chris1961 Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Should snap caps be in shotgun in cabinet with trigger pulled or left cocked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchiet123 Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 trigger pulled. the whole point of them is to release the tension on the springs. however, i have heard that it is not necessary to do so in modern guns as they have coil srpings rather than leaf springs? Im sure someone will correct me if im wrong! Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevo Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 What gun is it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 If the triggers are cocked, there would be no point in snap caps. That said - apart from testing ejectors - there is no point to snap caps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris1961 Posted February 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 It's a Lander sporting multi choke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 If it makes people feel good - use snap caps, but what exactly is the point? Few people jack their car up every night to take the weight of the suspension. Either the main springs or the ejector springs are under pressure. Both are designed with that in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunman Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Oh no not again .Snap caps Ahhhhhhhhh . This argument on whether or not they are a good thing or a useless thing and how should they be used has been going on for 120 years ! Use them as you want or don't use them at all it wont make any difference to 98% of guns in use today . Lets look at it another way if you want to use them OK but what kind of snap caps should you use ? Brass , plastic , fibre , aluminium ?Half the ones I see need binning not putting in a gun ,either far to heavy brass that can put excessive strain on the ejectors on older guns , lightweight plastic that slip behind extractors or some antique plated ones with most of the plating coming off and the inserts practically non existent . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycho Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Gunman Which would you recommended are the brass ones better than the plastic Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aris Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 This is in the Beretta manual: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJsDad Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 As Gunman has pointed out, you would be wise to avoid the solid brass ones, they are far to heavy for their purpose and you can end up shearing the end of the ejector from its shaft. The plastic ones are cheap as chips but dont last long; one of our syndicate who uses a SBS 20 bore sheared the rim completly off a plastic one just before the end of the season; we had to wait 15 minutes while he cut a suitable stick to rod it out because no-one brought along a cleaning rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10gaugewannabee Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 ok, so i was wrong i just thought we used them when i was practising the dry shooting in the bedroom, had not realised they were for this too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris1961 Posted February 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 (edited) Thanks for you're comments I'll use them mine are plastic it can't hurt anything to use them Edited February 23, 2015 by chris1961 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rst1990 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 I use snap caps in mine, just feels right not to have the spring under tension. If your not going to use your gun for a while I think it would be on the wise side to use them. Atb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malmick Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 I've got into the habit of breaking my O/U without activating the ejectors because I use brass snap caps and yes they are heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungle The Bear Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 I personally hate snap caps - i dont think anything should be chambered whilst a gun is in the cabinet - but only my humble opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rst1990 Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 How heavy are some of these brass snap caps people are using to damage their ejectors because of the weight of the snap cap, Are they a full length cartridge case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Beretta may well recommend them, as they sell them. I can think of no other reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Bought plastic ones, they lasted 2 weeks before one just shattered... Now i dont use on any Of my guns. Like has been said, u may release the pins but what about ejectors... They stay until next time you break the gun... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuartyboy Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 On a similar note, if you store a o/u or s/s split into the three main parts ie in a breakdown cabinet, is there any undue stress placed on the springs or anywhere else on the gun? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 On a similar note, if you store a o/u or s/s split into the three main parts ie in a breakdown cabinet, is there any undue stress placed on the springs or anywhere else on the gun? Surely before you break it down youve cocked it so then the firing pins are cocked..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Worth noting that if you forget they are there, the brass ones will leave the gun at window shattering/wall or ceiling denting speed. I dont like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Worth noting that if you forget they are there, the brass ones will leave the gun at window shattering/wall or ceiling denting speed. I dont like them. Ditto. I was given some many years ago but never used them until one day decided to check my ejectors. I was stood on the back step and on opening the gun the bottom one ejected through the open kitchen door, sailed past my other halfs ear, bounced off the kitchen table and chipped a breakfast bowl. My kids thought it was brilliant but OH not too chuffed. If anyone wants them, and I can find them, drop me a PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayman Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) It's a Lander sporting multi choke Modern guns dont need them. All the springs in the gun are made of the high grade steels used in things like your cars valve springs, and I guess you are not in the habit of taking the head off your motor every time you park it up. the function for snap caps is only for test firing, or dry fire training novices before live fire. They have no preservation of spring use, as when you release a Lanber's firing spring, it is only 50% relieved as they are under tension cocked or not, and by releasing them you tension the return springs. In addition, if you are storing your gun assembled, you have the ejector springs fully tensioned all the time, and no-one seems bothered about that. They are made of the same steel again. Having snaps is useful, but not for storage. They have a historic use that has persisted into modern thinking that they remain a necessity. Old English guns usually have hammer forged V springs. These were made by flattening steel on an anvil, folding it, hammering again, folding - usually to give 16 laminations in which the spring effect was caused by elongated crystals in the metal. These definitely lost tension over time, and snaps did slow this process. Your Lanber main springs will not benefit from storing with snaps, and extra releases only puts unneeded extra wear into the action - so put the snaps away unless you are testing the gun's function. Its the only time you need them. Edited February 24, 2015 by clayman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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