Buying snap caps or dummy loads?

[Blues Brother]

Hello, I am a newbie here. Looks like this is a great forum full of TONS of great information you people have here! I hope I can be a contibruting member. I am on some other non gun related web forums and I think they are a wealth of knowledge and information and I will try to do what I can to offer up what I know and can do to help be a good member here.

I have a question. I am interested in buying some "snap caps" or dummy loads for my guns to dry fire the guns so they are not stored with the firing pins cocked all the time.

but I have several shotguns, and pistols in varing calibers. and all the places I look, you can only buy "snap caps" in quantities of 5. what I want to know is, is there any place that sells them in singles? I only need one of each caliber basically. maybe 2 of some calibers. I just cant justify buying 5 of something I only need ONE of.

any ideas on this? I would appreciate any info you can provide. THANKS!

 

[wyocarp]

Man up and buy five.

 

[Henry Bowman]

You could just use expended rounds (empty shell with used primer) for the purpose you describe. However, there really isn't any bad effect from storing with springs compressed. It is the flexing of the springs that fatigues them, not being held in compression.

Welcome to The High Road!

 

[finz50]

Never heard ot them being sold as singles......also spend the extra couple of bucks and buy the "A-Zoom" brand....they're a million times better thananything else out there....

 

[Byron Quick]

Do you know any people who reload? If so, it's much cheaper to make dummy rounds.

Seat a bullet in an empty case. Trim an eraser to fit snugly into the empty primer pocket, add a drop of glue into the primer pocket before fitting the trimmed eraser and you have a fully functional snap cap. Mark it in such a way that you definitely will not confuse it with a loaded round.

 

[K-Romulus]

Search for "ST Action Trainers." The company sells singles.
http://www.stactionpro.com/

 

[wyocarp]

I too like the A-Zoom precision metal snap-caps. I wouldn't suggest any others.

 

[SHOOT1SAM]

Welcome, Blues Brother,

Check out the next gunshow or two-the ones here always seem to have the snap caps available as singles.

Sam

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

... and all the places I look, you can only buy "snap caps" in quantities of 5. what I want to know is, is there any place that sells them in singles? I only need one of each caliber basically. maybe 2 of some calibers.

There are still uses for multiple snap caps. One, if you use them extensively, even the best ones wear out and/or break eventually. Why not have spares? Two, they can be cycled through actions, e.g., for checking magazine function or malfunction clearance drills in semi-auto pistols.

 

[Old Grump]

Do not use expended rounds for snap caps

Once the primer has been dented in there is no resistance to the firing pin and in effect you are using an empty chamber. Tried making my own snap caps by sticking pieces of wood, and tiny chunks of rubber in the primer cavity and they didn't work, snap caps are cheap and well worth it.

 

[wyocarp]

Old Grump has a very good point. Snaps are cheap enough.

 

[rugerman]

The eraser works pretty good, so does a dab of silicon caulk. Let it cure then trim it flush, lasts a long time, when it wears out dig it out and do it again.

 

[Marcus84]

Cabela's has them in packs of 2.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Nearly every gun show around here, if not every show, has a vendor who has them available in singles. The vendor buys the packages, then dumps them into a bin, and marks the singles up a bit to make a profit. Hope that helps.

 

[eruby]

Search for "ST Action Trainers." The company sells singles.
http://www.stactionpro.com/

I purchased some rounds from ST Action Trainers and in the literature that came in the package, it specifically says not to be used as a snap cap. I didn't see that info on the website. Could probably fill in the hole in the 'primer' with silicon to make it work.

 

[K-Romulus]

Quote form erubyI purchased some rounds from ST Action Trainers and in the literature that came in the package, it specifically says not to be used as a snap cap. I didn't see that info on the website. Could probably fill in the hole in the 'primer' with silicon to make it work.

Totally bizarre . . . I first used them in a class when the instructor handed them out, and the ones I ordered didn't include those instructions you mentioned . . maybe things have changed since last year. . .YMMV

 

[eruby]

I looked on the website and the following is there:


The rounds feature:

• Color and design make them visible regardless of terrain
• Will glow brilliantly under black or blue light
• Brass case eliminates rim breakage
• One-piece ABS insert will not compress
• Recessed primer hole prevents damage to your firing pin

Based on the last point, you WOULD think it's okay to use as a snap cap.

I called but the person who would know was gone for the day. I will call tomorrow.

 

[eruby]

I spoke with Jim, the boss at ST Action and he said it is perfectly okay to use the the dummy round to dry fire. He differentiated between using them for dry fire and using them as a snap cap. The older dummy rounds they sold did not have the recessed 'primer' and there had been some firing pin damage to some S & W revolvers.

The snap caps have a spring mechanism in them to (I believe) relieve the pressure from the firing pin. Jim said this was more important in older shotguns which often have small firing pins. Jim was also of the opinion it was okay to dry fire most firearms without damaging the firing pin.

Thanks for the recommendation of ST Action, the dummy rounds are of excellent quality.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

I wouldn't use snap caps to relieve the hammer spring for long term storage. With the snap cap in the chamber, it just seems more likely that moisture could get trapped and cause some corrosion.

I'd store it with the chamber coated with oil, and empty. Grease or (shudder) cosmoline for very long-term storage.