New gun question

[rebAL]

My wife just won a .22 cal. (s/l/lr) rifle.  Anything special unique to this fine gun?  I was wondering about accidental dry-firing damage...  No mention in owners manual.  Haven't fired it yet but just cleaned bore & getting itchy.

[Graybeard]

Even tho we've all done it dry firing a rimfire is never a good idea. I don't think the Henry is any more or less prone to damage that way than other quality rimfires.

[Frank V]

I try to never dry fire a rimfire. I have seen some snap caps lately that were red color & had the shape of a loaded round so they should feed through a rifle. I don't think they were too expensive & if I were going to dry fire a rimfire, I'd sure get some. A search online should turn them up, maybe Midway USA would have them?
Frank

[SkinnerSights]

No need to get "itchy"  Get out there and SHOOT!!! 

Like Graybeard said, most rimfires are not intended to be dry fired.  The occasional accidental "Click" on an empty chamber shouldn't damage your rifle.  As Frank suggests, snap caps are available if you wish to dry fire.  The best system I've used is supplied with high end target pistols and holds the bolt/obturator/slide slightly rearward and prevents the striker/hammer from gaining full momentum and "peening" either the hammer face or the area around the firing pin.

I've been shooting some Henry Rifles lately and have found them to be wonderfully accurate, reliable, good looking and affordable.  Every one that I have been working with (testing new Skinner Sights developed just for Henry's ( see http://www.skinnersights.com/henry_rifles_18.html ) has been very smooth and flawless in feeding anything I've run through them. 

I did a range shoot on paper and held one hole groups off the bench at 50 feet using Fed. American Eagle HP's.  (What I figure is a standard off the shelf available, affordable ammo)  (Using Skinner Heny Sights)

Can't say enough good about Henry Repeating Arms!

ENJOY!