Without snap caps?

[E the B]

Is it okay to dry fire your PM9 repeatedly - hundreds of times - without snap caps?

[OldLincoln]

Yes - IF you are only racking the slide enough to reset the striker. The striker pin is thrust forward and slaps the backside of the breach face on it's shoulders. It is pushed forward by the striker spring but free floats the last 1/8th inch or so and it's the inertia that carries it past the breach.

It is not good to repeatedly shotgun the slide on an empty chamber hundreds of times. At least that's what I've read and I tend to go with the caution side. It's something about the breach face slamming into the chamber or something. Perhaps one of the gunny types will be more definitive.

PS: I use a LaserLyte practice cartridge that flashes a laser for just long enough to see where it hit. It's fired by the striker hitting a rubber pad in the back. Excellent training aid especially for getting that initial panic shot on target.

[JohnInFlorida]

Yes

Q. Is it safe to "dry fire" my Kahr pistol?

A. Yes, provided you make certain that the chamber is free of ammunition.

http://www.kahr.com/faq.asp#q7

5th item, 2nd bullet list (Kahr Pistol)

[Popeye]

I do not repeatedly dry fire any pistol without snap caps. Might not hurt it, but it doesn't do it any good either. Plus that there cheap. JMHO.

[jocko]

IMO always error on the side of caution. snap caps are cheap, they last and I hve never read of snap caps ever damaging a gun..

[E the B]

The problem dryfiring with snap caps with the PM/CM9 is you always have to cycle the next round - meaning you run through six snap caps, then have to reload the mag and rack the slide. With SA or SA/DA guns, at least you get to **** the hammer, then dryfire again.

Continually running snap caps thru the PM/CM 9 gets to be a pain . . .

[Bawanna]

Don't cycle the slide far enough to eject the snap cap. You only have to pull it back just a bit, less than an inch to reset the striker. This way one snap cap will last all day long. I do this with or without snap caps rather than run the whole cycle.

[E the B]

I do that without the snap cap - hundreds of times -no problems.

Is there any concern for doing it with the snaps and risking SC stovepipes and the resulting action wear?

I'm just wondering. . .

E the B

[JohnInFlorida]

Hmmm, am I really the only one around here who's willing to believe that the manufacturer knows what they're talking about?

[wyntrout]

I dry fire just a little... I did get tired of breaking snap caps. And you only have to pull the slide back about 3/8" to reset the trigger/striker or whatever, unless you just like practicing loading mags with snap caps.:)

If your striker has a weakness, slamming it into the breech wall might "find" it. We've only heard of a few strikers failing, though, and they didn't have excessive use... at least one was almost new.

That's another reason to have a spare pistol... stuff DOES break... and unfortunately, when you most need it sometimes!:eek:

You can test and test your pistol and wear it out. I need to order some more replacement stuff... springs, mainly, but some parts to make another 6-round P40 mag with metal base. I need a spare for CCW. I only have one flush-fitting metal-based one. The rest are the 7-round extended grip models... reloads.

Wynn:)

[Ressom]

I do not repeatedly dry fire any pistol without snap caps. Might not hurt it, but it doesn't do it any good either. Plus that there cheap. JMHO.

I think it does good in that I can learn to control the trigger. Also, when I put a new 5lb striker spring in my CM9 the pull was a little rough. After dry firing about 20 times it felt a lot better... smother.