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May 9, 2022, 10:56 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 20, 2009
Posts: 903
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"Dry firing" against the hammer block on heritage rough rider?
Most rimfire manufacturers advise against dry firing. However, the heritage rough rider has a hammer blocking manual safety (quite ugly) that I've heard some people say allows them to dry fire without fear of damage.
I am wondering if this might still be hard on the gun... just in a different way. The hammer and the hammer block are both steel, but the frame in which the hammer block pivots is Zamak. Do you think repeated hits of the hammer against the hammer block could eventually deform the pivot hole to the point that the hammer block would get loose and sloppy? I am no metalurgist and don't know how strong/weak Zamak is... I just know it's not thought highly of in general. |
May 9, 2022, 11:07 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: June 20, 2006
Location: Surprise, Az.
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I've dry fired my Rough Rider a number of times with the safety on. It will not hurt the gun.
I would not try it without the safety because the firing pin would then hit the cylinder and you will see an indentation on it in no time which will hinder extraction of your cases. |
May 10, 2022, 12:07 AM | #3 |
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Join Date: April 7, 2006
Posts: 10,967
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ZAMAK is soft, but brittle. You are correct in assuming the frame will be damaged, and it won't take long.
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May 14, 2022, 12:04 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: November 2, 1998
Location: Colorado
Posts: 21,824
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How about no? Get yourself a Ruger and use snap caps.
Cheap guns made with low quality materials are meant for a limited # of rounds. BTW, had to hand make a loading gate for some import. The original was plastic and I made the replacement out of aluminium.
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May 14, 2022, 04:08 PM | #5 | ||
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Join Date: August 25, 2008
Location: In the valley above the plain
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Quote:
Use it as a layer of protection for the cylinder during handling, if you use it at all. (I don't.) After I got mine, I mentioned having to do a lot of polishing and cleanup, and put thousands cycles on the action, including a bunch of dry-firing, just to make the thing work properly. People went nuts and started flooding me with pictures of broken and deformed frames and hammer blocks. They were a little disappointed when I showed the untouched hammer block and absolutely mutilated rims on the pile of spent .22 LR that I was using for dry-fire. Quote:
You'll do more damage to a properly functioning revolver by using the hammer block, than by running nothing at all. But I strongly suggest using snap caps or spent casings to prevent firing pin breakage. -- Be sure to spin the cases between strikes, if they don't do it on their own as the cylinder rotates. (Cases fired in my Ruger Wrangler fit loosely enough to spin on their own in the Rough Rider, which is nice.)
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May 14, 2022, 04:13 PM | #6 | |
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Join Date: February 16, 2006
Location: IOWA
Posts: 8,783
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Not a good idea !!!
Quote:
On the subject of dry-firing, I don't teach it or promote it, for more than one reason. Then another member got all huffy and informed me that there are times and conditions when dry-firing, is acceptable. I agreed with him but still feel it should be a rare exceptions. .... Be Safe !!!
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May 14, 2022, 05:24 PM | #7 |
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Join Date: March 11, 2006
Location: Upper US
Posts: 28,677
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I've got the manual that came with my first Blackhawk when I bought it (new, 83) and it specifically says that dry firing will not harm the gun.
However, the OP's gun in question is far different from a Ruger Blackhawk. Obviously...
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