Did you use snap caps when sort of new with handguns?

[Ignition Override]

Have had fairly frequent exposure to handguns last several years, but only with random types. As the only handgun Until this week is the Sauer 38H, have a cap in .32 Auto. This ammo is .30/rd. before shipping.

With my new (used) Sig 232, the .380 Auto snap cap could reduce ammo consumption. The instructor in our CCW class two months ago suggested doing an extensive amount of dry-fire practice, even though my group was good. .28/rd. on line.

Even though we are not broke at all (have 10,000 rds. of 7.62x39, mostly recent), using ammo to better train the grip -and the pull from IWB- for both DA and SA seems like the most economical option.

 

[Evil Monkey]

spent shell casing.

 

[DPI7800]

I only use dummy rounds when I am dry practicing empty gun reloads or tactical exchanges.

 

[xm21]

I have fired over 20,000 rounds through my Gen 3 Glock 19 since I bought it in 2004.I spent a half hour dry firing with a snap cap yesterday.We spent a week dry firing our weapons before we sent the first M 118 special ball rounds downrange when I attended sniper school in the US Army.Dry firing is not just for beginners.

 

[AK103K]

I use snap caps all the time (basically daily), and have for years.

More than anything else, they add a layer of safety to dry firing (cant have a live round in the chamber if a snap cap is there), and while I know most say the newer guns are unharmed by dry firing without them, they still take some of that worry away.

Ive never had a firing pin break in a gun that used them. I have in a gun that didnt.

 

[orionengnr]

No.

It's either an idea that I never grasped, or another example of marketing genius...that is to say, something that you never knew you needed until someone told you that you needed it.

My wife bought in with both feet and has a bunch of them in different chamberings. However, I don't think she has ever used them.

Added to someone's bottom line.

 

[AK103K]

They arent totally useless.

They do work well for IAD's at the range.

 

[Uncle Malice]

I use snap caps all the time (basically daily), and have for years.

More than anything else, they add a layer of safety to dry firing (cant have a live round in the chamber if a snap cap is there), and while I know most say the newer guns are unharmed by dry firing without them, they still take some of that worry away.

Ive never had a firing pin break in a gun that used them. I have in a gun that didnt.

100% agree with this. My HK 45 is currently sitting on my lap with a snap cap in it as I'm try fire practicing.

 

[Ignition Override]

At our brand-new Academy Sports store (2nd in the Memphis area), only one of the staff in the hunting dept. understood/knew what snap caps are.

Even though the nearly new Sig 232 is reported to be a rugged, durable gun, these caps certainly beat quickly going through ammo at .30/rd.

With my rifles, self defense will be an extremely unlikely scenario. Therefore the perfect stance/hold is unnecessary.

 

[DnPRK]

40 years shooting handguns and I regularly practice with dummies and snap caps.

 

[Pond James Pond]

I use snap-caps in the guns that are supposed not to be dry-fired empty, so that is mainly my little Astra. My RH is apparently fine to dry-fire empty, as was my Glock. Not sure about the CZ SP-01 so I have some snap-caps for that. I have one for my .308 too.

 

[jasmith85]

I doubt I own a gun that has been dry fired more than 5 times. I just go shooting if I want some trigger time.

 

[bedbugbilly]

+ 1 ^

 

[Uncle Malice]

I doubt I own a gun that has been dry fired more than 5 times. I just go shooting if I want some trigger time.

That's unfortunate. You'd be surprised at how much your groups will tighten up by ingraining that muscle memory during dry fire.

 

[AK103K]

I doubt I own a gun that has been dry fired more than 5 times. I just go shooting if I want some trigger time.

+ 1 ^

How do you guys practice then?

I shoot a good bit every week. I also dry fire, every day, and thats more trips of the trigger each day, than than I shoot each week.

Dry fire is as important as live fire, and should be a regular part of your practice.

 

[skizzums]

striker I use a spent case, hammer, I just stick a cigarette filter behind the hammer

but I agree that snap caps are cheap for a set, so why the heck not

 

[giaquir]

Never used one

 

[Model12Win]

I use snap caps in my revolvers, as I dry fire practice with them regularly.

I also use dummy rounds to practice reload drills with speedloaders and speed strips. I don't pull the trigger on them as I am only practicing reloads, and they are much cheaper than real snap caps so that's why I use them.

Both snap caps and dummy rounds will last a loooooong time in a revolver if you are easy with them. Unlike in autos which feed violently and can wear or break snap caps quickly, the revolver doesn't do that so they last and last.

 

[James K]

There may have been snap caps for handguns when I started shooting, but I don't remember them. (Snap caps were mainly for single and double barrel shotguns, which are especially prone to damage from dry firing.)

The main purpose of snap caps in a handgun is to cushion the firing pin when doing dry-firing for practice. Believe it or not, not everyone has the opportunity or the means to run off to the range and fire off a few thousand rounds any old time. Dry firing can help correct bad habits (e.g., flinching), and help a lot in hold, sight alignment and the like.

Not all guns can be damaged by dry firing, and the idea that any dry firing will damage any gun is simply not true. But for those who do dry fire a lot, snap caps are a good idea.

Jim

 

[hartcreek]

I bought snap caps for stocking stuffers one year for everyone in the family as they do not shoot as much as I do but I still use snap caps in certain autos and shotguns that should not be dryfired just to relieve the fireing pin spring tension.