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I have Azoom snap cap for my 9mm. I have this question:
I realize the snap cap absorbs the impact of the firing pin,
but what actually happens to the firing pin when a snap cap isn't used?
How does it, or any other part get damaged without the snap cap?
Haka

Hakaman wrote:I have Azoom snap cap for my 9mm. I have this question:
I realize the snap cap absorbs the impact of the firing pin,
but what actually happens to the firing pin when a snap cap isn't used?
How does it, or any other part get damaged without the snap cap?
Haka

Always wondered that myself Hak, the only thing I can see that it could damage is the firing pin stop. As far as the spring, no damage is done to it by keeping it compresses, a spring weakens from being worked,

Interesting HAK, I don't use snap caps in my center fires at all as I don't believe that they are necessary in normal occasional practice not to include dry firing. I do use them in my 22RF rifles and pistols, and my shotguns. Regards

1- A snap-cap gives your FP a stop at the place it was designed to strike a primer
2- A snap-cap gives a softer stop for the FP than slamming forward onto the FP stop or the inner wall of the breech face
3- A snap-cap is a bright red (or purple) thing that is obviously not a real round

Yes, most centerfire guns will be just fine without a snap-cap for occasional dry-fire, but they're pretty cheap, let you do functional checks to a degree, and add the safety of not only not having a live round in the chamber, but having something else in there instead ... so I pick up snap-caps for pretty much every centerfire caliber I own and use them for extended dry-fire practice, but don't bother for a few times during cleaning/maintenance.

Drawing and taking a pot-shot the gameshow host every time they come on screen gets a snap-cap, as does the good old "aim at that lightswitch and don't bobble while you pull the trigger" drill ... both involve dozens/hundreds of hammer drops or striker releases.

AZoom snap caps are solid the reason I switched over to KKK instead. My BHP with a 32# hammer spring would destroy a Azoom in as little as 30-40 snaps. It would drive them hard in to the chamber deforming the lip where the brass/bullet meets. Leaving only the extractor to hold the brass, not good.

Without the use of snap caps the FP and FP Stop take the hammering. In some guns the FP stop only contacts the FP on one side. This causes the FP to flex and eventually failing due to fatigue. I would never do any extended dryfire practice without a snapcap. Function testing a gun is OK for most all mfg approve this.

Good points BFD and Blue. If, dry firing it makes a lot of sense to use quality snap caps. Regards

With rimfire. all I've seen are rubber "snap caps", only good for a few hits. I only dry fire to check function, and use an empty case. Keep a baggie full of them from range trips.

Rimfire dummy rounds have nowhere to put a spring as a cushioning device. I also keep a few empties around for function-checks, the dummy rounds for rimfire are pretty much worthless.