Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Dry firing a Ruger 77/22?

I just got one chambered in .22 LR. It didn’t come with the owner’s manual. I always thought you should never dry fire a rimfire but a few years ago I bought a Ruger sp101 in .22 LR and its manual says no problem. Anyone know?

I don't think I would dry fire any rimfire. Some models may allow for it but I'll not take the chance.

Here is the manual
https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/rotaryMagazine.pdf

Just use an empty .22 case - easy enough to do and saves headaches if your not sure (just be sure to rotate or use a “new” case if extended dry firing is planned). I will not dry fire a rimfire without a “snap cap” of some sort in the chamber even if it is said to be OK - but thats just me.

PennDog

Same here. I keep a small handful of fired cases on hand for this reason

I too never dry fire my rimfires either, but my Marlin 925, and Ruger 77/22 being bolt actions let the firing pin down slowly like most bolt actions by opening the bolt, pulling the trigger and closing the bolt slowly.

Thats what I do also. Pull trigger while pushing bolt forward and lock in to place. Releases all pressure on springs.

The manual says it's OK to dry fire although I would probably not do lots of it. I believe all the current Ruger .22's are designed so the firing pin will not contact metal when it is dry fired.

It is not the contacting metal, but the over extending when a case is not in the chamber.

A luckily humorous aside:

An old neighbor of mine, famous for a few of his mistakes, advised his sons that doing so with a centerfire rifle and cartridge in the chamber would render the arm safe for an essentially drive around road hunt for elk. Kid did not quite get the exercise synchronized and managed to light off a 300 Win Mag inside the Surburban with the muzzle resting on the floorboard.

Other than he and the two boys not hearing much for 3 days the damage was minimal. Seems the slug went through a rubber drain plug in the floor missing the tranny and all other vital components.

Regardless of synchronization issues, it's not a safe practice, as ones firing pin is now resting on a live primer. A tap from the rear could easily light things off.

Despite manufacturer suggestions, I do not dry fire my rimfires. I don't even load my Ruger magazines in the squirrel fields, as I'll lose count and fire on an empty chamber. I load and shoot in single shot mode.

One can disassemble his bolt and assess firing pin travel in a 77/22. My Rugers and an Anschutz firing pin will not contact the barrel face. I've not broken down my CZ457 bolt yet.

Thanks for all the replies, appreciate them.

McInnis: I always use good quality snap caps (yes they are hard to find at times!) when testing/practicing on 22 rimfire triggers!
Same goes for 17 HMR pistols and Rifles.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My kids and I have spent countless hours of dry fire practice in the garage with Ruger rifles. Literally thousands of dry fire sessions with no damage to the 77/22, 77/357, 77 MK II, Hawkeye, No.1 and American rifles. It's one of the perks of Ruger firearms.

I use bright yellow drywall plugs as snap caps. The kind you use to hang pictures. Easy to see in the chamber.