Dry firing a percussion rifle

[FRJ]

I want to dry fire my percussion rifle to practice my offhand shooting. I am concerned about possible damage that may occur from my doing this form of practice. Any comments or suggestions? FRJ

[Dave K]

Your nipple will get hammered out to a mushroom shaped top, then of course your cap will be hard to set. I can't think of any serious damage other than the nipple.

[smylee grouch]

If it has a set trigger, just set triggers and fire without cocking the hammer, or if no set trigger, get some rubber tubing to place on the nipple.    Smylee

[George Sutton]

Put a piece of leather over the nipple. You can break your trigger by dry firing it against the sear bar.

Centershot

[leadslinger62]

  I put a Gasket for a Water Faucet over mine. The Hammer hits the Rubber Gasket not the Nipple. Takes quite a few hits to wear it out.

[Tom Cooper]

Faucet washer = bibb washer, I use the beveled style like this

[Dave K]

Good idea on the faucet washer. At one time I had used a piece of leather and it worked good, too. But then I noticed that the nipple worked as a perfect leather punch and I had a slug of leather inside my nipple. Makes for a good safety though. 

[BrownBear]

Even with the faucet washer,  I install an old nipple.  Gotta do something with them anyway cuzz I never seem to get around to throwing them away.

[hanshi]

My solution was to use one of the little rubber "bumpers" sometimes found on the bottom of small appliances to prevent marring of counter tops.  They are shaped like a top hat so when placed over the nipple with the "brim" down, there's plenty of rubber above the top of the nipple to stop and cushion the hammer blow.

[FRJ]

My thanks to all!! Very good ideas and it saves me worrying about it. FRJ

[Collector]

Back before 'rocks,' I used to cut off the bulbous portion (maybe leaving a small portion of the stem too?-I forget)  of a automobile tire valve and place it over the nipple, for dry-fire practice.

It's hardly noticeable, so you can leave it on, full time, except when shooting, if you like.  If you have any concerns about unauthorized handling, in your absence, it's a small bit of insurance.

Good luck!!

[Hungry Horse]

I don't have cap guns anymore, but when I did I used a rubber cap for break bleeders from the parts house. The one I found worked best were for VW's.

                     Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

Old nipples work fine - as does dry firing the triggers on single or double set trigger guns as long as the cock is full down on the nipple - NOT at 1/2 cock. 

I've been doing this since 1972 without every damaging a sear or trigger. 

Firing the set triggers against a sear bar (hammer) set at 1/2 cock, can cause the sear to break out the 1/2 cock notch in the tumbler.   Don't do that.  Have the hammer or cock full down in the fired position. I've never heard of a trigger breaking - not that it couldn't happen, given the variances if design and buid.

For non-set triger guns, snapping on an old nipple is easy, cheap and it will last just about for ever.

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

Put a piece of leather over the nipple. You can break your trigger by dry firing it against the sear bar.

Centershot

[blunderbuss]

 

  .577 Enfields came with a nipple protector it was a square piece of metal designed to fit over the square nipple sholder and a piece of tough material on top I assume they used them in practice