Sheared aluminum snap cap

[fotoman12001]

I like my S&W 686 quite a bit and dry fire it often with snap caps. I was doing so a couple of weeks ago when something fell off the gun and hit my hand. I could tell it was something light and I started searching the carpet thinking my gun had broken somehow. What I found was the severed rim of a snap cap. I had noticed the bases of the snap caps looking strange but I didn't give it much thought until this happened. I have no idea how many times the hammer dropped on these but it was a lot.

I definitely got my money's worth from them. I used them in my 627 PC before the 686 but not nearly as much.

 

[9mmsubgun-m11]

Interesting. First time I have seen that.

 

[shawn mccarver]

In over 40 years of dry-firing S&W revolvers, I have never used a snap cap, and I never will. And, I have never had a problem.

Of course, I actually believed S&W when they said in the old folded instruction sheets that came in the two-piece boxes that you should "practice dry shooting with empty gun." No mention of "snap-caps," if they even existed then.

The last time I checked, S&W also said on its web site that dry firing was ok on centerfire weapons.

Now, if anyone wants to use snap caps, it is ok with me, but I do not.

 

[Big Stick]

Well, guess you know better now, what happens when you load a snap cap to overpressure +P+ loads......

 

[Louchia]

I don't use snap caps because S&W says that it's OK to dry fire without. I know many people do use them. I always wondered why revolver owners who do use snap caps don't just use spent casings that have colored heads (done with magic marker color of choice so as to distinguish them from live loads)
Just my thoughts.

 

[Hapworth]

I've had snap caps shear the same way, and I didn't get my money's worth. I also noticed they chewed the blue off the rim of the charge hole...