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Fieldcraft Making your own snap caps

Linkpimp

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 29, 2010
261
0
56
So-Cal / OC Area
Hey guys,
I was just wanted to know / see how your making your snap caps for your rifle’s..


Here’s how I’m doing it, Actually I’m experimenting with 3 different ones I did up for my 300 win mag.


IMG_8407.jpg




IMG_8409.jpg




The on the left was made using regular gasket silicon maker ( this can be found at any auto parts store). I simply squirted it down the brass and pushed it through the primer pocket and tried to cut it flush once it was dry. Tried being the key phase, but the important thing is It’s in there good..


The middle one was made from a piece of cork I pulled out of a “cheep” bottle of wine. It’s really feels like rubber, it is by no means cork.. It doesn’t brake apart and when it hit and likes to return to it original shape.. This was completed in two steps.
1. Drop a few drips of crazy glue in the pocket
2. Overcut the primer pocket hole and push in the edges so it expanded tight against the walls and the base of the pocket. (I think this one is a keeper)..


The one the right was cut from an actual cork from another bottle of wine.. Hahaha.. Sorry I like my wine.. Anyway I followed the same process as the middle one:
1. Drop a few drips of crazy glue in the pocket
2. Overcut the primer pocket hole and push in the edges so it expanded tight against the walls and the base of the pocket.


So with the new dummy rounds in hand, and after 4 days of 30 minuets dry fire sessions each day, here’s what the end results looked like from the 3 rounds that were used.

IMG_8412.jpg



I’m pretty sure I’m going to get the best success with the Gasket material as it seams to show really no wear at all, the orange one is holding up really nice and should last a good while longer. Unfortunately the cork ones is starting to show wear..

Anyway that’s all I got, I was just wonder what tricks your using for your snap caps and how long they’re lasting you..

Link.


P.S.
My BAD… I just realized I should have drilled some holes or marked them up with ink / paint on the practice ammo.. Sorry about that one guys..
 
Re: Making your own snap caps

regular clear silicone cures pretty firm too. overfill to a peak. do old primers do any good? they would just stop over travel, but not sure if thats enough. pencil erasers have been mentioned too. silicone may be firmer than form-a-gasket too. how are the zombie chicks man?
 
Re: Making your own snap caps

I've made them with pencil erasers, glued into the pocket holes I've opened up with flat bottom, cutting reamers. You can grind an old broken drill bit, an use it as well.
 
Re: Making your own snap caps

Obviously you need to be very, very careful not to have the projectile lodged in there after you're done using these, and not to use them in conjunction with live rounds for malfunction training in an autoloader.
 
Re: Making your own snap caps

Take used primers, remove the anvils, drill a small hole where the primer indentation is, and fill them RTV/Silicone/whatever. Seat them as normal. Really, really crimp the dummy round bullets, they take a beating from repeated feeding. I suppose you could fill the cases with old polishing media. Why? Why not...?

Greg
 
Re: Making your own snap caps

Why even bother? Most target shooters fry fire their rifles 10 times for every live round they send down range. Unless you're shooting something like an old H&H double rifle you are not damaging anything by dry firing.
 
Re: Making your own snap caps

Just seat some bullets and leave the primer pocket empty.

In fact the dummies I got from a Remington Armorer's school have empty primer pockets.

You don't need the firing pin to strike anything on 90% of the centerfire rifles out there. The only reason to use dummies or snap caps is to get the feel of cycling the next round from the magazine and to practice the loading routine.
 
Re: Making your own snap caps

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: boltcatch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Obviously you need to be very, very careful not to have the projectile lodged in there after you're done using these, and not to use them in conjunction with live rounds for malfunction training in an autoloader. </div></div>

I'm curious why you say this?? I've always thought you could use dummy rounds in conjunction to practice malfunction drills etc... Obviously making sure you have a quality snap cap to minimize any dangers that you mention such as having the bullet stuck in the barrel, but I think that was the point that he was trying to get at was making a quality snap cap so that he didn't have to worry about it coming apart on him or causing problems while training.