Making Snap Caps?

[v860rich]

In a recent Machinist WS issue there is an article on Snap Caps.

I've been thinking about making some of these in calibers of my various weapons.

My thought is to use spent shells, remove the primer and press in a plastic of some sort where the primer had been. But all the comercial ones I see have a bullet shaped end and the author of this article just shows the shell end.

If I go ahead with my plan how does one remove the primer?

I never have really known why it isn't a good idea to dry fire a weapon, I've always been told not to so I don't.

THANX RICH

People say I'm getting crankier as I get older. That's not it. I just find I enjoy annoying people a lot more now. Especially younger people!!!

[chriskat]

I'd just buy them, but...

If you want to make them you'll need to size the cases using reloading equipment in order to get them to fit back into the chamber (my apologies if you already know that but since you asked how to get the primers out I assumed you didn't).

Generally the sizing die will also have a "decapping" punch in it that will drive the primer out during the sizing process. If you just want to get the spent primer out you could use a small drift punch and drive them out. I think 1/16" would be small enough to go through the flash hole.

If you can let me know what calibers you have maybe I could size the brass for you and decap in the process. Unless you can find someone locally that reloads and will do it for you.

[v860rich]

OK, now I see the flash hole on the inside of the shell.

I didn't know about the resizing and I have not tried the spent shell back in any chambers, I just figured they'd go right back in.

There's a friend of mine that says he has reloading stuff so maybe he can do the resizing, if not I might be in touch.

THANX RICH

People say I'm getting crankier as I get older. That's not it. I just find I enjoy annoying people a lot more now. Especially younger people!!!

[Highpower]

Whatever you do, don't try dumping the powder out of a new cartridge and knocking out a LIVE primer.

Once you have re-sized a fired case, you can simply fill the primer pocket with silicone sealant. Leave a little mound of "extra" silicone above the case head. After it is fully cured you can trim it off with a razor blade leaving behind a flat "rubber" primer. Some folks just trim down a pencil eraser and stuff it in the primer pocket instead.

Dry firing CAN (not will) cause firing pins to break.

[Jim Shaper]

There's only two types of guns I'd bother with snap caps on - rim fires which are old enough to not be designed to not ding the chamber edge (ruger mark I and some early mark II's), and revolvers which have a pin on the hammer.

Floating pin guns, and striker fired guns are designed to handle zillions of rounds of use, and dry firing won't affect them.

[jep24601]

Ther's also a reason that dummies and snap caps have a specific color scheme - like chrome on dummies or maroon coloring on snap caps for instance. That's so you never mistakenly use a live round in a distracted moment. In your case you could color the polished brass case with silvering cream.

[Jim Shaper]

Except that self defense ammo is often nickel plated for better longevity in a carry environment.

Empty chamber = safe weapon

[38_Cal]

At one point, SAAMI, the Sporting Arms & Ammunition Manufacturer's Institute, mandated that dummy ammo be colored black. If you want to make your own dummies/snap caps, I would turn a piece of nylon or delrin rod to fit the primer pocket and press into place. Fill the case with epoxy or a wooden dowel and seat a bullet to the appropriate depth. Use brass black to color the case or drill a couple of 1/8" holes through the sides of the case to give a positive visual means of identification that it's a dummy round.

One other detail...if you are going to use dummies to check function in a tube magazine rifle, make sure that the primer pockets are filled...silicone sealant, delrin, nylon, whatever...so that the bullet doesn't jam into an empty primer pocket and make you think you've got feeding problems. Been there, done that!

David

[v860rich]

Whatever you do, don't try dumping the powder out of a new cartridge and knocking out a LIVE primer.

Once you have re-sized a fired case, you can simply fill the primer pocket with silicone sealant. Leave a little mound of "extra" silicone above the case head. After it is fully cured you can trim it off with a razor blade leaving behind a flat "rubber" primer. Some folks just trim down a pencil eraser and stuff it in the primer pocket instead.

Dry firing CAN (not will) cause firing pins to break.

I have spent brass in all the calibers I'm thinking of making so no live primers or powder.

After chriskat's post yesterday I checked a couple diff. calibers of spent brass I have and they seem to fit back in the chambers they were fired from.
Would these still need to be resized?

THANX RICH

People say I'm getting crankier as I get older. That's not it. I just find I enjoy annoying people a lot more now. Especially younger people!!!

[Jim Shaper]

The only possible problem is if you mix guns with the fire formed snap caps. Even then, it'll only get stuck and need tapping out with a cleaning rod.