Just a general note or two on dry firing. With the general shift to rebounding firing pin mechanisms, and with improved metallurgy since slightly before WWII, dry-firing centerfire guns is generally no longer a problem. I would avoid dry-firing break-action long guns (especially those that sell for more than a week's pay), but repeating guns of all sorts can safely be dry-fired without fear of hurting the gun. The most common problem with dry firing appears to be broken firing pins, but that situation has been improved with better metallurgy.
Rimfires are a different story. Unless the gun has been designed for safe dry-firing, it's probably best to err on the side of caution and not dry-fire rimfire guns indiscriminately. I can say without equivocation that every Ruger rimfire made is safe to dry fire, due to foresight in design of both firing pin and chamber. By inspection, if the breech face of the gun has a cutout in line with the firing pin on the bolt, then you can be reasonably certain that dry firing won't hurt it.