Snapcaps not cylcing properly. Is this normal?

[Night Hawk]

I got some .45acp snap caps a while back for my 4566TSW. I've found that they don't cycle properly and mostly jam. I started marking the the ones that would jam, to see if it was consistently jamming particular ones or not, but I've found it to be random.

Is this normal?

I've only shot this pistol once, and it fired with no issue and no jams. I've not yet cycled a magazine with normal rounds yet, simply because I don't have a clearing pit yet and live in an apartment. Better safe than sorry, would hate to have an accidental discharge in my house and if I went outside to do this would probably alarm the neighborhood

 

[shawn mccarver]

Get rid of the stupid things. They are not necessary.

 

[Majorlk]

One, this is the wrong forum. This is the M&P 15-22 forum.

Two, why are you trying to cycle snap caps? Snap caps are for dry firing, not function testing. The way to check feeding and functioning is with actual cartridges at a shooting range.

 

[Night Hawk]

One, this is the wrong forum. This is the M&P 15-22 forum.

Two, why are you trying to cycle snap caps? Snap caps are for dry firing, not function testing. The way to check feeding and functioning is with actual cartridges at a shooting range.

Woops, my bad about posting in the wrong forum.

Well, they came in a pack of 5. So I'd put 5 in my magazine. Dry fire one, rack slide to eject that, and then dry fire another. I bought these before I had a chance to actually fire the gun, so I suppose it was more or less function testing to ensure things cycled properly.


Like I said before, it fired properly the first time I used it. I've since bought a few different brands of ammo with different loads so need to go test those out when I get the chance.

 

[Majorlk]

You're forgiven the Mis-post.

In reality, modern firearms do not need snap caps.

 

[my_mp15-22_s&w]

Glock recommends never dry firing a glock firearm without a snap cap. But that is Glock. I haven't seen any for the 22 long rifle to use in my MP 15-22, just keep pulling the trigger an feeding new magazines to it.

 

[Smithsrevenge]

Heck snap caps jam in my glocks.......which eat everything. Waste of time IMO. Keep 1 for dry firing, toss the rest.

 

[erick1987]

I got some snap caps today for my m&p9. they all cycle properly. I got them to practice on my trigger jerk and flinch reflex. what brand are they?

 

[Smithsrevenge]

I have the redish aluminum ones from Cabelas' Was like $15 for 5 of them but they all jam. I dont think they are truly sized right personally. But thats what I think :-D

 

[shawn mccarver]

Glock recommends never dry firing a glock firearm without a snap cap. But that is Glock.

I have been through the Glock armorer's program several times over the years (they recommend the course be repeated every three years), and I have never heard this. In addition, what are you supposed to do when disassembling? Insert a "snap cap?" Disassembly requires dry firing. Ridiculous.

 

[erick1987]

I have the redish aluminum ones from Cabelas' Was like $15 for 5 of them but they all jam. I dont think they are truly sized right personally. But thats what I think :-D

that's the ones I have. I ran about 4 mags through it tonight.

 

[Smithsrevenge]

that's the ones I have. I ran about 4 mags through it tonight.

Yeah.......my glocks hate em. My 1911's eat em though but they are RIA's and pretty loose.

 

[OldEagleEars]

I use snap-caps for training the young-uns and for checking cycling operation. There are two types of dummy ammo available in most calibers; actual snap-caps that can absorb a firing pin strike and testing rounds that should NOT have a firing pin strike them. I load these into a magazine and then hand-cycle the weapon to make sure that feeding, extraction and ejection functions are working properly after everything that was apart has been reassembled. I really don't like to use live ammo for these tests (for obvious reasons) and when trying to diagnose and correct improper feeding in a .22 pistol magazine they are worth their weight in gold (a Whitney Wolverine can make a grown man cry sometimes!). I have found them useful in teaching my grandson reloading techniques for his education in trap shooting and the 12-gauge dummys can confirm that my Mossberg is correctly working after I've had the receiver all broken down to it's many little bits. The Zoom-Caps I bought in .45 ACP were difficult to fit in my 1911's and on measurement I found them on the extremely large side of the specifications. They are better now after a lot of massaging but still a tight fit. These things have their uses but the argument about their necessity for dry-firing will go on for the foreseeable future. I'll just ignore the kerfuffle and work with them as described.

