Snap caps
- Thread starter royboy
- Start date
g.willikers
New member
If you mean for dry firing it and get used to the feel of it, snap caps aren't really needed.
They would be useful, though, for practicing loading, unloading and clearing the pistol.
They would be useful, though, for practicing loading, unloading and clearing the pistol.
If you're going to dry fire a fair amount, use a snap cap (purchased or homemade). Dry firing does damage either the slide or firing pin overtime. It is easy to find pictures of Glocks with failed breechfaces and HK revamped the USP firing pin because of dry firing breakages.
If you're cheap, a shell casing with a piece of leather jammed into the primer pocket will work, but may take some fussing to chamber on tilting barrel action.
If you're cheap, a shell casing with a piece of leather jammed into the primer pocket will work, but may take some fussing to chamber on tilting barrel action.
I like using snap caps for a couple of reasons.
One being, it cant hurt the gun doing so, especially if your dry firing a lot.
The other, and more important reason, you cant have a live round in the chamber, if the snap cap is there.
I prefer the ready made snap caps as opposed to the homemade variety. The main reason being, most of the ready made snap caps, dont look like a live round, and can be easily identified and not mistaken for one, or vice versa.
Another issue with the homemade variety is what you use in the primer pocket. Some things can degrade and come apart, and end up places you dont want or need them, causing you trouble at a bad time. Factory snap caps arent that expensive, and good ones, like the A Zooms, last a good long while.
One being, it cant hurt the gun doing so, especially if your dry firing a lot.
The other, and more important reason, you cant have a live round in the chamber, if the snap cap is there.
I prefer the ready made snap caps as opposed to the homemade variety. The main reason being, most of the ready made snap caps, dont look like a live round, and can be easily identified and not mistaken for one, or vice versa.
Another issue with the homemade variety is what you use in the primer pocket. Some things can degrade and come apart, and end up places you dont want or need them, causing you trouble at a bad time. Factory snap caps arent that expensive, and good ones, like the A Zooms, last a good long while.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Leather in the primer pocket offers zero resistance to the firing pin. So does rubber, hot glue, and all the other stuff people use to make snap caps. If you are going to do a lot of dry firing, buy good factory-made snap caps.
Knightsofnee
New member
My Shield will feed A-Zoom snap caps from the magazine when cycled by hand.
Snap caps are great for a couple reasons. Especially getting new shooters more comfortable with guns. My wife had not handled guns much at all when we got together. I used some orange plastic dummy rounds to help teach her how to load a magazine and to find a good way for her to rack the slide and then practice. It's good because you can feel more confident that you pulled it back far enough. Then when she got better I felt it was important for her to be able to load a mag and chamber a round in the dark. She got pretty good.
There is a lot of practice that can be done at home with snap caps or dummy rounds. Cycling the slide is not one though.
There is a lot of practice that can be done at home with snap caps or dummy rounds. Cycling the slide is not one though.
Bill DeShivs
New member
RX- the firing pin simply pierces the leather. The leather doesn't stop the pin-it travels until it hits something that will stop it. Silicone rubber, erasers, hot glue, etc.- none of them offer any resistance to a firing pin. Even if they did, after the first time they would be useless. Properly made snap caps have a sprung METAL disc in place of the primer.
I used to use the red plastic and brass "Tipton", or whoevers name they are being sold under these days, and always found them lacking. That little spring loaded "primer" they have, would usually quickly end up jammed into the pocket, rendering it useless.
The other issue I had with them, was with a couple of the rifle calibers. They werent properly sized, and the bolts were hard to close to the point they wouldnt, and it was hard to get them out.
I dont know what silicone type material A-Zoom uses in their primer pockets, but Ive always found it to be very durable and have yet to have one come apart with use. The rims usually go before the rubber, and even then, thats after months of constant daily use.
Early on, I tried making my own, figuring Id save a few bucks, and decided it wasnt worth the risk or effort.
g.willikers
New member
Now come on.
I have some dummy rounds with bits of hard rubber glued in the primer pockets.
Very useful for reload and next shot practice.
Been using them for twenty years without any issues.
Also been dry firing the same pistol as long, mostly without anything in the chamber.
Countless times over the decades.
No issues there, either.
I have some dummy rounds with bits of hard rubber glued in the primer pockets.
Very useful for reload and next shot practice.
Been using them for twenty years without any issues.
Also been dry firing the same pistol as long, mostly without anything in the chamber.
Countless times over the decades.
No issues there, either.
For the most part, except for .22's, I think dry firing wont hurt most things, unless youre "really" using them a lot.
In 55+ years of shooting, Ive only ever broke one firing pin, and it was a USGI M14 firing pin in an M1A, that was used in competition and the gun was dry fired in practice constantly as well.
As I said before, I dont think using them can hurt, as long as what youre using stays together, and doesnt leave little bits in the wrong places. Ive personally seen that occur, which is why I prefer properly made/designed factory made snap caps.
That, and they are an added safety measure, as you cant have a live tround in the chamber, if you load the snap cap. I still prefer things that can be instantly identified as such though, over things that look no different than loaded ammo.
If youre making your own, and they are lasting you 20 years of constant use, you may want to go into business for yourself, as you will likely make out real good. I have yet to find any commercially made snap caps that will last much past 6 months of constant, hard use. If yours are holding up that long, you got a winner.
In 55+ years of shooting, Ive only ever broke one firing pin, and it was a USGI M14 firing pin in an M1A, that was used in competition and the gun was dry fired in practice constantly as well.
As I said before, I dont think using them can hurt, as long as what youre using stays together, and doesnt leave little bits in the wrong places. Ive personally seen that occur, which is why I prefer properly made/designed factory made snap caps.
That, and they are an added safety measure, as you cant have a live tround in the chamber, if you load the snap cap. I still prefer things that can be instantly identified as such though, over things that look no different than loaded ammo.
If youre making your own, and they are lasting you 20 years of constant use, you may want to go into business for yourself, as you will likely make out real good. I have yet to find any commercially made snap caps that will last much past 6 months of constant, hard use. If yours are holding up that long, you got a winner.
Agreed. I find it interesting that some extractors seem harder on those rims than others. Sometimes the rims really get chewed up, other firearms not nearly as much. I also find that even if the rims don't break the rubber primer eventually gets such an indent in it that I wonder how much it is doing. But as you said that is after many many months of dry firing dozens of times a day.
g.willikers
New member
That's why I chose brass over plastic.
Can't remember what the rubber for the primer pocket is or where it came from.
Probably from the automobile world.
Might be from a suspension bushing or the like.
Definitely not pencil eraser.
Bill DeShivs
New member
I may not be able to explain this properly, but I'll try.
Leather and hard rubber offer no resistance because the tip of the firing pin exerts quite a bit of pressure in a tiny spot. It simply either cuts through or crushes the material. The force of the pin needs to be distributed over a larger area. This is why commercial snap caps have a metal "primer" that is either sprung or cushioned underneath.
So, even though you think your homemade caps have been working, you just have been lucky all these years.
You can make caps that work, but it would involve using a metal disc that is primer diameter, that is glued in place with a thin layer of silicone rubber. The disc will absorb the blow from the firing pin and the thin layer of silicone rubber will cushion the disc. I would think that eventually the silicone would lose it's grip and the "primer" would fall out. This is why I suggest commercial snap caps.
Leather and hard rubber offer no resistance because the tip of the firing pin exerts quite a bit of pressure in a tiny spot. It simply either cuts through or crushes the material. The force of the pin needs to be distributed over a larger area. This is why commercial snap caps have a metal "primer" that is either sprung or cushioned underneath.
So, even though you think your homemade caps have been working, you just have been lucky all these years.
You can make caps that work, but it would involve using a metal disc that is primer diameter, that is glued in place with a thin layer of silicone rubber. The disc will absorb the blow from the firing pin and the thin layer of silicone rubber will cushion the disc. I would think that eventually the silicone would lose it's grip and the "primer" would fall out. This is why I suggest commercial snap caps.
I think if you changed it a bit and said rubber or silicone offer little, or less resistance than a factory snap cap you might get a better reception.
^Issue is thats just flat out untrue. Little resistance maybe, but none? Insufficient perhaps but really?
For the record I advocate quality made store bought snap caps.
^Issue is thats just flat out untrue. Little resistance maybe, but none? Insufficient perhaps but really?
For the record I advocate quality made store bought snap caps.