Answer: Is it OK to practice Dry-Firing A Ruger LCP II Lite Rack .22?

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Billy1953

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I recently purchased a Ruger LCP II Lite Rack .22. However, after quite a bit of dry-firing practice, the firing pin broke. I called Ruger® Firearms for repair. When they say Ruger customer service is really good, they were not kidding. An English-speaking representative answered right away, not the usual expected hard-to-understand broken English person from the Philippines. After going through a short menu, I talked to a very pleasant and knowledgeable lady. Ruger sent out at no cost to me a new firing pin, extractor spring, and firing pin retainer.

After explaining the firing pin was broken, I was asked if I was dry-firing the pistol, and I said yes, I also mentioned I was quite sure the instruction manual said it was OK. I was advised to only dry-fire as a function check unless using snap caps. Well, I figured I must have misunderstood the manual, so I got it out to read again the instructions.

Here are the exact text from the Ruger LCP II Lite Rack .22 manual. Page 17.
DRY FIRING
Going through the actions of cocking, aiming, and pulling the trigger on an unloaded firearm is known as "dry firing." Dry firing can be useful to learn the "feel" of your pistol. Be certain that the pistol is fully unloaded (both the chamber and magazines are empty) and that the pistol is pointing in a safe direction at all times, even when you are practicing dry firing. The Ruger® II with manual safety can be dry-fired without damage to the firing pin or other components as long as the magazine is inserted.


I called Ruger again so as to clear up what seemed to be a conflict between what the Ruger customer service person said vs. what the manual instructs. I explained the problem and read directly what the manual instructs to the customer service person. I was informed again, to only dry-fire the pistol for a function check unless using snap caps.

I hope this is of service to those who have this pistol so as to not have to go through the process of repairing the firing pin of the Ruger LCP II Lite Rack .22 due to dry firing.
 
Last edited:

buckaroo

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Oct 8, 2022
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Thank you Billy Bob, good info. I won't even dry fire with snap caps, one time after the field strip for function test. The YouTube trainers got all that b.s. started, people sitting in front of the tube dry firing for hours. As with most things in life, 'moderation' and when it comes to self-defense even less.
 

contender

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Sep 18, 2002
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Dry firing is an excellent way to improve your gun handling skills. ALL,, and I do mean ALL the top level, world class action shooters dry fire practice a LOT. But most of them will also use a snap cap of some type to add that extra layer of protection for their guns.

I'm sure the folks who wrote the manual for Ruger's LCPII didn't figure on someone doing a LOT of dry fire practice.
 

Johnnu2

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Jun 26, 2003
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Home Depot sells a little drywall anchor (yellow in color) that makes an excellent snap cap... It's doesn't last forever, but when you can buy 100 of them for about $6..... you can change them often :)
J.
 

DaveWallace

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Jul 2, 2022
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Piedmont,SC
I have nothing but praise for Ruger customer service. Within the last 10 days I returned an LCP 380 to repair a missing extractor. I received it back in exactly 7
days.The condition was as if I had just purchased it at my local gun store new in the box. The only thing that didn't appear as brand new never fired was the original ID number. Simply outstanding service.
 

TestEngineer

Bearcat
Joined
Jan 7, 2022
Messages
91
I don't know what material Ruger is using for the Lite Rack firing pin, but it is VERY brittle compared to most of their guns. Many have posted about them breaking, with the worst I've seen having been broken into 5 pieces. Very sad!
 

Midas11

Sergent
Joined
Feb 25, 2022
Messages
80
Location
GA
I don't own and haven't handled an LCP II, but if the owners manual states that "dry firing is OK", it may require that the magazine be removed, then the slide drawn back to cock the hammer and then the magazine re-installed to be able to dry fire the pistol. Have you tried that?
I do have one suggestion though. Just to be safe I would load a snap cap or #4-6 dry wall anchor in the chamber, if only to cushion the strike from the firing pin. If you already haven't tried that, and then do, let us know how that works for you. I was sorta hoping an LCP II .22 rimfire caliber owner would chime in with actual experience with their pistol.
 

