dry firing a Winchester 94

[okanagan hiker]

Hi all...

I have aquired a 1976 Winchester 94.... and I was wondering about a couple of things -

1) Can dry firing harm it?

2) Can I replace the plastic butt pad with a metal one ( a pre-64 one? )... and where would I get one? It's not a big issue, I would just prefer a metal one.

Thanks in advance,
OKH

[Chuck 100 yd]

Don`t dry fire your Winchester without a snap cap unless you have a few firing pins laying around.
A steel butt plate like the pre 64`s could be fitted I`m sure. May need to do a little filing and bluing of the edges. You would have to try it and see.

[20cows]

Puzzling possibilities!

Try ebay, Gun Broker, Numrich and such for old parts.

[morgan in nm]

Several years ago, I bought a 94 made in 77 that had been dry-fired quite a bit and because of that, the bolt face around the firing pin hole was pushed out. Sometimes, it wouldn't chamber a round that was high-primered and if it did, you could easily see a nice small circle cut into the primer. I ended up having to get it resurfaced. I have heard that this will also happen with very weak loads but I really am not sure. As far as the metal buttplate, I think one could be fashioned but I have never tried.

[Tycer]

A piece of white pencil eraser in the primer hole makes a good snap cap

[J Miller]

I've owned Winchester Mdl 94s for over 40 years. In all that time I've only had to replace one firing pin. It was in an early 1900s SRC and the tip had broken off. Someone had drilled a hole in the end and stuck a nail in it. Pointy end forward.
When I showed this to the gunsmith I bought the new firing pin from he said it was most likely from dry firing.
I simply do not dry fire as a practice method. Once in a while to verify everything is back together, but otherwise no. And I've never had a firing pin break on any of my lever guns.

I suggest simply not dry firing them.

Joe

[okanagan hiker]

Thanks all for your replies... sounds like dry firing it is not a very good idea.

OKH

[Travis Morgan]

I've never noticed a problem with any of mine, but I don't dry fire them for hours on end, either. Snap caps are a plus, but not necessary, IMHO, if you don't go overboard.

[kimwcook]

My first 94 I cycled and dryfired it like a kid would that didn't know any better. I broke the firing pin and won't dryfire another 94. It isn't worth the possibility of breaking it.

[Travis Morgan]

Hell, that's how I learn to fix things!

[JReed]

A piece of white pencil eraser in the primer hole makes a good snap cap

+1

I do the same thing for my guns. Much cheaper then Snap Caps.

[okanagan hiker]

I would use snap caps, but I was mostly cycling the action, with the rifle shouldered, and dry firing, cycling again, repeat as nescessary...

A snap cap ( and I would need 4 to 6 of them ) are a bit costly, and are heavy to eject ( I don't think one would eject like an empty case, over my shoulder, would it? I haven't actually tried it )... or do they make light plastic ones? I need to do a Google on that!

And I don't think empty cases would cycle properly.

So, I guess I can cycle the action ( empty ), but not pull the trigger.

OKH

[hammerman]

If you do dry fire it, I would recommend pushing the firing pin in first so that it's not slamming into the bolt. Just use your finger and push it in and don't tip it up when you do it.

[El Chivo]

I noticed something today with my tang safety model 94's. I had taken one apart and wanted to be sure everything worked as it should, so I tried firing it, which worked, and firing it again with the safety on, which I though would not work. But the trigger tripped and the hammer went forward with the safety on.

I found out that when the tang safety is on, you can trip the trigger, but the hammer only goes to the half-cock position. It doesn't slam into the bolt. I tried it with a slip of paper in there, and it wasn't marked. Took off the safety, fired, and the slip of paper was marked.

So, if the problem with dry-firing is hitting the bolt face and firing pin, you can avoid doing that by leaving the safety on. You can then dry-fire to your heart's content. Unless there's going to be damage to the hammer. I doubt it, but I would like to hear what you guys think about that.

I was surprised to find that you can trip the trigger while the gun is on safety - I guess I never tried it before.