I picked up one of the Heritage Rough Rider .22lr revolvers from PSA a few weeks ago....the thing rights like a champ! Not a bad little plinking gun for $99.

I'd like to use it to teach my 9yr old daughter to shoot.  Before I load it up with live rounds, is there any way I can have her dry fire it without damaging it? I know that the fireing pin will ding up the cylinder without any rounds in it, but can she dry fire it with the hammer block/safety on? Or will that break the rod that blocks the hammer? I've seen some little plastic .22lr snap caps...is that the best thing to use?  Or are the metal ones better to use?

I'd like to get her used to pulling the hammer back and pulling the trigger....and handing the gun steady as she slowly squeezes the trigger.   I just want to go over all of the basics, get her used to it, before I load it up with live rounds.  

Thanks!!

Plastic snap caps are safe for dry firing but they get chewed up and are a little expensive.

Plastic drywall anchors from a local hardware store work great and are cheap. When they get chewed up just replace them.
A popular size for .22LR is the 4-6-8 ⅞” drywall anchors.

Lots of dry fire on the Heritage safety can damage it. A small amount is not a problem.

Also can use spent shell casing for a couple dry fires.

Rather than pay good money for .22 snap cap, you can get 100 of Hillman dry wall screws for $5.45.

Put the safety on? The Rough Rider costs $100, a new safety probably costs $3!

Take your cylinder to your loacal hardware store and find the drywall anchors that fit the best. Buy a gob of them and let the young shooter manipulate the load, the firing and the reload.

dagnabbit! missed it by that much!

Without snap caps, no.  Dryfiring w/ the safety off will peen the cylinder.  Dryfiring w/ the safety on will eventually break the safety.