Billy1953

Single-Sixer
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Sep 7, 2022
Messages
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I don't own and haven't handled an LCP II, but if the owners manual states that "dry firing is OK", it may require that the magazine be removed, then the slide drawn back to cock the hammer and then the magazine re-installed to be able to dry fire the pistol. Have you tried that?
I do have one suggestion though. Just to be safe I would load a snap cap or #4-6 dry wall anchor in the chamber, if only to cushion the strike from the firing pin. If you already haven't tried that, and then do, let us know how that works for you. I was sorta hoping an LCP II .22 rimfire caliber owner would chime in with actual experience with their pistol.
I have not tried to remove the magazine, cycle the slide, reinstall the magazine to dry fire. Question: How would one be able to know this would be a solution to saving the firing pin from breaking?
As to using dry anchors, yes, after I received the caution from Ruger not to dry fire, I purchased a box of them, and have been using them.

Thank you MIdas11.
 

harley08

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
548
I recently purchased a Ruger LCP II Lite Rack .22. However, after quite a bit of dry-firing practice, the firing pin broke. I called Ruger® Firearms for repair. When they say Ruger customer service is really good, they were not kidding. An English-speaking representative answered right away, not the usual expected hard-to-understand broken English person from the Philippines. After going through a short menu, I talked to a very pleasant and knowledgeable lady. Ruger sent out at no cost to me a new firing pin, extractor spring, and firing pin retainer.

After explaining the firing pin was broken, I was asked if I was dry-firing the pistol, and I said yes, I also mentioned I was quite sure the instruction manual said it was OK. I was advised to only dry-fire as a function check unless using snap caps. Well, I figured I must have misunderstood the manual, so I got it out to read again the instructions.

Here are the exact text from the Ruger LCP II Lite Rack .22 manual. Page 17.
DRY FIRING
Going through the actions of cocking, aiming, and pulling the trigger on an unloaded firearm is known as "dry firing." Dry firing can be useful to learn the "feel" of your pistol. Be certain that the pistol is fully unloaded (both the chamber and magazines are empty) and that the pistol is pointing in a safe direction at all times, even when you are practicing dry firing. The Ruger® II with manual safety can be dry-fired without damage to the firing pin or other components as long as the magazine is inserted.


I called Ruger again so as to clear up what seemed to be a conflict between what the Ruger customer service person said vs. what the manual instructs. I explained the problem and read directly what the manual instructs to the customer service person. I was informed again, to only dry-fire the pistol for a function check unless using snap caps.

I hope this is of service to those who have this pistol so as to not have to go through the process of repairing the firing pin of the Ruger LCP II Lite Rack .22 due to dry firing.
Ruger needs to change their manual, so it tells you to dry fire only with snap caps.
I am glad that you got great Customer Service form Ruger!
I also have gotten great Customer Service form Ruger!
When someone asks me what company should I buy my firearm from I tell them RUGER!
 

chuckbowen

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 24, 2023
Messages
4
Location
Ga
I recently purchased a Ruger LCP II Lite Rack .22. However, after quite a bit of dry-firing practice, the firing pin broke. I called Ruger® Firearms for repair. When they say Ruger customer service is really good, they were not kidding. An English-speaking representative answered right away, not the usual expected hard-to-understand broken English person from the Philippines. After going through a short menu, I talked to a very pleasant and knowledgeable lady. Ruger sent out at no cost to me a new firing pin, extractor spring, and firing pin retainer.

After explaining the firing pin was broken, I was asked if I was dry-firing the pistol, and I said yes, I also mentioned I was quite sure the instruction manual said it was OK. I was advised to only dry-fire as a function check unless using snap caps. Well, I figured I must have misunderstood the manual, so I got it out to read again the instructions.

Here are the exact text from the Ruger LCP II Lite Rack .22 manual. Page 17.
DRY FIRING
Going through the actions of cocking, aiming, and pulling the trigger on an unloaded firearm is known as "dry firing." Dry firing can be useful to learn the "feel" of your pistol. Be certain that the pistol is fully unloaded (both the chamber and magazines are empty) and that the pistol is pointing in a safe direction at all times, even when you are practicing dry firing. The Ruger® II with manual safety can be dry-fired without damage to the firing pin or other components as long as the magazine is inserted.


I called Ruger again so as to clear up what seemed to be a conflict between what the Ruger customer service person said vs. what the manual instructs. I explained the problem and read directly what the manual instructs to the customer service person. I was informed again, to only dry-fire the pistol for a function check unless using snap caps.

I hope this is of service to those who have this pistol so as to not have to go through the process of repairing the firing pin of the Ruger LCP II Lite Rack .22 due to dry firing.
They say its okay but, thr firing pin is made out of titanium and its very brittle. use good judgment.
 
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