luvmylcr

According to the Ruger LCR Instruction Manual, the "LCR can be dry fired without damage to the firing pin or internal components". Apparently, this is not the case. I bought my fist LCR is early March and after two days, while dry firing, the trigger completely locked up. I sent the gun back to Ruger and they decided to replace it with a new LCR. I received the new LCR in eary April and everything was fine until two days ago. I had put several hundred rounds through the gun with no problems. I must admit I do a lot of dry firing. Probably as a result of my days as a competitive shooter. After dry firing two days ago, I attempted to reload and could not get the cylinder closed. Upon inspection, I noticed that the firing pin was stuck in the fired position. Rather than send the gun back to Ruger, I had my gunsmith check it. He advised me that the firing pin had completely disintegrated. He replaced the firing pin and told me not to dry fire without using snap caps. I passed this information along to Ruger and asked them to reimburse me the $53.00 it cost to have the gun repaired. I hope they will. Anyway both of my problems resulted from dry firing so please beware!

bigweatherby

Thanks for the heads up. Hopefully Ruger will correct the manual...

CCKen

I have an "off brand" snubbie I had a similar experience. They also say that 'Dry firing is no problem" in their manual. Looked like it was the return spring on the firing pin that gave up the ghost on my "off brand".

However the Sp101 I have 'dry fired" hundreds of times and she is built for stout - no negative effects.

Sorry to hear about your experience. Ruger did stand up and do the right thing once. Let us know how they handle your $53.
Sincerely
CCken

Airpusher

I know some manufacturers say its OK to dry fire. I carried a Model 36 for a while before I got my LCR, and the trigger was very hard to pull in DA. I was told to dry fire it a few hundred times and it would "loosen" up. I never pulled a trigger on either gun without snap caps or live ammo, just didn't seem prudent.

Nutty Ned

I try to always use snap caps.

Ruger Redhawk

I have read that Ruger says dry firing is okay. You seemed to have proved them wrong. I have dry fired mine some but not to any real extent. After reading this I won't do it again. I appreciate the heads up. I doubt Ruger will reimburse you your 53.00. They expect you to ship it to them if something breaks.I was thinking the other night about these LCR lock ups. I wonder if the internal lock has anything to do with it.Ruger told Harleyman they didn't know what caused it. I'm not real comfortable having that internal lock.

DPris

This issue is a matter of degree.
Just as with the LCP, the manual says dry-fire is OK.
When Ruger wrote that in the LCP manual, they meant occasionally dryfiring it was OK, it never occured to them that people would do it extensively.
These little guns are built to provide a reasonable service life within certain design parameters centered around light carry, not endless dry-firing & not 25000 rounds of IPSC use.

With the LCR, OCCASIONAL dry-fire is OK. That doesn't necessarily mean several thousand cycles, or even several hundred cycles.

Some guns can accommodate extensive dry-fire, some can't.
If you HAVE to do it, use snap caps & keep them current (snapcaps wear out & lose cushioning ability).

It's necessary to understand the nature of these guns & not push them beyond their limits.

Denis

PJ1022

I see dry firing as unnecessary wear and tear on a firearm, so I very seldom do it.

luvmylcr

Need to make a correction in the above "Beware of dry firing LCR" It was the firing pin spring and not the firing pin that disintegrated. Sorry if I created any confusion.

mitchtan

I agree with PJ1022. No sense in unnecessary wear on a gun. The trigger is already very smooth and will get smoother. I have about 150 rounds through mine and continue to carry it daily.

Rob1109

Raises the question: Are all snap caps created equal?

southchatham

I just bought the lcr today. I also bought snap caps. I wont dry fire without them. I also use them in my semi auto's.

Golfbuddy45

I never dry fire any gun, pistol, rifle, or cannon - if I had one (except with a snapcap if I really need to when checking over a gun. I do not see why you would constantly dry fire and you mention COMPETITIVE SHOOTER as a reason. I have only seen a few matches and never observed a competitive shooter dry firing but maybe I was not really looking for that either. Could you explain the WHY of this practice for my knowledge? Thanks.

southchatham

Practice trigger control, drawing and shooting, breaking in the trigger to smooth it out, train muscle memory. Most can't afford the cost and time of shooting live fire all the time.
Gabe Suarez said in his book tactical pistol marksmanship that dry firing is very important to build muscle memory that you can only get through thousands of repetitions. He also states that to much live fire may re- enforce bad habits.

I bet those competitive shooters dry fire all the time.

DPris

They quite likely do, but not with a primary carry gun, and not with the LCR.
Denis