pistols, damage, 9mm, dry-firing, taurusIt have read that dry firing is generally okay for centerfire pistols. Some even require it for field stripping. However, my PT92 manual says, “Dry firing is bad for this firearm.” What specifically about its design makes it inadvisable to do so? Is there a reliable way to tell which pistols are safe to dry fire and which aren’t without reading the manual?
The concern over dry firing the PT92 is the same as the concern over dry firing the Beretta 92, which is that the firing pin may be damaged after excessive dry firing. The Beretta 92 Manual recommends:
If you want to practice aim and trigger pull, insert a FIRED cartridge case or “DUMMY” cartridge in the chamber to cushion the fall of the firing pin and eliminate the chance of firing pin breakage.
Hammer fall in connection with the normal use of the manual safety-decocking lever DOES NOT cause firing pin breakage.
~Beretta 92 Manual, Sec. “Dry Firing/Dummy Rounds”, p. 20
“Snap Caps”, as @kbyrd recommends, are a widely used product, but whether you choose to use them, use a fired cartridge, or use nothing is ultimately up to you; there are plenty anecdotal reports from various forums in which owners claim “thousands of dry fires” without a problem. I would err on the side of caution myself.
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