Need to count shots?

DeepEastKilla · July 21, 2011, 04:06 PM

I picked up a heritage rough Rider on Monday, and I have been fondling it ever since. I have been able to shoot it a little bit and have realized that it's easier for me to load five shots instead of six. The way I have my ammunition stored it is easy to take five rounds at a time and load them, but I am having a hard time remembering to count my shots and in turn I am essentially dry firing on one cylinder. I have already started seeing some cylinder indentations and I'm a bit worried. I'm wondering that over time, not counting my shots and dropping the hammer on an empty chamber will cause damage to the cylinder. I don't see myself floating six to prevent this problem. So I will have to start trying to count, but do you think this will cause damage to my gun?

Thanks, Mike

PawPaw · July 21, 2011, 04:21 PM

Quote:

So I will have to start trying to count, but do you think this will cause damage to my gun?

No, counting shots won't damage your gun.

I've been counting shots for thirty years. It's something we were taught in the Academy and it helps if you know your shot count before your firearm runs dry. I was doing pistol drills earlier today and I'd count shots out of pure, sheer habit. But, I was never surprised when the pistol went to slide lock.

Counting shots is a good habit to have.

aarondhgraham · July 21, 2011, 04:24 PM

Quote:

I have already started seeing some cylinder indentations

do you think this will cause damage to my gun?

If you are seeing cylinder indentations,,,
You have already done some amount of damage to your gun.

Load six rounds my friend.

Aarond

DeepEastKilla · July 21, 2011, 04:38 PM

lol, I didnt mean would counting shots damage the gun : ) I "typed" that up using the dragon speech to text program so it came out a little weird.

Shadi Khalil · July 21, 2011, 04:40 PM

If it's just for range use then load the sixth round.

2damnold4this · July 21, 2011, 04:48 PM

leave a spent shell in one of the cylinders.

PawPaw · July 21, 2011, 06:32 PM

When I'm shooting single action revolvers, I use the old "load one, skip one, load four" trick. That leaves an empty chamber under the hammer. Most modern SAA revolvers don't need the old safety trick of just loading five and leaving an empty under the hammer, but it's a habit I got into years ago.

Mike_Fontenot · July 23, 2011, 02:32 PM

What are "cylinder indentations"? You're not talking about rimfire cartridges, are you? I can see how a 22lr gun might cause the firing pin to strike right rear the edge of the chamber hole on the rear of the cylinder (which is why I think dryfiring rimfires is a no-no), but with a centerfire, isn't the firing pin just sticking into the middle of the empty cylinder hole?

SurplusShooter · July 23, 2011, 02:59 PM

Keep an empty in the cylinder and load 5 or just load 6 and suffer an inconvience and keep the gun in good shape.

reppans · July 23, 2011, 04:34 PM

Quote:

What are "cylinder indentations"? You're not talking about rimfire cartridges, are you? I can see how a 22lr gun might cause the firing pin to strike right rear the edge of the chamber hole on the rear of the cylinder (which is why I think dryfiring rimfires is a no-no), but with a centerfire, isn't the firing pin just sticking into the middle of the empty cylinder hole?

+1... don't dry-fire a rimfire - it will peen the chamber edge and cause insertion/extraction problems.

Just curious as to why loading 5 is easier for you?

Sharpsdressed Man · July 23, 2011, 05:43 PM

"I know what your thinking. Did I fire five, or six?......................."

Newton24b · July 23, 2011, 08:48 PM

you cant leave an empty chamber in a rimfire cylinder and fire that chamber off. doesnt matter what brand of revovler you have. it will case damage. and the problem is the damage can only be fixed by getting a new cylinder. and since you ahve a heritage rought rider a replacement cyinder will cost you 40 dollars plus shipping and handling.

SRH78 · July 24, 2011, 08:38 PM

As others have already said, just leave an empty in one of the chambers.

James K · July 24, 2011, 09:08 PM

I think the OP means that he loads only five, but sometimes drops the hammer on the empty chamber and the firing pin indents the cylinder.

