Hey Y'all,
I have an Uberti Colt .45 and a western belt rig from Cabela's. I enjoy wearing it, practicing drawing, handling, and firing the pistol (unloaded). But I have a couple of questions:
1. Is the constant practice, handling, and especially cocking it bad for the gun? I don't want to wear out the internal mechanisms that cock the gun. But how can you practice and become proficient or at least comfortable with it without cocking it and firing it?
2. Does it hurt to dryfire a Colt single action? I know it is not good to dry fire a modern pistol with a floating, frame mounted firing pin. But what about a SAA Colt? Since the pin is mounted in the hammer and goes through a hole and is not hit or does not hit anything, etc., is it still bad to dry fire the pistol? Can it damage it? Or should I get some "snap caps", or is that necessary?
Thanks,
Freebooter
Millbrook, Al.

Well, first, you might want to contact the manufacturer and see what they say. Some instruction manuals will discuss the topic, if you have one for that gun.

Having said that, snap caps are never a bad idea, and if there was the slightest doubt, I'd use them.

Yes - cycling the gun is going to put some wear on it. Unavoidable, but you can't practice without using it......

What happens on a normal hammer mounted pin when shooting is that the pin contacts the primer...is kind of cushioned by the primer as it is dented, and the firing pin never hits the metal of the fame at all. Primer actually fires whne the hammer is still moving forward..and the primer never lets the pin and hammer strik the settl "stop" of the frame. When you dry fire, the hammer goes ALL the way forward and the firing pin often smackes into the firing pin channel in the frame, which will eventaully raise a burr arround the edge of that hole. Not uncommon to have to stone taht burr off to get the gun to function with live ammo.

Dry fire without a snap cap or fired case feels different...dry fire once and consentrate on the feel and vibration. Try it again with a smap cap or a case with fired primer in place. Feel the "deadness" of that hammer fall? IS becasue it's not steel-on-steel contact that halts the hammer and pin.

OF course cycling the gun is going to put just as much wear on the hand, bolt, pivot points, and internal contact points as firing it will. The only thing stressed by live-fire that isn't stressed by dry-fire is the barrel, chamber, and the gas ring. So what...get some snap caps and dry fire to your heart's content...20 or 30 years from now you'll get new pins and a few parts and all will be well again.

What happens on a normal hammer mounted pin when shooting is that the pin contacts the primer...is kind of cushioned by the primer as it is dented, and the firing pin never hits the metal of the fame at all. Primer actually fires whne the hammer is still moving forward..and the primer never lets the pin and hammer strik the settl "stop" of the frame. When you dry fire, the hammer goes ALL the way forward and the firing pin often smackes into the firing pin channel in the frame, which will eventaully raise a burr arround the edge of that hole. Not uncommon to have to stone taht burr off to get the gun to function with live ammo.

Dry fire without a snap cap or fired case feels different...dry fire once and consentrate on the feel and vibration. Try it again with a smap cap or a case with fired primer in place. Feel the "deadness" of that hammer fall? IS becasue it's not steel-on-steel contact that halts the hammer and pin.

OF course cycling the gun is going to put just as much wear on the hand, bolt, pivot points, and internal contact points as firing it will. The only thing stressed by live-fire that isn't stressed by dry-fire is the barrel, chamber, and the gas ring. So what...get some snap caps and dry fire to your heart's content...20 or 30 years from now you'll get new pins and a few parts and all will be well again.

Thanks for the input. I don't usually dryfire, but occasionally I do. But in getting to know the gun and the feel of it I do handle and cock the gun a lot. I sort of practice quick drawing to some extent as sort of a hobby. So far I am no good.
Take care,
Freebooter