rb5037 Posted May 12, 2004 Report Share Posted May 12, 2004 Calling them snaps, coz i can't for the life of me remember what there called. Sent my gun off for a repair and the guy at the gun shop told me not to use the snaps in my gun. Reason is They are used to take the preasure off the firing pin springs BUT if you've got a gun with a self ejecting cartridge springs you will put the preasure onto these instead. I was told that firing pin springs would be quite a bit cheaper than the self ejecting springs. Reread what i've written and i could have written this in better english, but i'm sure you've understood :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_stag88 Posted May 12, 2004 Report Share Posted May 12, 2004 *Snap caps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb5037 Posted May 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2004 That's the one Cheers Red :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted May 12, 2004 Report Share Posted May 12, 2004 RB, try a different gun shop, as I have never heard of this piece of information. :yp: LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted May 12, 2004 Report Share Posted May 12, 2004 I read this some years ago in S/Gun and have never used snap caps since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb5037 Posted May 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 RB, try a different gun shop, as I have never heard of this piece of information. :yp: LB It does seem to make sense. Put snap caps in and pull both triggers, your taking the presure off the firing pins but in doing this, you now puting presure onto the self ejecting springs. As self ejecting springs are going to cost more to replace, i think i'm going to do the same as ernyha,,,,, stop using them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 I accept that firing pins would be easier to replace than ejector springs, but I would rather have an ejector spring suffering from hystorises. The ejector springs will be under compression as long as the gun is closed, pulling the trigger and releasing the firing pin will release most of the compression on the firing pin spring and will release the ejector, but will not remove ejector spring compression irrespective of the activation of the sears. I have never visited a gun shop who employed snap caps in every gun, but having read the previous post my conclusion is that the gun shop owner will have been seeking to protect his investment. I wonder how many times a gun is handled in the shop before it is sold. Dry firing can and does cause firing pin damage, snap caps prevent the firing pin from impactig against the breach and therefore the possibility of wear and cracking. If you wish to relive pressure on both firing pins and ejector springs, the only way that I can think of is to dry fire the gun useing snap caps and then open the gun allowing the ejectors to eject the snaps. It may then be possible to strip the gun without closing? Im not sure; alternativeley store the gun in the broken mode, but this may cause problems in the gun cabinet. I have always made use of snap caps and have never yet needed to change any springs. The majority of the caps that I use are also a woolen mop, which prevents them from flying across the room when the gun is opened and also soakes up any excess oil that may run down the barrell, and hence no oil soaked wood. At worst I see this as misfired cartridges verses potential poor cartridge ejection, I know which if forced I would prefer. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb5037 Posted May 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 Good points, taken onboard. I think i'll keep using the snap caps :yp: lol.....in,,,,,,out,,,,,, in,,,,,,,out,,,,,shake 'em all about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 I'm with webber on this, if the gun is closed the ejector springs will be under tension anyway, its just they will have tripped to be ready to eject rather than just extract the cartridge on opening, i may be missing somthing obvious here as i to remember reading the same thing as ern in sporting gun a while back but i cant think what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon master Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 Hi, I have just purchased a new gun and it mentions nothing about needing to put snap caps in your gun during storage. If these were really required, would'nt the gun makers advise us to put them in, after all the beretta has been given a 10 year warranty and you would think they would be screaming at you to get them in if they saved the life exspectancy of your gun. Q..do we really need them because if I will go and buy some? Q....why dont the gun makers install them when new if they are so important. happy shooting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 PM I take your point about snaps not being included with your gun, but neither was a pair of ear muffs etc. The top quality guns do come with various accessories, however I am unsure if snap caps are included. The Beretta 10 year guarantee was previously offered as an extra to the normal guarantee, which I think is 3 years. Rest assured that no extended warranty is free! You have paid for it somewhere in the price of your gun. The cost of replacing a set of firing pins and springs is not great, but whilst the job would be done under warranty, you would still have the significant inconvenience of returning your gun etc. Snap caps only cost a few quid, you cant really harm your gun if you use them correctly; and I am sure that you will find that most if not all gun manufacturers offer a branded snap cap. