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Dry firing a rimfire will eventually peen the end of the firing pin and divot the face of the barrel. I don't store my Ruger 22 with it in a cocked position. I will ease the bolt back just enough to give clearance to keep the pin from mashing into the barrel, but not so far as to trip the disconnector, then I dry fire it. Blitz is right about inserting a fired casing. Both about why and that it's a pain to do so.
MKIII has a magazine disconnect, which is the reason to insert the mag to trip the trigger. The hammer must be in the fired position to take down or reassemble the gun so you're not trying to fight mainspring tension. If fact, you can't pull the lever on the take down latch until the gun is fired.

I remember it being a real SOB to take down and reassemble when I first started handling my gun (35+ years ago!). But once you've done it a few times and learn the proper sequence, it's not so bad.
The reason to "tilt this way then that way" is to rock the hammer strut into the proper position so you can close the disassembly latch.

All Ruger 22s based on this platform are stiff to rack the bolt. It's a blowback action and the bolt spring must be stiff. It's just the way it is.
 
Dry firing a rimfire will eventually peen the end of the firing pin and divot the face of the barrel. I don't store my Ruger 22 with it in a cocked position. I will ease the bolt back just enough to give clearance to keep the pin from mashing into the barrel, but not so far as to trip the disconnector, then I dry fire it. Blitz is right about inserting a fired casing. Both about why and that it's a pain to do so.
MKIII has a magazine disconnect, which is the reason to insert the mag to trip the trigger. The hammer must be in the fired position to take down or reassemble the gun so you're not trying to fight mainspring tension. If fact, you can't pull the lever on the take down latch until the gun is fired.

I remember it being a real SOB to take down and reassemble when I first started handling my gun (35+ years ago!). But once you've done it a few times and learn the proper sequence, it's not so bad.
The reason to "tilt this way then that way" is to rock the hammer strut into the proper position so you can close the disassembly latch.

All Ruger 22s based on this platform are stiff to rack the bolt. It's a blowback action and the bolt spring must be stiff. It's just the way it is.

Thanks for this.
 
It damages the chamber. You been warned :)

I don't doubt that it may cause damage... I just have not seen anything to worry about so far.. no gouge marks or anything like that.. you'd have to do it a lot to probably damage it...

it does damage the firing pin, that I know will happen, but I highly doubt it destroys the chamber in any meaningful way.. the chamber is made with barrel steel which will be far stronger steel than the firing pin will be made out of... if a firing pin can damage a barrel, I don't want to own that gun as the barrel is probably made of cheap material...

worse case scenario, I buy a new firing pin.. it's a wear part anyway... Ruger Firing Pin Ruger Mark II 22/45 Models
 
All firing pins are made out of steel then hardened. They need to be able to take the impact from the hammer. Chambers/barrels are made out of softer steel. They are heat treated but not nearly as hard as a bolt head or firing pin.
The firing pin will peen the heck out of the edge of the chamber face, I know I have fixed hundreds of them.

dryfiredamage.jpg
 
All firing pins are made out of steel then hardened. They need to be able to take the impact from the hammer. Chambers/barrels are made out of softer steel. They are heat treated but not nearly as hard as a bolt head or firing pin.
The firing pin will peen the heck out of the edge of the chamber face, I know I have fixed hundreds of them.

dryfiredamage.jpg


thanks... good to know...
not arguing with the pic.. mine hasn't had the problem yet..
 
It damages the chamber. You been warned :)

Yes--agreed dry firing is bad on most 22's, but not all.

From the MkIII Ruger manual:

5. With the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, push the safety to the “off” (F)
position and pull the trigger to decock the pistol. The pistol can be dry fired as
long as the firing pin stop is in place.


The 10-22 is another that you can dry fire without problems.
 
It never hurts to use a snap cap when dry-firing any firearm, whether or not it will or won't damage things...
One way to use a fired .22 rimfire case in the chamber is to file off the rim where the extractor catches it.
That way, it won't extract, and you can dry-fire quite a few times before having to replace the fired case.
Yes, you will need to poke it out from the front with a cleaning rod when done.
If you want to make your own snap caps for centerfire cartridges, size and deprime a case, and fill the primer pocket with silicone caulk, scraping it off flush with the bottom of the case.
 
There is no need to take down your 22 45 or mark III or your buckmark every time you shoot it.
Maybe once a year or so but no need to take it down every time you clean it.
All that is needed is to spray the holy crap out of it and clean all the other guns then come back after the cleaner has drained out most of the 22 nasties.
And there are kits so all you have to do is pop a pin and pull the slide out without taking the rest of it apart.

Sorry but I kinda think it's funny when guys take these things down every time
 
As twowheels said, get the magazine disconnect bushing and most of the reassembly problems go away. There are several bushing manufacturers whose bushings all do the same thing. I installed the Tandemkross bushing.
It allows the magazines to drop out freely as most standard auto pistols and makes reassembly much easier. No more hammers, or left foot in, shake it all about BS. My 22/45 is a much more pleasant firearm now that I installed the bushing, a volquartsen trigger and sear, and did the slingshot mod.
As for dry firing, Ruger's manual states it is ok to dry fire, since you actually have to dry fire to disassemble and reassemble, but if you're worried about ruining the chamber face, for cheap insurance buy a box of yellow wall anchors from Home Depot or Lowes. The kind that you push into the wall and the screw expands them. They fit in the chamber just like a shell, and will eject just like a shell. I can get about 10 dry fires to an anchor. YMMV.
 

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