Dry Firing

Axel Yup · May 15, 1999, 02:04 PM

I just purchased two Kel-Tec P-11s. My intention is to have one set up to carry and shoot and reserve the other for dry fire practice and malfunction clearing drills.

I have a Beamhit 110 dry firing system which consists of a laser transmitter which fits into the gun barrel. The shock of the hammer or striker activating causes a laser pulse to be fired which can then be picked up by the special target which will register any hits.

The problem is that the P-11 has such a short barrel that when I fully insert the laser rod it extends into the chamber so that a snap cap cannot be inserted. This is good for safety because it helps to detect a round in the chamber, but I'm concerned about damage to the firing pin. The manual expressly states that dry firing should not be done with the P-11. I assume this is because the firing pin can be damaged. If I remove the firing pin, will it be safe to dry fire the gun or can some other part be damaged?

Axel

HS · May 15, 1999, 05:34 PM

Why not get a .380/9mm kurz snap cap ?

At least a shorter than 9mm Luger one might fit?

------------------
"The Gun from Down Under !"

James K · May 16, 1999, 01:56 PM

Snap caps are easily made. Get some nylon rod a little over primer diameter, trim enough to force into the primer pocket of a fired and de-primed case, and cut off flush. If you want to make a dummy round, go through all the reloading steps except the powder loading and priming. Insert the nylon as above.

Jim

**Mal H** · May 16, 1999, 02:26 PM

Axel,
To answer your original question, if you remove the firing pin you won't hurt anything else by dry firing. The hammer will be hitting the pin retainer a scosh harder, but it hits it thousands of times during the life a gun anyway, so who cares.

Axel Yup · May 16, 1999, 09:19 PM

Thanks for the advice everyone. I went ahead and removed the firing pin, but when I tried to dry fire the gun the trigger would not reset. I reinstalled the firing pin and it worked again. It looks like if the hammer travels too far forward that it won't reset.

OK, so it looks like I have a couple of options now. I can keep dry firing the gun and just watch for breakage of the firing pin. Since I don't use this gun for self-defense, breakage of the firing pin is probably not that big an issue.

Secondly, it looks like I can tighten down the firing pin set screw so that the firing pin won't move when struck by the hammer. Will immobilizing the firing pin protect it from breakage?

Axel

George Stringer · May 17, 1999, 07:54 AM

Axel, tightening the firing pin will probably break it quicker than simply dry firing. I agree with the advice about getting a snap cap. Cheap insurance. George

James L · May 18, 1999, 01:10 AM

Axel,
Take the advice of DS. If a .380 snap cap is still to long, you can cut and plug one. Just make sure the spring action still works.
James L.

Axel Yup · May 18, 1999, 06:00 PM

A gun shop clerk told me that the hard plastic, orange dummy rounds can be used as snap caps. Do these offer the same protection as the spring loaded ones?

I was also told that the .380 snap caps won't fit in a 9mm. Is this true?

Axel

Walt Sherrill · May 19, 1999, 07:46 PM

If you haven't already done so, go to the Kel-Tec Owner's Website at WWW.KTOG.ORG. See how to do a "fluff and buff" to improve the trigger pull and overall function of the gun.

Others there, including some very knowledgeable gunsmiths very familiar with the Kel-Tec P11 and P40 say its very safe to dry fire the Kel-Tec. They base their assertions upon thousands and thousands of dry fires.

I have a P-11 and dry fire it from time to time. (I shoot it enough however, that the urge to dry fire it a lot just isn't there.)
Very accurate, very reliable, and small. That long trigger pull, however, takes some getting used to.

Gun Plumber · May 23, 1999, 02:14 PM

Axel,
The plastic "dummies" make poor snap-caps. The plastic dents very quickly and becomes useless. .380 snap-caps cannot be used in 9mm's.