The solution is not counting shots, it is fixing the gun so the firing pin does NOT contact the cylinder. It is hard to believe any modern gun is made that way, as the firing pin should never hit the cylinder no matter why it is dry fired. I would consider returning the gun; it is defective.

Jim

CajunBass · July 25, 2011, 07:40 AM

No it isn't defective. A rimfire firearms firing pin will strike the edge of the chamber/cylinder. It has to. That's where the priming compound is located. When firing live ammo, that pin strikes the edge of the cartridge. When that chamber is unloaded, it hits the edge of the chamber or cylinder. Over time it can cause serious damage. Some rimfire designs, mostly Rugers, don't have this problem, but others, even modern ones do.

As for why does the OP only want to load five? Easy. Cartridges come packed fifty to a box. Ten rows long, five wide. If you load five at a time you get ten nice even reloads. If you load six, you get eight, with two cartridges left over. Nothing wrong with that, just annoying. Cartridges should come packed sixty to a box.

James K · July 25, 2011, 02:49 PM

Absolutely NOT TRUE. A rimfire firing pin should NEVER hit the end of the barrel or the cylinder of a revolver. EVER! (Saw that "EVER!" on TV!)

The firing pin should be made so it is long enough to compress the rim and fire the cartridge but not so long as to touch the chamber when there is no cartridge there.

(I don't think the OP's loading procedure is due to the number of rounds in a box. I think he wants to load five in the usual procedure for loading a SA revolver without a hammer block or a transfer bar; he wants to carry with an empty chamber under the hammer in case the gun should drop on the hammer or something strike the hammer.)

Jim

Dragline45 · July 25, 2011, 05:24 PM

Then why do all firearm companies say not to dry fire rimfire revolvers

mikejonestkd · July 25, 2011, 06:08 PM

Please read your owner's manual:

http://heritagemfg.com/site/pdf/sbManual.pdf

Do not drop the hammer on an empty chamber on a rimfire heritage revolver.

The question as to why it was made so that the hammer would strike the cylinder can easily be answered by the very low price of the revolver.

DAnjet500 · July 25, 2011, 06:16 PM

Do as PawPaw says. Load one, skip one, load four. Draw back the hammer and then down on the empty chamber. You can then shoot your five in a row and know the next one is empty.

July 21, 2011, 04:06 PM	#1
DeepEastKilla Member Join Date: October 10, 2009 Posts: 81	Need to count shots? I picked up a heritage rough Rider on Monday, and I have been fondling it ever since. I have been able to shoot it a little bit and have realized that it's easier for me to load five shots instead of six. The way I have my ammunition stored it is easy to take five rounds at a time and load them, but I am having a hard time remembering to count my shots and in turn I am essentially dry firing on one cylinder. I have already started seeing some cylinder indentations and I'm a bit worried. I'm wondering that over time, not counting my shots and dropping the hammer on an empty chamber will cause damage to the cylinder. I don't see myself floating six to prevent this problem. So I will have to start trying to count, but do you think this will cause damage to my gun? Thanks, Mike

July 21, 2011, 06:32 PM	#7
PawPaw Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 3,137	When I'm shooting single action revolvers, I use the old "load one, skip one, load four" trick. That leaves an empty chamber under the hammer. Most modern SAA revolvers don't need the old safety trick of just loading five and leaving an empty under the hammer, but it's a habit I got into years ago. __________________ Dennis Dezendorf http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com

July 25, 2011, 07:40 AM	#15
CajunBass Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2005 Location: North Chesterfield, Virginia Posts: 4,767	No it isn't defective. A rimfire firearms firing pin will strike the edge of the chamber/cylinder. It has to. That's where the priming compound is located. When firing live ammo, that pin strikes the edge of the cartridge. When that chamber is unloaded, it hits the edge of the chamber or cylinder. Over time it can cause serious damage. Some rimfire designs, mostly Rugers, don't have this problem, but others, even modern ones do. As for why does the OP only want to load five? Easy. Cartridges come packed fifty to a box. Ten rows long, five wide. If you load five at a time you get ten nice even reloads. If you load six, you get eight, with two cartridges left over. Nothing wrong with that, just annoying. Cartridges should come packed sixty to a box. __________________ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

