Homemade snap caps...?

Question

Does anyone know a way off making snap caps to practice with. I ask this because I wish to practice with a handgun but dry-firing can damage it so I've been trying to figure out a way to make a snap cap.

What I did do was drill out the primer in a spent casing, filled it with silicone sealant and let it sit for a week to cure. I tried to use one but the sealant either wasn't fully cured or can't take the pin strike as it got pretty beat up quick and I don't know if it will do.

So anyone else got any ideas for do it yourself snap caps.

Answer 1

I made some with an empty casing, removed spent primer, filled casing with silicone sealant, placed a small copper rod in the primer hole and let dry. The fireing pin hits the copper rod that is held in place by the silicone and is cushioned by it. Seems to work fine until the copper rod get too beat up after several hundreds of time, I just replace it.



There are guns that shouldn’t be dry fired much and most manufactures will advice on that. But take the Ruger Super Blackhawk, Ruger says its fine to dry fire. They are not quite right as the transfer bar gets hit every time by the hammer. I saw a super blackhawk that was only shot a dozen times but he dry fired it every day until the transfer bar was a mess. I mean it had to be replaced it was so bad. I would say it depends on the guns design as to it being bad for it or not.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

Homemade snap caps...?

Does anyone know a way off making snap caps to practice with. I ask this because I wish to practice with a handgun but dry-firing can damage it so I've been trying to figure out a way to make a snap cap.



What I did do was drill out the primer in a spent casing, filled it with silicone...

Answer 3

Take 10.00 down to your local gunstore and buy some quality made aluminum ones, or the more expensive one's with a built inspring / plunger where the primer normally would be...split a box with a buddy and save some more



seriously.



While dry firing will not hurt your weapon, the accidental loading of a LIVe ammo in to the weapon...thinking it is your home made snap cap... is very high. This would be a bad thing.



The snap caps / dummy rouds are more beneficial in working on malfunction clearance drills and removing the "flinch" many people have when shooting, as opposed to needed for "dry firing" a hand gun.



The the weapon is a quality made centerfire weapon, made within the last 50 or so years (or more) then the likelihood of damaging the weapon during dry firing is MINIMAL to non existent. I have dry fired my 1911 almost as much as I have shot it... I have over 30K rounds down range.



For the Malfunction drill (same as when instructing a student to remove a flinch) I usually load one in a mag (randomly... i have a "few" mags) or have someone randomly insert one in the mag... fire the weapon, until it doesn't go "BANG" ... execute the clear malfunction drill.. .and move on. If it is a flinch identification drill... when the sights are not on target, and no BANG...it is a great tool to show students where they need to work on their shooting.

Answer 4

I don`t think you could easily duplicate the materials or mechanism of commercially produced snap caps. They have a tensioned spring assembly inside. As Pagamenews said,is there even really a need for them? If your gun says anything about dry firing ( some actually do ), I would purchase the dedicated snap caps for your particular gun. They last a long time and are worth the money!

Answer 5

Snap Caps Are a must.

First they are cheap and you can get them anywhere.

They are a must have item.



homemade good luck. If I must dry fire a hand gun or rifle and I do not have a snap cap, I would use a spent cartridge from that weapon, not as good as a cap, but better than anything homemade.

Answer 6

I don't know if pagaman is right or not. I don't take a chance though. I have done quality control inspections for years at fab shops and I can tell you most qc/qa folks will do 100 % inspections on vital parts and finished assemblies in the beginning and then spot checks from then on. Having said that I realize that as a feel good measure I just use a spent shell with spent primer..better than nothing. I do like to relax the spring on my bolt actions. Just me I guess but it can't hurt can it.

Answer 7

midway usa sells rimfire 22lr snap caps and they should work in both. The firing pin hits a sping instead of metal or a piece of used primer so its really better on the gun. I say spend the money and get a real snap cap because its such a small spring set up.

Answer 8

The idea that dry firing a handgun will somehow hurt the firing pin is an old wives tale. I used to work in the firearms industry for a major fireams company and I can tell you, we dry fired the guns at the factory on a routine basis. The only types of guns you should never dry fire are the rimfires, as the firing pin on this may indeed slam against the outter rim of the rear of the chamber and cause damage to either the chamber face or the firing pin.



One thing to note about dry firing that an experienced German gunsmith taught me; dry firing puts about as much physical stress on the internal parts as firing. That makes sense, doesn't it? If you are dry firing a gun, you are basically placing the same stress on the internal parts as you would if you were firing it. And...think about it. Sometimes people will advertise guns say, "New old stock in original box with factory paperwork. Never fired." Well, maybe it was never fired with ammunition, but it may have been dry fired 10,000 times and the stress of doing so would be evident if you took the gun apart.



So in summary. Dry firing will not harm the firing pin of your centerfire firearms. But, it will place as much user stress on the other moving parts of your gun as if you were actually firing it.

Answer 9

Use a thin punch and drive the primers out of spent cases. Cut up pencil erasers small enough that you can fit them into the primer pockets but tight enough so that they won't fall out.

Answer 10

A piece of real hard rubber cut to fit and super-glued in should work, or a piece of hard leather from the sole of a shoe.* Or a piece of Neoprene Rubber from a neoprene plumbing washer.*

Answer 11

What about using spent casings?

Answer 12

What about a piece of 4.5mm/5.5mm/whatever-diameter-the-primer-pocket-is rod made from nylon/plastic glued/stab crimped in place?

Answer 13

question is why make them...for a few dollars you can buy them...and "dry" firing a gun doesnt hurt it..

Answer 14

google it.