 

[SmokeStack Lightning]

I use snap-caps for training the young-uns and for checking cycling operation. There are two types of dummy ammo available in most calibers; actual snap-caps that can absorb a firing pin strike and testing rounds that should NOT have a firing pin strike them. I load these into a magazine and then hand-cycle the weapon to make sure that feeding, extraction and ejection functions are working properly after everything that was apart has been reassembled. I really don't like to use live ammo for these tests (for obvious reasons) and when trying to diagnose and correct improper feeding in a .22 pistol magazine they are worth their weight in gold (a Whitney Wolverine can make a grown man cry sometimes!). I have found them useful in teaching my grandson reloading techniques for his education in trap shooting and the 12-gauge dummys can confirm that my Mossberg is correctly working after I've had the receiver all broken down to it's many little bits. The Zoom-Caps I bought in .45 ACP were difficult to fit in my 1911's and on measurement I found them on the extremely large side of the specifications. They are better now after a lot of massaging but still a tight fit. These things have their uses but the argument about their necessity for dry-firing will go on for the foreseeable future. I'll just ignore the kerfuffle and work with them as described.

I do the same. I've got all sorts of calibers of snap caps.

Better safe than sorry, that's for sure.

My 1988 Ruger P-90DC isn't supposed to be dry fired and lots of my older rifles, the same is true.

Checking the action of any firearm inside your crib with live rounds is asking for trouble and I know 3 guys that have holes in their walls, and they now agree.

I've got 12rds of .22LR snap caps. Bought at my FFL's guy place of bidniz.

You guys don't think the boys at S&W use live rounds when a weapon is returned for repair with FTF of FTE problems, do you?

I imagine they cycle the weapon using snap caps first to try and pinpoint the problems, unless something is obviously broken.

The final test firing would be with live ammo, but I bet they have all sorts of calibers of snaps, also.

Like most gunsmith's do.

 

[my_mp15-22_s&w]

Just go to the Glock forum for info on snap caps and glock manufacturer concern of breakage to the firearm.

Dear Glock

I am writing an article on Glock Forum on Dry Firing G-series Glock pistols. What is the official Glock policy on this practice?

Is it ok or not, in a nutshell?

Christopher Eger


The quick response back:

Mr. Eger,

Generally, dry firing the Glock pistol is not a problem, however, when taken to excess, e.g., thousands of dry firings, Glock now recommends the use of snap-caps.
When taken to the extreme, the breech-face can be damaged.

Best regards,
(Name redacted)
Glock Inc, Technical Services
6000 Highlands Parkway
Smyrna, GA 30082

If U rely on trigger finger memory as part of UR daily concern isn't it best to treat UR number one carry carefully? Mine has a 3.5 lb. trigger. I keep it memorized continuously.

 

[Majorlk]

Generally, dry firing the Glock pistol is not a problem, however, when taken to excess, e.g., thousands of dry firings, Glock now recommends the use of snap-caps.
When taken to the extreme, the breech-face can be damaged.

Best regards,
(Name redacted)
Glock Inc, Technical Services
6000 Highlands Parkway
Smyrna, GA 30082

Since all Glocks are centerfire, how can the breech face be damaged? Pure BS.

 

[dlbx2]

Unless you have friends to give the extras to, more than one snap cap for semi-autos per caliber is wasted. I have had bad luck with semi-auto snap caps, as the ones that I bought were made from a plastic based polymer and they crack. I like the idea that there is a spring loaded "primer" to cushion the firing pin, but if you shoot enough, why practice pulling the trigger in the first place? DLB

 

[SmokeStack Lightning]

I own a 1917 DWM Imperial German Army Luger (9mm) that I never pull the trigger on unless it's a live round or a snap cap. (Parts are hard to come by these days).

 

[Majorlk]

Older rimfire firearms do need snap caps because the firing pins were often long enough to touch the breech face. This is virtually never the case in modern rimfires.

As for center fires, how does the FP hit the breach face, when all that's in front of it is a hole?

As for S&W serving using snap caps, I wouldn't bet any money on that. Cycling snap caps does not make an action function that same way life rounds do.

Any experienced shooter or gunsmith knows that.

 

[my_mp15-22_s&w]

http://www.handgunforum.net/glock/18537-glock-breech-face-failures.html

Since Glock and many other manufactures now state that dry firing to extremes ie. professional usage will best be done with snap caps what else is left.