I dry-fire my centerfire cartridge handguns often, but have only recently purchased my first BP revolver (1858 Remington by Pietta). It's a wonderful piece, shoots extremely well, and has given me absolutely no grief in the two months since I purchased it. I would like to dry-fire it as well, but have heard that it will damage (peen) the nipples. Is there a method to dry-fire these revolvers safely?

Nope - If you remove the nipples the damage goes to the frame and hammer.

Best advice is to put a cap on the nipple before letting the hammer fall.

Nope - If you remove the nipples the damage goes to the frame and hammer.

Best advice is to put a cap on the nipple before letting the hammer fall.

Cigarette filter or a cunk of one of the foam ear protectors. IDea is to make a pad in the frame...down in the slot where the hammer fits into the frame about 1/3 of the way down the hammer length (about there that deep hammer curve appears)...so that the hammer comes to rest against this foam.filter pad and never touches the nipples or the steel of the frame at all. Even a layered strip of masking tape, cut to size, will work (about 5-6 layers, set on top to make them thick, and trimmed to fit between the frame).

Problem is that the hammer has to go forward a certain distance to re-set the bolt....if it doesn't, then you can't cock the revolver. This reset distance is usually 1/10th top 1/8" from hammer-touch-nipple depth (if you lower the hammr slowly, can hear the little "click" of the bolt being reset).

Can't swear that this doesn't stress the hammer a bit, but if you just have to dry fire a cap'n'ball, it's the least damaging way.

I took some poly tubing like used on building pneumatic control systems (Johnson Controls or Honeywell) the middle size and cut a short length slightly longer than the nipple. Slip this over the nipple and it cushions the hammer fall.

Used the above on a percussion rifle and it worked slick for practice and testing of trigger pull.

I took some poly tubing like used on building pneumatic control systems (Johnson Controls or Honeywell) the middle size and cut a short length slightly longer than the nipple. Slip this over the nipple and it cushions the hammer fall.

Used the above on a percussion rifle and it worked slick for practice and testing of trigger pull.



I found some poly tubing laying around and it worked ideally for this purpose. THANKS!