in the chamber, that will restrict the pin movement some.

[Rock]

You will find a lot of encouragement to dry fire in the M-1 manual. That said I have a particular rack grade Ex- Dane M-1 rifle I keep handy for dry firing.

One day I had a major jam while dry firing and it was in fact a broken firing pin tang.

One could always use a stripped bolt minus the firing pin in a dedicated practice rifle. I might even keep a trigger group dedicated for dry firing. Hammers can wear and break too.

[psteinmayer]

In CMP Matches during prep time, we are instructed to "Dry Fire Only" during every relay string. I could see a problem doing it thousands of times... but not occasionally.

[Richard H Brown Jr]

If you feel so unhappy about dry-firing get some of these in your favorite calibers: http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Asnap%20caps or some original training rnds from various online suppliers.

RHB

[Devil Dog]

Dry fired in PI boot camp hundreds of times.We called it snapping in.Great way to practice trigger control,and sight alignment.I snap in all i can, it makes range time go much better.

I agree that we "snapped in" a lot, but our training rifles were exchanged for "shooters" when we went to the range. (in 1965.. M14's)

[joet]

I agree that we "snapped in" a lot, but our training rifles were exchanged for "shooters" when we went to the range. (in 1965.. M14's)

In 1956 we qualified with the same rifle.

"Semper fi"

[Maury Krupp]

I've had M1 Firing Pins break but can't specifically lay any blame on dry firing. $hit happens.

A gimmick better than a snap cap is a Dry Fire Device. Not only does the Hammer never touch the Firing Pin but it only takes about a quarter-inch tug on the Op Rod handle to reset for the next snap. Very quick and easy.

You can get one from most of the usual suspects (eg, http://www.creedmoorsports.com/shop/M14-M1A_Dry_Fire_Device.html ) or make your own from dowel or plastic rod.

Maury

[usmc69]

Have dry fired M1 Garands,m1 Carbines, M-14's, M-16's and about every other military rifle I have ever handled. Never had a problem. That said I did have to replace a firing pin on a friend's M1 that he had break while firing........He said it just quit firing during a string of fire he was doing. When I took the rifle apart the firing pin was busted........

[captcrunch227]

The only guns that I know of that are a no no to dry fire are rimfire weapons. I dry fire my Garand regularly with no issue to date.

[emmagee1917]

Add to that hammer side X sides and Trapdoor types . Those angled in firing pins don't like it . Also any firing pin with a sharp 90 degree bend or cut amidships is prone to cracking there .
Chris

[ltcboy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcEvtSh7sW4


Look at 11:19

[John Sukey]

Ever do inspection arms with an M1? I did that quite often for three years. Guess what the final step is! And no, I NEVER came close to chambering my thumb!:icon_lol:

[bd1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcEvtSh7sW4


Look at 11:19

+1. The Coach Method. I guess that's how we all got intro'd to firing the M1 or M14 rifle. Even long after military service, I don't know how s shooter is going to get in enough practice without a lot of dry firing.

[Ted Brown]

Creedmoor Sports sells a dry fire device for the M14 / M1 for only $2.50. It's cheap insurance and yes, dry firing can cause premature failure of the firing pin. It may last thousands of dry fire shots or may break on the first few. Better safe than sorry.

[emmagee1917]

I read it as $13.95 .
Chris

[Griff Murphey]

Yep did the dime thing with M-1s in ROTC... Also had 7 years high school and college ROTC only the last two years with the M-14 rest all M-1, at least two to three formations and one parade per week. Did inspection arms quite a lot. Never broke a firing pin because the rifles did not have any until we went on field problems.

Never saw M-1 thumbs doing inspection arms... Those happened when jacking around with the rifle or in assembly/disassembly. I had two at once one time in each thumb but one was a Remington 11 thumb.

[John Rippert]

I have broken two firing pins while dry firing. Both were well used and very worn. Does not stop me from doing it.

[mousegun]

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220023-1-1-1.jpghttp://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220022-1-1.jpghttp://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220024-1-1.jpghttp://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220025-1-1.jpghttp://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220032-1-1.jpghttp://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220026-1-1.jpg

[bombdog]

I could possibly see that Firing pin protrusion could be effected after a few thousand time, and some wear in the trigger group. But I would not worry about it. If you worry about it use an fired case in the chamber, that will restrict the pin movement some.Yeah, i've done that before as well. i think the hunting gun world is where these things (snap caps) are supposed to go. Not so much us old war horses' rifles. i really never thought about it, but all the different inspection arms, PMI, trigger squeeze exercises, and all adds up to a bunch of dry fire time........ Tango mike brothers.........

[John Kepler]

The rifle was DESIGNED to be dry-fired! Doesn't hurt it a bit, and is the preferred method for shooter training. Back when I was deeply involved in competition shooting, I popped over 100 dry-fires for every live shot. Barrels are an expensive "consumable" in a competition rifle.....you've got just so many quality shots in a barrel, and want as many of them as possible "for record"!

[Rock]

The rifle was DESIGNED to be dry-fired! Doesn't hurt it a bit, and is the preferred method for shooter training. Back when I was deeply involved in competition shooting, I popped over 100 dry-fires for every live shot.

True, but the military had a lot of spare parts and replaced them when needed. Dry firing does put a small amount of stress on the hammer and the firing pin that will shorten the life of those parts. I prefer to maximize parts life of my rifles. If I feel the need to dry fire, I have a spare trigger assembly that has a hammer with a chipped nose and I also install a stripped bolt. That way I can dry fire all I want without putting wear on those critical and expensive parts.

[John Kepler]

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220023-1-1-1.jpghttp://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220022-1-1.jpghttp://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220024-1-1.jpghttp://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220025-1-1.jpghttp://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220032-1-1.jpghttp://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cyberdrek/M1/P3220026-1-1.jpg

And all THAT contraption will do is break the firing pin/hammer FASTER since you will be slamming the extension into the safety bridge, and/or stressing the hell out of the hammer as it impacts on the bottom edge of the bolt! And since when was a firing pin particularly "expensive" ($15 from Numrich and why, if you own and shoot a 70 year-old rifle, don't you have multiple spares on hand?) ???

[Griff Murphey]

Champions Choice sells a similar in theory, but round and fits the chamber version. I think the gizmo is turned from Delrin or similar, sticks in the chamber. They aver it reduces fatigue on the firing pin.