Is dry fire ok for a defender??

[dwsUSA]

I just got a colt defender and in reading through the manual it says not to dry fire if the slide is removed. If the slide is on is it ok to dry fire?

[Rich-D]

It is O.K. to dry fire with the slide in place. However as the manuel states, never dry fire the Defender nor any other auto with the slide removed.


Rich

[JustinTime]

Oops, I guess I've never read the manual. :o I've dry fired a f few of my pistols with the slides removed. Not a lot but I have done it. I wonder what it could potentially hurt.

[India0311]

I don't think a "couple" of times will hurt anything Justin...

[TattooPaul]

Justin - you better ship all yours out to me for inspection and testing ASAP!!! It could take awhile… _Paul

[Joni Lynn]

Dry firing with the slide removed can be a problem. What stops the forward motion of the hammer? Is this surface meant for this kind of contact? Will it be damaged at some point by the hammer hitting it?
The hammer will hit the frame, I guess it could raise an edge on the frame and perhaps cause a stress crack on the hammer where it contacts the frame.

[dakota1911]

Not a good idea on any 1911, but a few times should not hurt it. I have done it more than a few times on my Defender which is about 3K rounds shot. This is NOT like the "do not reverse polarity" , thus get the the "-" and "+" switched around and burn out the whole circuit board.

[dwsUSA]

Anyone know how to email colt? I briefly looked at their web site but could not find any way to email them to ask about this.


Is it just me or does the colt web site seem very behind the times??

[Metal]

The hammers force must be stopped by something and if the slide is not in place then the frame will take the force which it is not suppose to do.
I would say a few times is not going hurt anything but I would not make it a habit.

[Hunter]

Anyone know how to email colt? I briefly looked at their web site but could not find any way to email them to ask about this.


Is it just me or does the colt web site seem very behind the times??
Give them a hollar at 1 800 962 Colt.

[Joni Lynn]

.............a yell even! ;)

[dakota1911]

Going back to post 1. Dry fire should not hurt a Defender, unless it is huge amounts of dry frie. If you take it apart and the hammer drops ...oops.. not a problem.

I would suggest that you may want to go to a gun/target/shooting/range where you can get some instruction in the fun/practical/defensive use of the gun.

[ambidextrous1]

They're very good on the phone.

I hope you're not going to ask them to inspect your Defender for damages. If the pistol still functions (and I imagine that it does),there's no safety issue involved.

[dwsUSA]

Well as far as I know my defender is just fine. I haven't actually dry fired it yet I was just curious. I have snap caps that I use when dry firing.

[Rich-D]

Well as far as I know my defender is just fine. I haven't actually dry fired it yet I was just curious. I have snap caps that I use when dry firing.

Keep up the Positive Mental Attitude! The gun should be just fine, the Defender is a tough little bull dog of a gun. Yet it is easily to control when firing. Get to the range, take a lesson if you need one and enjoy the gun.


Rich

[JustinTime]

I don't think a "couple" of times will hurt anything Justin...

I'm not too concerned about it.

[JustinTime]

Justin - you better ship all yours out to me for inspection and testing ASAP!!! It could take awhile… _Paul

Paul...the New Agent is in the mail. Let me know if I hurt it.

[TattooPaul]

+1 to Hunter's advice of getting it "from the horse's {ponies} mouth} but I would think that even though it's machined and strong, the part pf the hammer that strikes the forged frame might suffer as well. A few times will likely not be an issue. Just an idea, but to see what Colts says would be the hands down final word. _Paul

[TattooPaul]

Paul...the New Agent is in the mail. Let me know if I hurt it.

Will do - extensive testing/ will be required but I will also talk to Colts to verify if I may have overlooked any frame or hammer damage. (Doubt a few few impacts would be bad - strip it and eyeball it with a 10x - 15x loupe should show any unwanted cracking or mishaping.

[clughog]

I know that dry firing a modern Colt isn't supposed to be a problem, but I've seen several references to not ever firing one with the slide off. One site mentions it potentially causing frame damage from "peening" but another, and I can't for the life of me find it, said something to the effect of "the best way to ruin a good trigger job is to dry fire it with the slide off." Don't know exactly what it was they were referring to, but it stuck in my mind. Maybe the "experts" can elaborate or clarify.

http://www.freepatriot.com/removeseries80.php

Now, this is important: lower the hammer slowly by pulling the trigger & holding on to the hammer at the same time. DON'T let it batter against the frame! This can result in warped or misshapen metal on the frame (called peening), and that can cause problems with slide/frame mating.