July 25, 2011, 06:08 PM	#18
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,717	Please read your owner's manual: http://heritagemfg.com/site/pdf/sbManual.pdf Do not drop the hammer on an empty chamber on a rimfire heritage revolver. The question as to why it was made so that the hammer would strike the cylinder can easily be answered by the very low price of the revolver. __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

July 21, 2011, 04:38 PM	#4
DeepEastKilla Member Join Date: October 10, 2009 Posts: 81	lol, I didnt mean would counting shots damage the gun : ) I "typed" that up using the dragon speech to text program so it came out a little weird.

July 21, 2011, 04:40 PM	#5
Shadi Khalil Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2006 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 5,210	If it's just for range use then load the sixth round.

July 21, 2011, 04:48 PM	#6
2damnold4this Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2009 Location: Athens, Georgia Posts: 2,526	leave a spent shell in one of the cylinders.

July 23, 2011, 02:32 PM	#8
Mike_Fontenot Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2009 Posts: 568	What are "cylinder indentations"? You're not talking about rimfire cartridges, are you? I can see how a 22lr gun might cause the firing pin to strike right rear the edge of the chamber hole on the rear of the cylinder (which is why I think dryfiring rimfires is a no-no), but with a centerfire, isn't the firing pin just sticking into the middle of the empty cylinder hole?

July 23, 2011, 02:59 PM	#9
SurplusShooter Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2011 Location: Upstate,New york Posts: 308	Keep an empty in the cylinder and load 5 or just load 6 and suffer an inconvience and keep the gun in good shape.

July 23, 2011, 05:43 PM	#11
Sharpsdressed Man Junior member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 1,176	"I know what your thinking. Did I fire five, or six?......................."

July 23, 2011, 08:48 PM	#12
Newton24b Junior member Join Date: February 10, 2009 Posts: 974	you cant leave an empty chamber in a rimfire cylinder and fire that chamber off. doesnt matter what brand of revovler you have. it will case damage. and the problem is the damage can only be fixed by getting a new cylinder. and since you ahve a heritage rought rider a replacement cyinder will cost you 40 dollars plus shipping and handling.

July 24, 2011, 08:38 PM	#13
SRH78 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 517	As others have already said, just leave an empty in one of the chambers.

July 24, 2011, 09:08 PM	#14
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I think the OP means that he loads only five, but sometimes drops the hammer on the empty chamber and the firing pin indents the cylinder. The solution is not counting shots, it is fixing the gun so the firing pin does NOT contact the cylinder. It is hard to believe any modern gun is made that way, as the firing pin should never hit the cylinder no matter why it is dry fired. I would consider returning the gun; it is defective. Jim

July 25, 2011, 02:49 PM	#16
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Absolutely NOT TRUE. A rimfire firing pin should NEVER hit the end of the barrel or the cylinder of a revolver. EVER! (Saw that "EVER!" on TV!) The firing pin should be made so it is long enough to compress the rim and fire the cartridge but not so long as to touch the chamber when there is no cartridge there. (I don't think the OP's loading procedure is due to the number of rounds in a box. I think he wants to load five in the usual procedure for loading a SA revolver without a hammer block or a transfer bar; he wants to carry with an empty chamber under the hammer in case the gun should drop on the hammer or something strike the hammer.) Jim

July 25, 2011, 05:24 PM	#17
Dragline45 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2010 Posts: 3,513	Then why do all firearm companies say not to dry fire rimfire revolvers

July 25, 2011, 06:16 PM	#19
DAnjet500 Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2008 Posts: 144	Do as PawPaw says. Load one, skip one, load four. Draw back the hammer and then down on the empty chamber. You can then shoot your five in a row and know the next one is empty.