Dry Fired with Slide Off

[Mulv80]

I cleaned my Ruger Sr9c tonight for the first time. This is also my first handgun so after a couple of youtube videos I bought some Hoppes and cleaned her up. Foolishly, I dry fired it (3) times with the slide off,obviously mag out to see the mechanics. I had to reset the trigger by pulling the trigger forward.

Did I damage my gun? I put it all back together without a hitch and it seems fine.

[Lycanthrope]

It's hard on it, but it's likely just fine.

Lycanrelaxthrope

[Mulv80]

I know the manual says not to dry fire without the magazine. Is there a difference in dry firing with the slide off?

[Lycanthrope]

Yes, it's different. When the slide is on, the striker in the slide is being released when you dry fire. The only stress is in the striker and it's spring which is designed to handle dry fire.

Here is a good write up over at Gunsamerica that may help you:

http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/guts...fired-pistols/

Lycancheckitoutthrope

[fishingfool151]

I have an SR40 and my fiance has an SR9c. Being at work I can't take it apart and look at the guts, but I'll try to go off of memory.

Dryfiring the assembled pistol without the mag in puts stress on the striker because it strikes the magazine safety block and not the primer (or empty chamber), hence the recommendation to dryfire with an empty mag in.

Dryfiring the frame only (no slide) puts little stress on anything because there is no striker to release. You are simply releasing the trigger bar into it's "fired" position. In order to reset it, pull back on the trigger bar tab that sticks up from the mag well.

Dryfiring this pistol without the slide on does not damage anything (to my knowledge) the way it can on a hammered gun, but it also serves no purpose since you don't have the same feel of the trigger fully cocking and firing the striker.

[ideaman]

There's no such thing as "dry fire" because you can't "fire" an unloaded weapon.

[filgun11]

There's no such thing as "dry fire" because you can't "fire" an unloaded weapon.

semantics... Pretty much every gun owner knows what dryfiring means.

[harold63]

A bit off topic, but anyone with a 1911 that isn't sure or doesn't know, don't dry fire/let hammer drop when the slide is off...not good for it at all.

Without know much about the SR9, if you have to pull the trigger forward to reset it and the slide is off, that's pretty much your sign to not do it, then. JAHU.

[Gun]

There's no such thing as "dry fire" because you can't "fire" an unloaded weapon.

The term dry in the phrase dry fire originates most likely from the phrase dry run, as in the testing of equipment before the equipment is employed in real world situations. The firing mechanism of a weapon is chemical by nature, which is triggered by mechanical means. Removing the chemical part, or ammunition, but actuating the mechanical part, pulling the trigger, would obviously result in non firing of the weapon, hence a dry firing of the weapon. A misfire is not the same, since the intention was to fire a projectile. Seems simple enough.

[ideaman]

semantics... Pretty much every gun owner knows what dryfiring means.

I should've explained further. My point was a mental programming thing. For ex.some people point their weapn at different things around the house which could, someday, lead to a negligent discharge.

Sorry if my comment seemed out of line.