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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ snap caps |
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Posted:
Mon May 29, 2006 11:11 am
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Member
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
Posts: 333
Location: Central Florida
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I found a way to make snap caps that seems to work pretty well. Take an empty hull, resize the brass and punch out the primer. Cut the rubber eraser off a brand new common wooden pencil. It will fit very tightly into the primer pocket. I use a drop of Gorilla glue to hold the eraser in place. Then I put several drops of glue inside the hull to completely seal the primer pocket. I then pop in a wad and fill it w/ shot and crimp it down just like reloading a shell. It works for me and my guns.
XVI |
_________________ "Terror lies not in the bang, but in the anticipation of it."
Alfred Hitchcock |
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Posted:
Mon May 29, 2006 3:43 pm
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Member
Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Posts: 1522
Location: NH
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Very good thinking but how long does the eraser last getting hit by the firing pin? |
_________________ A bad day of hunting is better than a good day of work. |
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Posted:
Mon May 29, 2006 4:26 pm
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Member
Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Posts: 3440
Location: Illinois
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I 've heard pros and cons with this idea---Cost is nil but the eraser does not fully absorb the pin impact--snap caps have a much harder material--some folks claim nothing is better than the eraser idea.I will spend the money on REAL caps IMO |
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Posted:
Mon May 29, 2006 4:34 pm
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Member
Joined: 09 Jul 2005
Posts: 132
Location: Harpswell, Maine
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When I did a lot of dry shooting with my .45, I used DOW clear silicon caulk in the primer hole. Seemed to work pretty well and I'd expect it would work for a shotgun shell as well. Pretty durable stuff. |
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Posted:
Tue May 30, 2006 6:46 am
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Member
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 446
Location: Wisconsin
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NEVER, EVER make snap caps or dummy ammunition out of real ammunition. You are setting yourself up for an accident. Purchase snap caps or orange dummy rounds. -Dick |
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Posted:
Tue May 30, 2006 7:33 am
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Member
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
Posts: 333
Location: Central Florida
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bud,
I see your point. I never thought of that. Moderator, delete this post.
XVI |
_________________ "Terror lies not in the bang, but in the anticipation of it."
Alfred Hitchcock |
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Posted:
Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:09 am
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Member
Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 609
Location: Sothern Illinois
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Your interest in snap caps brings up a story. After my father died I took possesion of his old LC Smith whick belonged to my grandfather. I could never shoot it well so I gave it to my brother-in-law. He somehow ran the serial number and found it was made in 1893. This is not a hammer gun by the way. He was over this weekend and I mentioned using snap caps. He asked why and I told him I think it is supposed to save the springs. He quickly pointed out that no one has ever used snap caps with the old LC and he still uses it with no problems. Fires every time. That made me wonder if caps are really needed.
Any thoughts? |
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Posted:
Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:57 pm
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Member
Joined: 09 Jul 2005
Posts: 132
Location: Harpswell, Maine
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Speaking again from pistol experience not shotgun, when I frequented the range the question of the necessity of using snap caps came up a lot. Aside from relieving spring tension, it was said there can be a problem with peening as the firing pin slammed home unsupported and also breakage of the firing pin.
Of course the only 1st hand experience I've heard of a problem was the peening, and that was on a .22 rifle (peening the edge of the chamber), so take that for what it's worth <G>.
Personally, I use snap caps any time I dry fire because it's cheap insurance and hunting related gadgets are fun to collect anyway. |
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Posted:
Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:29 pm
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Member
Joined: 19 May 2006
Posts: 325
Location: Too far south in New England
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I like using them because I like to see the look on other people's faces (mostly those who don't know what they are) when I open the gun and pull them out of the extractors....or when I let them fly out from the ejectors.
Controlled panic, subdued admonition and utter disbelief makes for a great facial expression
Not sure if they really work, sounds good in theory. My hunting percentage goes up a bunch when I dry fire at the targets in my living room the week before the opener. I would hate to find out they were needed and I didn't use them. |
_________________ "You keep saying that word. I do not think it means what you think it means" - Inigo Montoya |
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Posted:
Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:56 pm
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Member
Joined: 09 Jul 2005
Posts: 132
Location: Harpswell, Maine
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<<the look on other people's faces (mostly those who don't know what they are) when I open the gun >>
I hadn't thought about that, but you're exactly right.... I've seen the look of incredulous / fear on the uninitiated's faces.
Then I have to carefully explain they're dummies; the snap-caps that is ....and maybe the folks that need the explaining to. |
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Posted:
Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:38 pm
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If I open one of my guns around non-gun people, I usually tell them that two things that look like shotgun shells are going to come out, that they're not shells and what they're for.
Unless, of course, I just want to snug up their shorts a bit. Then I just catch 'em as they come out and say, "Huh, thought I'd unloaded that one." |
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