Snap caps for dry-fire training purposes

[Demolition]

When training new fieldworkers, I use homemade dummy rounds (spent shells filled with lead and sealant) to provide a realistic experience. However, after several passes through an 870, they get chewed up and cause malfunctions. So, I'm constantly creating more dummies (... the rounds, not the students).

However, I've seen commercial all-metal snap caps that look fairly realistic. I suspect that these might be more durable than my homemade jobbies. If so, can someone suggest a brand of snap cap that will feed smoothly through an 870?

Many thanks.

 

[Longbow]

what I recommend

http://www.lymanproducts.com/azoom/index.htm

 

[Demolition]

Longbow,

Thanks kindly for the reply. My local shop carries both the Pachmayr and A-ZOOM snap caps. I'll give them a try.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Hint: Buy just a couple to try first. They're too short to function well through the actions of some guns. They really are snap caps, not dummy loads.

Hope they work for you,

lpl.nc

 

[Dave McCracken]

Snap caps and dummy rounds are not the same thing. Most caps are quite light and do not cycle through repeaters well.

The common caps of clear plastic with red base are not good for dummies. No pun intended.

When I had to maek some, I just kept recycling the same shot through new trash hulls. The rims bent eventually, but I can get a couple sessions out of them.

 

[sm]

Another trick...

Trash can hulls and use Play-Doh instead of shot, re-crimp, candle wax or glue crimp. When these wear out, toss, nothing [no shot] to save anyway.

Get a color you do not use from trash or buy a box of new shells and fire - re-size hulls to make sure will feed and extract.

RE-SIZE is important.

I made some 'dummies' in .410 using Play-Doh for kids to practice with their single shot shotguns.

Fiochhi bright green "these are so cool!"

Well yeah! I know "what it is" , just 'cause I am the bigger kid with a mustache does not mean I am not "hip" , "trick" , "groovy" or "cool"

 

[PJR]

Using old hulls to make snap caps is a bad idea.

All you are doing is courting the moment when what you put what you THINK is a snap cap into your gun with potentially disastrous results. I know a police training facility that had a .729" hole in the wall when a police officer confused a slug with a training round while doing takeaway drills.

Then there are other shooters to consider A few years ago at our club a visiting shooter need some reminding about gun safety when he pointed the barrel of his closed Krieghoff at the mid-section of your humble correspondent. A polite request to open his gun was unheeded met with a defiant response. My request became a demand and much more forceful. As he begrudgingly opened his gun my eyes spotted the brass of a shotgun shell in the breech. He pulled out two empty hulls. Had he been using dummy shells and pulled out what I thought were live rounds this encounter would have become significantly more serious.

I use A-ZOOM caps and they function like live shells. They are more durable than the plastic variety and are distinct enough from live shells not to be mistaken for the real thing.

 

[Longbow]

A-ZOOM cycles just fine in my shoty.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

Yea,

i have a pack (2) of 12 ga A-Zoom snap caps.

solid aluminum with rubber primer thingys.

 

[Demolition]

Thanks to all for the thoughtful replies.

Lee & Dave: Thanks for the warning. I'm going to avoid the short, plastic snap caps and give the all-metal ones a try. According to my local shop, they are physically the same size and weight as real shells. We shall see.

Steve: Yeah, I reuse my hulls or get them from the trash when available. More people should try trash can diving. As you mentioned in another thread, there is a veritable treasure trove of stuff to be found!

PJR: I paint my homemade dummy rounds with fluorescent orange paint and they never leave the training area. When not in use, everything is locked up (and only I have the keys). When they eventually wear out, I take them apart and trash the old hulls. But, as you said, even experienced shooters can make mistakes. That's why I'm investigating whether snap caps can substitute adequately for my homemade dummies. Your advice and warnings are greatly appreciated.

Longbow & The Deer Hunter: I'll be trying the A-ZOOMs when I get a chance. Thanks for the suggestion.