Dryfiring Remington 870 Express

Skorzeny · August 4, 2000, 10:59 AM

Is it okay to dryfire Rem 870 without a snapcap?

Will extended dryfiring w/o a snapcap break its firing pin?

Skorzeny

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For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu

Hueco · August 4, 2000, 11:50 AM

Why risk it? Pay the $5 for a good snap cap and save yourself some trouble. Love your gun, and it will love you back.

I think the 870's pin is sprung, so I think it would be alright. But still....

Hueco

Skorzeny · August 4, 2000, 12:47 PM

Hueco:

I have s snapcap. However, unlike in a handgun, I find that it is annoying to have to keep re-chambering the snapcap for each "click."

It does not allow me to practice certain drills.

Skorzeny

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For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu

Dave McC · August 4, 2000, 12:59 PM

I was told dryfiring an 870 in cold weather could result in firing pin breakage. Haven't seen it yet....

Hueco · August 4, 2000, 01:13 PM

Get multiple snappers then. They'll feed through mags.

Hueco

jthuang · August 4, 2000, 03:48 PM

Does the Rem 870 have a firing pin spring? If it does, I wouldn't worry about snap caps.

Justin

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Justin T. Huang, Esq.
late of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Skorzeny · August 4, 2000, 11:23 PM

Hueco:

Shotgun snapcaps DO NOT cycle through the magazine tube. They will get stuck.

Justin:

I do not know if it has a firing pin spring. I imagine it does.

Can someone give me a conclusive answer? Otherwise, I will call Remington on Monday and find out.

Skorzeny

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For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu

**Mal H** · August 5, 2000, 12:32 AM

This is not conclusive, but the little 870 instruction manual says not to pull the trigger a lot when the barrel is removed. To me this implies that it is not necessarily bad to pull the trigger on an empty chamber as long as the barrel is installed. They don't state anywhere not to dry fire it. Anyway, I've dry fired my 870 a lot with no problems or sign of pin wear.

This part is conclusive, it definitely has a firing pin spring.

Badger Arms · August 5, 2000, 01:27 AM

Yes, it is okay to dry fire the 870. I've never experienced a broken firing pin on that gun.

Yes, it does have a spring.

No, snap caps aren't the answer. They do tend to jam and break too often.

No, it is not okay to dry fire with the barrel removed for other reasons. I don't believe my manual said a thing about dry-firing with the barrel on though.

old hawk · August 5, 2000, 07:37 AM

skor what to do is take a pencil eraser,yep a pencil eraser and a deprimed shell, load a wad and shot no powder in the shell crimp it and then super glue in the pencil eraser in the primer cup,works wonders and saves the pin bud. this way you can stack a full mag with them and do the drill with rubbered safetey . 8o)

Bennett Richards · August 7, 2000, 10:43 PM

Get a set of A-ZOOM machined aluminum 12G snaps with the plastic primer cap that never wears out. They Chamber no-problem in my 870 and do not break.
www.a-zoom.com

Ben

Skorzeny · August 7, 2000, 10:49 PM

Bennett Richard:

I have a set of A-Zoom snapcaps in 9mm Parabellum. I will say that they are tougher in the "primer" area than, say, Armsport.

However, their rims seem to be quite weak. A couple of them will not extract from the chamber anymore, because the rims have been worn out...

Skorzeny

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For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu

August 4, 2000, 10:59 AM	#1
Skorzeny Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 1999 Posts: 1,938	Is it okay to dryfire Rem 870 without a snapcap? Will extended dryfiring w/o a snapcap break its firing pin? Skorzeny ------------------ For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu

August 4, 2000, 11:50 AM	#2
Hueco Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 1999 Posts: 561	Why risk it? Pay the $5 for a good snap cap and save yourself some trouble. Love your gun, and it will love you back. I think the 870's pin is sprung, so I think it would be alright. But still.... Hueco

August 4, 2000, 12:47 PM	#3
Skorzeny Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 1999 Posts: 1,938	Hueco: I have s snapcap. However, unlike in a handgun, I find that it is annoying to have to keep re-chambering the snapcap for each "click." It does not allow me to practice certain drills. Skorzeny ------------------ For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu

August 4, 2000, 12:59 PM	#4
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	I was told dryfiring an 870 in cold weather could result in firing pin breakage. Haven't seen it yet....

August 4, 2000, 01:13 PM	#5
Hueco Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 1999 Posts: 561	Get multiple snappers then. They'll feed through mags. Hueco

August 4, 2000, 03:48 PM	#6
jthuang Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Posts: 823	Does the Rem 870 have a firing pin spring? If it does, I wouldn't worry about snap caps. Justin ------------------ Justin T. Huang, Esq. late of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

August 4, 2000, 11:23 PM	#7
Skorzeny Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 1999 Posts: 1,938	Hueco: Shotgun snapcaps DO NOT cycle through the magazine tube. They will get stuck. Justin: I do not know if it has a firing pin spring. I imagine it does. Can someone give me a conclusive answer? Otherwise, I will call Remington on Monday and find out. Skorzeny ------------------ For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu

August 5, 2000, 12:32 AM	#8
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,949	This is not conclusive, but the little 870 instruction manual says not to pull the trigger a lot when the barrel is removed. To me this implies that it is not necessarily bad to pull the trigger on an empty chamber as long as the barrel is installed. They don't state anywhere not to dry fire it. Anyway, I've dry fired my 870 a lot with no problems or sign of pin wear. This part is conclusive, it definitely has a firing pin spring.

August 5, 2000, 01:27 AM	#9
Badger Arms Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2000 Location: Harnett County, NC Posts: 1,700	Yes, it is okay to dry fire the 870. I've never experienced a broken firing pin on that gun. Yes, it does have a spring. No, snap caps aren't the answer. They do tend to jam and break too often. No, it is not okay to dry fire with the barrel removed for other reasons. I don't believe my manual said a thing about dry-firing with the barrel on though.

August 5, 2000, 07:37 AM	#10
old hawk Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2000 Location: somewhere,maine. Posts: 175	skor what to do is take a pencil eraser,yep a pencil eraser and a deprimed shell, load a wad and shot no powder in the shell crimp it and then super glue in the pencil eraser in the primer cup,works wonders and saves the pin bud. this way you can stack a full mag with them and do the drill with rubbered safetey . 8o)

August 7, 2000, 10:43 PM	#11
Bennett Richards Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 1998 Location: Carlsbad, CA USA Posts: 356	Get a set of A-ZOOM machined aluminum 12G snaps with the plastic primer cap that never wears out. They Chamber no-problem in my 870 and do not break. www.a-zoom.com Ben

August 7, 2000, 10:49 PM	#12
Skorzeny Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 1999 Posts: 1,938	Bennett Richard: I have a set of A-Zoom snapcaps in 9mm Parabellum. I will say that they are tougher in the "primer" area than, say, Armsport. However, their rims seem to be quite weak. A couple of them will not extract from the chamber anymore, because the rims have been worn out... Skorzeny ------------------ For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu