I wore out an A-Zoom snap cap! (pic)

[John Wayne]

I purchased these .38 spl A-Zoom snap caps about a year and a half ago. They are rather expensive for six otherwise-useless pieces of aluminum, but most regard them as unbreakable. I have used them for extensive dry-fire practice in my S&W revolvers. All guns have had completely stock springs.

As you can see from the picture, the rim of the "round" has completely sheared off! I have noticed rings forming around the headstamp of some of the snap caps for a while now, but always assumed this was the anodizing wearing off. Turns out the force of the hammer/firing pin pushing them into the chambers has actually started to break the rim off!

In the pictures, you can see rings beginning to form on some caps, while others appear almost like new.

I plan to contact A-Zoom, but I must say I'm quite astonished that this happened. Anyone else ever worn out one of these through normal use?

 

[RevolvingGarbage]

I suspect if you have used them much in a .357 revolver, the extra space between the case mouth and the chamber gave the snap cap room to be hammered inward.

 

[Clifford]

Just keep hammering on them till they all shed the rims. Then you can put them up for sale as .38 AMU snap caps, one of a kind for only $20 apiece

 

[HB]

Just keep hammering on them till they all shed the rims. Then you can put them up for sale as .38 AMU snap caps, one of a kind for only $20 apiece

+1 for somebody knowing what .38 AMU is!

 

[Destructo6]

They stand up quite a bit better than other snap caps I've used, but I have and have seen a lot of 5.56mm AZoom snap caps fail or get mangled.

Mostly, it was during failure drills with M4s, mixed with live ammo.

 

[essayons21]

I've chewed up the rims on a few .45ACP snap-caps in my 1911s so bad they went in the trash. They aren't indestructible.

I use these now.

http://www.letargets.com/estylez_ps.aspx?searchmode=category&searchcatcontext=~080000~081100

They are cheaper and I think a bit more durable than A-Zooms. They aren't true snap-caps, but a dab of rubber cement or epoxy in the primer pocket works wonders. IMO, the dangers of dry-firing are overrated, and I mainly use snapcaps just for reload/clearing drills.

 

[seanie!]

My .223 snap caps have been almost destroyed by my Saiga. I honestly have no idea how many times the ejector's torn into them though.

 

[erichtmobile]

I have some triple-k brand 12ga. Snap caps, they too have gotten chewed/chipped up(with limited use)

 

[Tommygunn]

Well, I had one .380 A-zoom go bad, and my Sig 556 ejected a 5.56mm. A zoom I still can't find .....
Pretty wicked use of snapcaps there, John Wayne. But I figure anyone who uses the screen name "John Wayne" IS gonna play hell on snapcaps!!!

 

[kda]

I've chewed up the rims on a few .45ACP snap-caps in my 1911s so bad they went in the trash. They aren't indestructible.

I use these now.

http://www.letargets.com/estylez_ps.aspx?searchmode=category&searchcatcontext=~080000~081100

They are cheaper and I think a bit more durable than A-Zooms. They aren't true snap-caps, but a dab of rubber cement or epoxy in the primer pocket works wonders. IMO, the dangers of dry-firing are overrated, and I mainly use snapcaps just for reload/clearing drills.

+1 on this. I have some pretty badly chewed up 9 mm snap caps in which I'm a bit disappointed. The dummy rounds above are more durable. I was wondering about silicone in that primer area to bring it up to flush.

 

[Clifford]

I deprime cases and fill the primer pockets with "the right stuff" brand silicone gasket sealer.

 

[Bovice]

The "rings" you're seeing forming around the snap caps are signs of stretching in the material. The problem is that they've chosen a material so cheap that it was probably entering into plastic (permanent) deformation, just beyond the elastic limit, which allowed you to use it many many times. When you stop, the material will ever so slightly return to normal (strain reduction), but a certain level of strain (change in dimension of specimen/original dimension) stayed in the metal. Over time, and little by little, the strain kept building until one day you hit the failure limit. And it broke.

That is why materials are SO crucial. You need to choose materials properly so that they operate in the elastic range for all forseeable uses of the device. It's possible, folks. What you end up with is an extremely long lasting device.

 

[heron]

As much as those A-Zooms cost, they could make 'em from better aluminum. Have you thought of sending them back for replacement, or at least contacting the manufacturer to complain? Send them your photo, with a link to this thread.

 

[kamagong]

My problem with the A-Zooms has to do with the soft stuff in the middle. While the rims on mine remained usable, the soft stuff always ends up totally crushed and no longer cushions the firing pin.

 

[FirearmsEnthusiast]

So that's how they wear out

 

[John Wayne]

It seems like everyone in this thread who has worn out an A-zoom has been using them in a semi-auto. It makes sense that the extractor grabbing the rim of the cartridge would chip it over time. I would have never thought of a revolver causing this kind of wear on the rim of a cartridge though!

I have not experienced any problems with the plastic "primer" area in any of my snap caps. Obviously, if they were a bit more absorbent, the rim probably wouldn't be breaking off!

I called A-Zoom customer service today (a division of Lyman products). I was told to send them in with a note and contact info. The woman I spoke to was very friendly; I see no reason why they won't be replaced as I see this as a definate defect. I'll keep updating this thread with the results.

 

[fredg]

Sorry to resurrect this older thread, but I wanted to add that I have been through 3 sets of A-Zoom snaps, they all failed like in your pic. Not sure how many dry fires I get before they push into the cylinder (used both .357 and .38 snaps in a .38 and a .357 revolver) maybe 700-800.

 

[Brian Williams]

This is why I no longer use any snap caps while dryfiring.

 

[fredg]

Brian, in revolvers also? I don't use snap caps in my 1911, but was under the impression you want to use them in revolvers....

 

[Regen]

I received a out of spec NIB A-Zoom snap cap the other day. I ordered some in 30-06, and on one of them I couldn't close the bolt. I checked the headspace and the rifle took the GO gauge and didn't take a FIELD gauge, so I'm figuring it must be the snap cap. Haven't yet checked it with calipers.

 

[skunyun]

OH MY OL MY! NO soup for You!

 

[Schofield3]

Pretty wicked use of snapcaps there, John Wayne. But I figure anyone who uses the screen name "John Wayne" IS gonna play hell on snapcaps!!!

Hahaha +1

 

[19&41]

I drilled a hole through the sides of the desired caliber cartridge case, resized the case and seated a bullet for a functional dummy, then using a wadcutter made from a brass toilet fill tube, cut rubber plugs from heavy neoprene dielectric mat. Pressed plugs into the primer pocket, and trimmed excess length with a razor blade. Had plenty of spare plugs to replace the punched up ones, though the neoprene held up pretty good. Dummies like these also get close to the weight of the real cartridges, for action testing.

 

[stchman]

Does the OP train that much with his .38 SPL?