Using old cartridges as snap caps?

[Kaumheimer]

Quick question please...anything wrong with using a spent cartridge as a snap cap in a revolver? Will it harm the hammer?

 

[OKFC05]

Other than being relatively ineffective as snap caps, there is no danger.
It won't provide much protection for the hammer.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I agree. Snap caps are cheap insurance.

 

[murphydog]

I would guess once the firing pin has hit the primer of a centerfire round that the empty's cushioning effect is lost. There is no problem with dry firing a centerfire gun in any case; if it is concerning to you, "snap-caps" are available. If you position an undented part of a .22 rimfire empty where the firing pin hits, it will prevent the firing pin from damaging the chamber or itself.

 

[SMMAssociates]

If you're too cheap to buy some snap caps, pop the primers and fill the pocket generously with silicone gasket material. Better than nothing, and you can use the rest of the tube for something around the house ....

IMHO, most 1911's are designed so that the hammer hits the slide anyway, which means no hazard to the slide, and the firing pin ought to be able to handle thousands of "overtravel" situations....

The P3AT shouldn't be dry fired - all kinds of terrible things can happen, we're told, and my XD9SC has a pin through the firing pin to prevent overtravel that is supposed to be vulnerable. IAC, most rimfires will likely take some damage, too, but I wouldn't be concerned about the revolvers - the hammer should hit the frame before the tip hits the cylinder.... (IMHO - maybe somebody could buy me a good rimfire revolver? )

Regards,

 

[tbury]

I use the spent brass with the primer replaced with Goop. This material is very strong and will out last fillers such as silicone caulk. I never tried silicone gasket material. You need to clean and fill the primer pocket so the material is a little high, if it dries too high you can always trim it with a razor blade. I find this to be a good use of brass with loose primer pockets or other flaws that make them good candidates for the recycling bucket.

 

[chief38]

If you are going to dry fire the gun 2 or 3 times on each chamber, then yes fired cases will work adequately. If you intend to pull the trigger much more than this, OKFC45 is correct because the primers will have such a large indentation in them, they would be all but useless. If you intent to dry fire the gun a lot, buy some snap caps as others have said. Supposedly, you can dry fire a Smith with no harm on empty chambers, but again if you are practicing trigger control and intend to do this repeatedly, purchase some snap caps, or keep changing the fired cases every third hit or so.

regards,
chief38

 

[Thirties]

If you make your own with silicone, you might want to run them trough a sizer die to pop out the used primer and reshape the brass, and run it through a soft roll crimp to make loading the chambers smooth and easy.

Another tip: I use nickel plated cases, and only for this purpose. so I can easily find my snap caps.

 

[ViperR]

I would guess once the firing pin has hit the primer of a centerfire round that the empty's cushioning effect is lost. There is no problem with dry firing a centerfire gun in any case; if it is concerning to you, "snap-caps" are available. If you position an undented part of a .22 rimfire empty where the firing pin hits, it will prevent the firing pin from damaging the chamber or itself.

My rimfires are always dry fired with spent cases. Like above, rotating them until the rims are mostly used up. I usually keep the last two cylinder-fulls of spent rounds at the range and give them a "cool off" period before I eject them. They won't expand anymore when cooled in the cylinder and will fit easily in the cylinder when I wish to dry fire.

 

[bobelk99]

A decision to not buy snap caps is a false savings in my view.

They protect an investment of sometimes many hundreds of dollars, and should last indefinitely.

 

[snowman]

Unfortunately at least some snap caps don't last at all. I bought a set of Tiptons for my 686s and the firing pins promptly put deep dents in the brass centers, just like they were primers. Apparently the springs in them scarcely moved, and the brass centers are too soft. What a waste of money.

If anyone knows of some that actually hold up, please let me know.

Andy