TargetTalk

When you unload a semi auto is it safe or damaging to pull the trigger? You remove mag, pull back on slide and eject shell. release slide and now PULL TRIGGER to release it?
Is this the only way to release the trigger and will it damage the firing pin or barrel? Is there a better way?

Depends, which type of pistol, center fire, rim fire? Need a little more info, as a general rule its not good for rim fire, most center fires it doesn't matter.

Because of the firing pin what should be done?

If your talking rim fire, you can get the little red snap caps, or just use some fire brass. If your just trying to decock it to store it, just pull the bolt back a little and pull the trigger, of course make sure it's empty, no magazine and pointing in a safe direction prior to doing this.

Occasionally letting it drop when empty isn't going to damage it so don't worry too much about it.

If its center fire just pull the trigger.

Dry firing (dropping the hammer on an empty chamber) will not harm the overwhelming majority of centerfire handguns. The few that would have warnings on the user's guide.

I dry fire the hell out of my handguns and have never had an issue.

Well it depends.... for centerfire it alright if necessary... You really shouldn't be pulling the trigger on an empty gun no matter what.. If you have an exterior hammer such as a colt 45 put your thumb on the hammer and then pull the trigger, then slowly bring the hammer back up. If you don't have an exterior hammer hold the slide half way closed, then hold the trigger all the way down. While holding down the trigger move the slide till it is closed. Then you should be all set.

TenX wrote:... If you don't have an exterior hammer hold the slide half way closed, then hold the trigger all the way down. While holding down the trigger move the slide till it is closed. Then you should be all set.

I would invite someone to try this as described above, then release and reapply pressure to the trigger and report back what happens. BE SURE TO DO THIS WITH AN EMPTY GUN!

I expect that when they report back, they will describe hearing a surprising "click" when the hammer falls, due to the disconnector reengaging when the slide closed the rest of the way and they released the trigger. Most disconnectors are designed to only allow reset when the slide is nearly completely closed.

BTW, I drop the hammers on my empty center fire guns all the time. I use a chamber plug/flag on my Hammerli 208s. And, I dry fire them a whole bunch, too. Yes there are occasional broken parts; firing pins after a few hundred thousand "clicks" and an infrequent firing pin block on my 1911s. I consider those replacements part of the cost of training.

Take Care,
Ed Hall
U.S. Air Force Competitive Shooting Teams
Bullseye (and International) CompetitionThings

At least some of the later european target designs have a disconnector that disengages/engages about halfway through the slide´s travel.
This makes it possible to dryfire without having the hammer hit the firing pin with the supplied (long) chamber plug in the chamber.
Examples of models: Pardini, Morini, Benelli, Match Guns, Fas

I have never heard of anyone being hurt from a burst cartridge casing caused by out of battry firing, if the hammer falls on a slide out of battery the result is most likely a click, but these pistol are chambered for low pressure cartridges.

/Anders

Anders wrote:I have never heard of anyone being hurt from a burst cartridge casing caused by out of battry firing, if the hammer falls on a slide out of battery the result is most likely a click, but these pistol are chambered for low pressure cartridges.

Thanks Anders,

I have to admit ignorance of the functioning of many of the European guns. As to the firing out of battery, I've personal experience and second-hand. Mine was two different occasions, both with rimfire. In both instances the slide was "apparently" just far enough open to allow the side of the case to burst, but closed enough to allow the hammer to strike the firing pin and fire the round. I would agree that normally the guns will not fire out of battery because of the hammer not reaching the firing pin, or the energy being robbed by the slide closing the rest of the way, but some ammo does seem to be sensitive enough.

Thanks again for the education...

Take Care,
Ed Hall
U.S. Air Force Competitive Shooting Teams
Bullseye (and International) CompetitionThings