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Posted: 3/4/2005 3:43:00 AM EDT
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Hey, I'm Dan, I'm from Ohio. I recently bought a Rock River Entry Tactical AR-15. This gun is so amazing! My only concern however is decocking it. I have read through my manual and have found no way to do this. Is dry firing the only way to decock? If so, is it safe to dry fire my AR-15? Is there risk of damage? Thank you for the help! -Dan- |
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Welcome! Just dry fire it. It won't cause any problems. If you are going to dry fire a lot for practice, some guys use snap caps. Some of use dry fire a LOT and don't bother with the snap caps. People will be along shortly to argue both sides.  I dry fire an AR at least an hour three or four times a week. I've shot many liberals on my TV screen. 
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| dan2013- This website has some excellent resources located under the "Information" header at the top of the page, namely the Guides found in the information section, which deal with the various aspects of AR15 maintenance and function. Another great website for AR15 information, modifications, reviews and other useful information is The Maryland AR15 Shooters Site. |
| You could always crack it open with the rear retaining pin and ride the hammer down with your thumb if you're that concerned. Snap caps are great, but impractical in an AR since to recock you'll end up shucking the snap cap across the room when you pull back the charging handle. |
Why is aiming at the TV bad? I built an AR specifically to be a "TV gun." I've never shot it at the range. It doesn't even have a firing pin in it. When I sit down for my dry fire practice, there is no live ammo and no magazines around. When I pick up any weapon I always check the chamber. When I point the weapon at the TV I know for sure there is no round in the chamber. Seems like this is about as low risk as you can get. 
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| Every time I pick up a firearm I check the chamber. Even if I just put it down for a minute I check the chamber. One negligent discharge in my younger days pounded that into me. I dry fire every day with rifles and pistols using the TV, pictures on the wall, stucco spots on the wall, spots on the carpet, etc. When you make checking a chamber as second nature as breathing you never have to worry about it. |
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When I dry fire in the house, I point through the back wall at the woods behind my house. That is the safest direction just in case there is some horrible mistake made. I guess I have to admit to dry firing at my wife's yapping poodle . . . "Honest, honey, I was cleaning it and it just went off!" |
same situation with me. It scared the shit out of me. |
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Welcome aboard Dan Dry firing is no big deal. If you dry fire your RRA with the upper off, DO NOT let the hammer strike the lower as they've said above. And if you're really worried about dry firing with the upper on, go get yourself some snap caps. What's a few bucks if it makes you feel better and saves you some guff from the guys who like to bitch about everything. |
+ 1 this is part of the function check for the AR15/M16 |
I know a guy that did that and killed his future wifes dog. Still, the best kept secret in his family. |
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Thanks for the welcome guys! I feel better now that I know its ok to dry fire it. I have to say this is one hell of an accurate firearm! My first 3 shots out of the box were 1 bullseye and 2 right outside the bullseye. I'm excited for it to warm up here in OH so I can go out and shoot more! -Dan- |
You didn't even have to zero it? What range were you shooting at? |
Just don't pull the trigger on cocked hammer if the upper is off, can hit the receiver/bolt stop fairly hard. If the upper is on, no worries. |
My dad did that LONG before I was born with his revolver........click.click.click.BAM! he was helping john wayne and we got a new TV, new wall, and the neighbor got a new wall, and toilet. NO one was injured  I dry fire my AR15 all the time 
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Dry fire it all you want it wont hurt. Dry firing is bad is you are a Civil War soldier and dont want to bend the nipple so it wont fit a percussion cap. Other than that you are fine. Well ok old shotguns and M203s but other than that, dry fir thet AR like no tomorrow. Its good to practice you trigger squeeze anyway. In basic training they had us shove cleaning rods down the barrel and put a dime on the rod. Dry fire it and hope the dime dont fall off. If it did, we had to low crawl 25m. |
OK then fire away ...but before you just said that your targeting your TV. how do I know its a TV speical. all I know for sure is I've heard about people wink,wink,dry firing out windows and such...yikes.... ....ya know one day the TV gun might be in the for a tune up and someone that really pisses you off might pop on the tube. Then out of habit you grab a non TV gun and bang hehe thems just jokes shoot the TV dont shoot the TV I don't careps does that TV gun have a bayonet cause someone on tv may not go down with all the dry fire and I'd hate to see you have to stick the TV |
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Good points, and point taken about my first post. I actually dry fire my 1911s at the TV too. No mods to them. But ask anyone who has seen me handle firearms. I check the chamber so often it drives some people nuts. I built the "TV AR" because I'm just too paranoid. Truth be told, I still treat it like any of my other ARs (as I should), so having it idiot proofed for dry firing is overkill. |
HEY, I have a "TV Gun" too. Only, PMSNBC ran one too many Martha Stuart reports, so I ran out and got a mag of my SHTF XM855.  Now I'm making much better progress readingMarlborough: His Life and Times. Damn, if we couldn't use a politician with Churchill's command of the language.
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"Why is aiming at the TV bad? I built an AR specifically to be a "TV gun." I've never shot it at the range. It doesn't even have a firing pin in it. When I sit down for my dry fire practice, there is no live ammo and no magazines around." You are playing with the gun, and that is a no-no! It's not a toy. Treat it seriously and go by the rules, and you won't screw up and hurt somebody. Opening the action and releasing the hammer: Not permitted. The hammer must be cocked before closing the action. The reason is, the hammer will go 'over center' without coming in contact with the bolt, blocking the closing of the upper to the lower. Just pull the trigger after cocking when you're certain there is no ammunition in the rifle and no magazine is locked. |
That is what I do. I'm just extra paranoid, so I built an AR specifically for TV dry firing. Some other guns (like my 1911s and even a few other ARs) are dry fired at the TV from time to time. Check the chamber, squeeze the trigger. No problems.
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