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimfire Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 Hi Guys, This is an interesting subject that may have a slight twist. I have always been advised that snap caps will prevent damage to the firing pins when the gun is dry fired, however, depending on the type of snap caps you use you may damage the ejectors when the gun is opened. There are, to my knowledge, three types of snap cap, plastic, aluminium and brass. The brass snap caps are heavy and put excess strain on the ejectors when the gun is opened (not applicable to non ejectors). Plastic are the lightest and aluminium falls in between. There is also a train of thought that snap caps may be confused with live cartridges, where complacency takes over, if you have them both in the same pocket, the consequences of this are obvious. I hope this helps. Best regards to all. Rimfire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 Rimfire Good point, similar to the potential problem with 20 bore cartridges. However as the saying goes. you only get what you pay for! The snap caps that I use are made from aluminium that is anodised blue, a small woolen mop is then attached to the cap. Not much, if any chance of confusing them. I have however never seen this version on general sale in the UK. Regards webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remytherussell Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 Just an aside, for how long do snap caps last, given that they take the impact of the firing pins every time they are used. RTR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted May 15, 2004 Report Share Posted May 15, 2004 RTR The first set of snaps that I purchased were the clear plastic type, they worked fine, untill I accidentally trod on one, and then the other whilst trying to pick them up, haveing ejected them across the dining room. The next set that I bought were of the heavy brass variety, these still work fine, but come with a warning from me! Here comes a tale. Although my father is now blind, that has not always been the case, and he can still appreciate good engineering when he feels it. So a couple of years ago I took a new shot gun that I had bought to my dads for him to give the gun the once over. I removed the gun from its slip, and broke the gun as is safe custom and practice. In an instant I could see what was going to happen, but was powerless to do anything. As the gun opened these two lumps of brass were hurled out of the chambers, straight for dads glass coffee table. No one would expect anything other than a bulls eye. Now in St. Helens, a lump of glass is usually just that; but not this one oh no! Dad had been a project and design engineer for Pilkingtons the glass manufacturers. One of their value added projects from donkeys years ago was glass furnicture. It never really caught on at the time, and youve guessed it, dads table was a prototype, one of its kind. Probably not worth much on the antiques road show, but priceless to dad. What can you say? He thanked me for bringing my new aquisition in very colourful language, the type that is familiar to most engineers who hail from the shop floor, and advised me that if he could see my neck he would wrap the gun round it! I do however digress. There are aluminium snaps, which I do not have, however I would assume that their life span would be great, and the distance travelled equally so. As I have stated in a previous post, the type that I now favour are an aluminium cap attached to a lambswool mop. They work great and the mop not only prevents the snap from being launched across the rooom, but also soakes up any residue oil that may run down the barrell destined for the precious wood. I have not seen this type of mop on sale in the Uk. I bought my last set from Gamamiel in the USA, but I fear that I can no longer recommend this company as they penalise export customers. I have checked on the Cabelas site and they do offer a similar version, but with brass caps, not aluminium. I feel that good quality caps will last a shooter a life time. I know that there has been mention in this string as to not useing snaps, and that, like many other matters to do with shooting comes down to personal choice. I therefore choose to utilise my vast knowlwdge of matters engineering, and a modecome of common sence, and use snap caps, just in case! webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb5037 Posted May 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2004 Webber Some good writting there, and some good points. I'm not saying when, but i'm afraid i **** a few times while reading your last post :yp: Sorry;) So.... Plastic are ****, coz when you stand on them they brake, and quite ofter your other foot finds the other. Brass are a bit on the heavy side and can sink a battle ship if landing in the right or should i say wrong place. Which leaves the aluminium. Guess i'll swap my brass now for ally ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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