Dry firing an Impact to break-in a new regulator piston?

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Chuck26287

Chuck26287

Member
Jul 29, 2018
256
19
Indiana, United States
I've seen different bits and pieces over time about dry firing the Impact. It seems some time ago, I remember it was thought by many to not be a good idea. I seem to also recall some more recent comments that it is not harmful. However, am I remembering correctly something more recent from Ernest Rowe where he specifically said to dry fire maybe a hundred times or so to break-in or condition a new gun/regulator? I have searched, but I only vaguely remember something about this, and am not finding what I'm looking for. I inspected my regulator when I had the gun apart for the Power Plenum install, and had a little wear on the regulator piston shaft, so I did a little minor polishing/dressing on the inner spring washer openings, and replaced the Delrin shaft. After installing the new PP, I want to break-in or season the new regulator a bit so it has a good seat/seal before starting to tune/adjust the gun, and would prefer to do it by dry-firing vs wasting pellets, IF I can be certain I'm not going to damage or unwisely wear any other part of the gun. Again, something from Ernest in a video somewhere on this is eluding me and driving me nuts. I want to make sure I'm not thinking he was saying to do it, when I'm remembering wrong and he was saying NOT to do it.

I can't logically think of any reason a properly sealed PCP airgun, fired in a normal manner, with the only exception being a pellet is not chambered, would be damaging, but hey... I've been wrong before.

Any help finding my reference to what Ernest was discussing would be very much appreciated. Just want to confirm breaking things in by dry firing is okay. Thanks!
 
If I'm interpreting your question correctly, you're looking for an iron-clad endorsement that it's okay to dry fire an Impact. I can't give you that but I will say I am not aware of any model PCP that will sustain damage from dry firing provided the system is pressurized adequately.

The risk with a small number of PCPs is that the valve stem may be overdriven without pressure resisting the hammer's impact. For example, if the valve stem gets driven in so far that the valve spring goes to coil bind, the stem may punch through the poppet body, breaking it and causing it to leak. Even that's not very common however.

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/dry-firing/
 
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Pcp can be dry dire with no damage. Spring gun should not be dry fire. I've dry fire my impact and my marauder rifle and pistol and other pcp and there is no damage. If you are so worried about dry fire. Why dont you just put pellets in and fire them down range and see how your gun is grouping. No one said you have to dry fire 100 times to break in the reg. When I got my impact I just shoot pellets through it. I dont even notice a difference in the regulator from new to after 500 rounds. 
 
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I had the same concern and also couldn't find the comment from Ernest recommending dry firing for break in. 

My solution was to mount a scope and do a quick zero before breaking in with a can of cheap Crosman pellets. Weather and pellets weren't conducive to precision shooting so I entertained myself rolling tin cans all over the range - bonus it that I am a lot more comfortable with handling my Impact (I'm not used to bullpups) and am now much more familiar with the trigger. 
 
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The only problem I have had with dry fires is if the gun is not aired up when there were tiny particles of metal inside my valve that got stuck in the stem seal and caused a leak. With air the tiny pieces likely would have blown through without damage. Me, I seldom dry fire I just use my garbage pellets, which I have plenty of, and plink at something. Still on a stock PCP with minimum power dry firing should not damage anything.
 
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Okay... I found what I was remembering. Part of my problem was I thought I was remembering something in a video. It was a reply from Ernest in this thread:

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/brand-fx-inmact-30-shot-string-horribly-inconsistent/

The relevant reply from Ernest was:

"you need to break-in a new impact, oring and metal need to cycle a lot to get that smooth finish on metal and rubber. I recommend filling to 250 and dry fire to 100b and refill then shoot pellets fast to 100b refill again this time take a crony string from 250 to 175b and you will see a big difference just make sure the gun is in a shooting vice so gun is pointing at the same place Unless you have a FX crony mounted on the barrel, if you still have issues still PM me will assist in your tuning.

Ernest"

This, plus the posts already contributed here, and I'd say that clears up any concern about dry-firing an Impact. At least for me!

Thanks all!

And Nervoustrig... I think about the only thing on the internet that is iron-clad are the shackles that seem the keep me held at my computer for WAY too long at times.


 
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