Dry fire practice can be a great way to keep your skills sharp between range trips but some firearms just don’t tolerate it well. This is especially true for most older rimfire firearms which can allow the firing pin to peen the chamber if you pull the trigger on an empty chamber. There is often conflicting information available on how tolerant some rimfires are to dry fire which further complicates makes. That is why this Tactical Handyman chooses to use snap caps any time I dry fire a rimfire firearm.
The problem with store bought .22LR snap caps is that they cost way too much for what they are and they don’t really last that long. That is why the Tactical Handyman stopped buying them and started buying #4 drywall anchors.
As you can see in the included image, #4 drywall anchors are a dead ringer for a .22LR cartridge. They are dirt cheap, each one lasts a few dry fire sessions, and they will even extract and eject from every rimfire in my inventory including the Ruger 10/22, S&W M&P 15-22, Ruger 22/45, and Advantage Arms Glock Conversions. Unfortunately, they may not always feed from a magazine.
Don’t buy .22LR snap caps! You can get a lifetime supply of #4 drywall anchors for next to nothing and they are handy to have on hand anyway. You might even have some lurking in your junk drawer now!
