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Anyone dryfire practice?

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I found out long ago that it mushrooms the nipples on my lyman, but by putting a spent .22 short on the nipple, it works fine...although eventually the .22 short gets so smashed and warped, that it needs to replace every 50 or so hammer drops...although i have slowed down with practing on shorts, as i am long familiar with the trigger by now, and am honestly not looking forward to wearing out parts and purchasing new ones.

Never really noticed any damage on my pietta revolver nipples from it...

Wouldn't dare on my squirrel pistol, as god knows where you would buy those parts after they wear out...it is a custom that smells like an old book when you tap out the pins and remove the stock...i shudder to think about it ever breaking...

My other guns are either always loaded, or don't get shot...

Personally i think it is excellent practice if you can drop on the back of a .22 shell. You will gradually wear out your lock by doing it,so you should consider that on certain guns that you don't have access to repacement parts for...the old adage, never dryfire a gun rings true. But i say if there is a supply of replacement parts for the lock, then why not? That kind of practice definitely does help...and can be done every evening while practicing your form in front of the mirror...something to consider...depends on how good you want to get. It is hard on a gun though, but if you are willing to replace parts (its usually just mainly the hammer. As dry firing wears out the half and full cock notches). I say its the owners choice. Just beware, replacing certain parts can require some fitting. Don't do it unless you are willing...and i know a lot of guys say its a bad idea, which isn't really exactly bad advice either.
 
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Yep, I use a broken clothes pin in my flint gun.


You can make a herd of wood flints cheap.

For percussion, go to the hard ware store and buy some 1/4 vacuum hose and cut it to length. You can dry fire a long time for a couple of bucks. Another option at the hard ware store is faucet washers, slip them over the nipple and dry fire.

Or do as Mulebrain says.

Shoot with a guy who has a pair of TC Hawkens with GM barrels, he has shot them over 20,000 shots each and the locks are not worn out.
 
I dry fire. I made a protector for the nipple out of part of a Schrader valve from an old tire.
 
Dry firing is one of the things I preach to the new guys, if you can trip the trigger and the sights never move....

Flintlocks, percussion, modern pistols, dry firing will make you a better shot without a doubt.


Sage advice, dry firing works, it also makes you more familiar with you gun. Another advantage is that it builds up your muscle strength. You can dry fire in your house by shooting at your light switches.
 
Sage advice, dry firing works, it also makes you more familiar with you gun. Another advantage is that it builds up your muscle strength. You can dry fire in your house by shooting at your light switches.
Yep. I shoot by sighting out the family room windows at birds, squirrels, whatever.

At night if the tv is on bad guys on the screen do not seem scared of my dry firing at them with my pistolise
 
I rarely do it although I know I should; I have an actual wooden flint that's still pristine to prove it. I do handle them a lot, aiming and so forth but mostly without the tg pull & "click".
 
A beveled washer used for lavatory faucets work well on a percussion rifle nipple. Softens the hammer when it hits.
 
Years ago I used a pencil eraser instead of a flint. the type that comes maybe 5/8"wide with bevelled ends.
I found it bound a little on the face of the frizzen, and didn't throw the pan open with as much violence as wood in the jaws of the cock.
Very quiet when dry firing and the kids were asleep! Kids are all growed up and gone now..
 
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