Can someone explain snal cap design and what the benefit is to using them in a DR.
I ask because all of the military armorers told me that only rimfire rifles need something under the firing pin when dry fired because the pin of a rimfire can impact the barrel and possibly get dammaged.
They explained that center fire rifle firing pins do not impact anything, therefore there is no downside to dry firing.
I am guessing that DRs are different.

It would not hurt to use them in SxS shotguns or Double Rifles.

A snap cap has a spring loaded "primer" that takes up the force of the impact from the hammers.

Some just have a plastic material in the primer pocket area that does the same thing.

If you are cheap, just turn a piece of Delrin rod down to primer size, and part off pieces. Stuff one in a deprimed case and replace every couple hundred dryfires.

The original issue was non-retracting firing pins.

Rich

Mark Beasland worked on my VC .470 DR and told me not to use my A-Zoom snap caps but I ignored him and use them anyway. Anyone see any harm in doing so? I figure that as long as the rubbery stuff in what would be the primer pocket is still rubbery no harm will be done.

quote:

Originally posted by Bob Nisbet:
Can someone explain snal cap design and what the benefit is to using them in a DR.
I ask because all of the military armorers told me that only rimfire rifles need something under the firing pin when dry fired because the pin of a rimfire can impact the barrel and possibly get dammaged.
They explained that center fire rifle firing pins do not impact anything, therefore there is no downside to dry firing.
I am guessing that DRs are different.

That military armorer told you wrong. The firing pins on a double rifle do contact something when dryfired if not cushioned, they contact the back side of the disk sets, and not only damage that but may stick in the forward position, and be snapped off by the extended extractor when the rifle is opened. This damage is very expensive to repair. Never let anyone work on a double rifle that is not a trained double rifle smith. Double rifles are not like any military firearm, or even civilian firearm other than a fine double barreled shotgun.
The only thing that any military firearm, and a double rifle have in common is the fact that they both shoot bullets. Other than that they may as well be from different planets.

Bob, the next military armorer who tells you that, or anything pertaining to a double rifle, simply ask him how many double rifles has he ever seen issued to members of the military, and that were brought to him for repair.

A double rifle is not a war weapon and is certainly not a piece you want to be dryfiring without snap caps. I assure you the average military armorer will know zilch about double rifles. just remember everything is expendable in the Military,because someone else has to pay for it.

Simply buy a pair A-Zoom snap caps and use them. I can assure you they will be far cheaper than the repair of the firing pins, and pin channels, and/or disk sets on a double rifle! What is the chambering in your double rifle? A-Zoom makes snapps for most of the chamberings and they are cheap!

Be careful with snap caps - particularly in a double rifle.

Most snap caps you find were designed for shotguns, and shotgun firing pins are quite a bit larger in diameter than those of a rifle. So the same force is distributed over a larger surface area in a shotgun, and the opposite is true for a double rifle.

Regarding dry-firing, as long as your snap caps are protecting the firing pin, I guess you're okay to dry fire. But... how can you tell when the snap caps (primer material) is worn and not working?

Again, most aren't designed for the concentrated impact of a small diameter firing pin, and I find that they don't last nearly as long as most people think they do.

Personally, I don't like the idea of dry firing (with or without snap caps) any gun that has break-open barrels. I understand that people new to doubles (triggers in particular) want to use this to become familiar with the two triggers, but I think actually shooting the shotgun or rifle is the best way to do that.

I reserve dry-firing on snap caps for putting a gun away for storage, and then on guns without automatic safeties, I typically ease the hammers down when I close the gun.

To Mac’s point, a firing pin will hit something on the gun if proper resistance isn’t provided by “primer” of the snap cap. It may not present an immediate problem, but two pieces of steel being hammered together like that can cause work-hardening of the firing pin, or galling (and sticking) of the firing pin.

I would not say that firing pins are inherently weak, but they are the smallest part of the gun that receives the most work / abuse.

+ 1 on new_guy

Just shoot the gun and save the proper snap caps
for take-down.

Dry firing is viewed by some as an exersize to
reduce flinch or improve target/trigger timing mostly for shotgun shooters. It saves a little on ammo.

Have fun and good shooting

Tetonka
DRSS

I have several sets of snaps from various doubles which are made from regular expended shells which have the primers removed and replace with Silicon. Just fill, allow to dry and trim flat with a razor blade. I have one set that was being used in the last century at least.
Frank

quote:

Originally posted by Frank Martinez:
I have several sets of snaps from various doubles which are made from regular expended shells which have the primers removed and replace with Silicon. Just fill, allow to dry and trim flat with a razor blade. I have one set that was being used in the last century at least.
Frank

Thanks Franks, that is a good tip and I am going to try that.