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MAKING SNAP CAPS

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04 August 2008, 04:09
Palmer
MAKING SNAP CAPS
I want to make some snap caps for a 450/400 3". Midway just has the 3 1/4".

What do you substitute for the primer that will last?

I have heard of pencil erasers but that seems like it would wear out quick???


ALLEN W. JOHNSON - DRSS

Into my heart on air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.

A. E. Housman
04 August 2008, 04:39
GarBy
Palmer....been thinkin' the same thing.....wondering about pencil eraser or a semi-rigid type of caulking. First one to figure it out, tell the other....deal??

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC
04 August 2008, 04:46
Doubless
I have done it with just plain old silastic sealer.
04 August 2008, 05:11
jimatcat
"uhmw" ultra-high molecular weight".... cut it with a punch.. it comes in sheets of vary-ing thickness... drill the primer pocket out bigger than a primer, deeper too...


go big or go home ........

DSC-- Life Member
NRA--Life member
DRSS--9.3x74 r Chapuis
04 August 2008, 06:48
mjc
Check out New England Custom Gun Service.

www.newenglandcustomgun.com/

mjc


DRSS Member
04 August 2008, 06:59
470Evans
Call David Little at Kynoch and get some proper ones. He is a great guy plus you can order some wads from him as well.


2010 Sapi Elephant Hunt
04 August 2008, 09:02
ftondrus
I AGREE WITH 470 EVANS.

OR, JUST PUT THE HACKSAW TO THE 3 1/4" ONES !!!
04 August 2008, 09:40
Shinzo
quote:
Originally posted by Palmer:
I want to make some snap caps for a 450/400 3". Midway just has the 3 1/4".

What do you substitute for the primer that will last?

I have heard of pencil erasers but that seems like it would wear out quick???


It is possible to buy lengths of O-ring material that can be made up into a O-ring by supergluing the ends together. I made up some shot gun snap caps with this, just dug out the guts of a spent shotgun primer & epoxied in a piece of this, you could try similar to make up some snap caps for your 450/400 3". Boxer primers 5.3mm diameter. Some 5mm O-ring material would suffice. Its tough & won't break down in a hurry.
Steve
04 August 2008, 11:54
els
I have drilled and tapped the primer pocket and screwed nylon screws in the hole and then cut and filed the screw off almost flush. Last quite a while and can be replaced when worn.


If you own a gun and you are not a member of the NRA and other pro 2nd amendment organizations then YOU are part of the problem.
04 August 2008, 17:39
Palmer
quote:
OR, JUST PUT THE HACKSAW TO THE 3 1/4" ONES


I already did that and got a lot of information. By the way, the snap caps were a little over 7 bucks each but with shipping and handling the total charge was over 27 dollars!

I stupidly assumed from looking at the picture that "bullet" could be pulled out, the "case" cut off, resized and then slip the "bullet" back in. I should have realized that "bullet" was a fake and was actually just part of the case.

So when I cut off the snap cap "case" and inserted a real bullet it is front heavy and does not feel right.

I am now looking for something of the right weight and balance so it will also be good to use to practice reloading quickly. A real case and bullet with a little walnut shell case cleaning material inside would be right for that.

Then to color them red with some markers so I don't get loaded rounds by mistake. Its too hot outside to shoot so this project is just what I need this week.

Thanks for the suggestions.


ALLEN W. JOHNSON - DRSS

Into my heart on air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.

A. E. Housman
05 August 2008, 06:04
Showbart
Come on Allen! You own a Jeffery and a Searcy and you gripe about $27? Hacksaw?! Make your own!? Geez.
05 August 2008, 09:02
ftondrus
I BELIEVE YOU WANT SOME " DUMMY ROUNDS" TO PRACTICE LOADING.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS A SNAP CAPS PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW YOU TO SAFELY LET DOWN THE FIRING PINS WITH NO FEAR OF BREAKAGE.
10 August 2008, 09:55
nopride2
Nylon, acetal (Delrin), uhmw all work well.

Dave
11 August 2008, 20:57
<xs headspace>
Fired, decapped cases, with the primer holes filled with epoxy. I used the steel putty stick stuff from the hardware store--5 min cure--works fine.
11 August 2008, 21:59
J_Zola
My Father has made snap caps from these 8499A69 part# from Mcmaster-Carr. You can play around with the spring force.