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May 15, 1999, 02:04 PM	#1
Axel Yup Member Join Date: November 7, 1998 Location: Sparks, MD, USA Posts: 42	I just purchased two Kel-Tec P-11s. My intention is to have one set up to carry and shoot and reserve the other for dry fire practice and malfunction clearing drills. I have a Beamhit 110 dry firing system which consists of a laser transmitter which fits into the gun barrel. The shock of the hammer or striker activating causes a laser pulse to be fired which can then be picked up by the special target which will register any hits. The problem is that the P-11 has such a short barrel that when I fully insert the laser rod it extends into the chamber so that a snap cap cannot be inserted. This is good for safety because it helps to detect a round in the chamber, but I'm concerned about damage to the firing pin. The manual expressly states that dry firing should not be done with the P-11. I assume this is because the firing pin can be damaged. If I remove the firing pin, will it be safe to dry fire the gun or can some other part be damaged? Axel

May 15, 1999, 05:34 PM	#2
HS Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 1998 Location: Brisbane.....Australia Posts: 1,258	Why not get a .380/9mm kurz snap cap ? At least a shorter than 9mm Luger one might fit? ------------------ "The Gun from Down Under !"

May 16, 1999, 01:56 PM	#3
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Snap caps are easily made. Get some nylon rod a little over primer diameter, trim enough to force into the primer pocket of a fired and de-primed case, and cut off flush. If you want to make a dummy round, go through all the reloading steps except the powder loading and priming. Insert the nylon as above. Jim

May 16, 1999, 02:26 PM	#4
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	Axel, To answer your original question, if you remove the firing pin you won't hurt anything else by dry firing. The hammer will be hitting the pin retainer a scosh harder, but it hits it thousands of times during the life a gun anyway, so who cares.

May 16, 1999, 09:19 PM	#5
Axel Yup Member Join Date: November 7, 1998 Location: Sparks, MD, USA Posts: 42	Thanks for the advice everyone. I went ahead and removed the firing pin, but when I tried to dry fire the gun the trigger would not reset. I reinstalled the firing pin and it worked again. It looks like if the hammer travels too far forward that it won't reset. OK, so it looks like I have a couple of options now. I can keep dry firing the gun and just watch for breakage of the firing pin. Since I don't use this gun for self-defense, breakage of the firing pin is probably not that big an issue. Secondly, it looks like I can tighten down the firing pin set screw so that the firing pin won't move when struck by the hammer. Will immobilizing the firing pin protect it from breakage? Axel

May 17, 1999, 07:54 AM	#6
George Stringer Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Earlington KY Posts: 2,299	Axel, tightening the firing pin will probably break it quicker than simply dry firing. I agree with the advice about getting a snap cap. Cheap insurance. George

May 18, 1999, 01:10 AM	#7
James L Member Join Date: December 28, 1998 Posts: 32	Axel, Take the advice of DS. If a .380 snap cap is still to long, you can cut and plug one. Just make sure the spring action still works. James L.

May 18, 1999, 06:00 PM	#8
Axel Yup Member Join Date: November 7, 1998 Location: Sparks, MD, USA Posts: 42	A gun shop clerk told me that the hard plastic, orange dummy rounds can be used as snap caps. Do these offer the same protection as the spring loaded ones? I was also told that the .380 snap caps won't fit in a 9mm. Is this true? Axel

May 19, 1999, 07:46 PM	#9
Walt Sherrill Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA Posts: 6,348	If you haven't already done so, go to the Kel-Tec Owner's Website at WWW.KTOG.ORG. See how to do a "fluff and buff" to improve the trigger pull and overall function of the gun. Others there, including some very knowledgeable gunsmiths very familiar with the Kel-Tec P11 and P40 say its very safe to dry fire the Kel-Tec. They base their assertions upon thousands and thousands of dry fires. I have a P-11 and dry fire it from time to time. (I shoot it enough however, that the urge to dry fire it a lot just isn't there.) Very accurate, very reliable, and small. That long trigger pull, however, takes some getting used to.

May 23, 1999, 02:14 PM	#10
Gun Plumber Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Posts: 44	Axel, The plastic "dummies" make poor snap-caps. The plastic dents very quickly and becomes useless. .380 snap-caps cannot be used in 9mm's.