What are Snap Caps ...

[ShadyDexter]

... and why are then better then just dry firing. I would get it already if it was a rim fire, but this is my .40 that I got it for.

So, any body wana clue me in?

[Fender Ketchup]

I've wondered this too. It seems weird that the firing pin would get hurt from hitting nothing. What's this about rimfires, though?

[Whirlibird]

When the firing pin slams forward with nothing to stop it early, such as a primer or snap cap, the firing pin can over compress the FP spring and stress it to the point of weakness and breakage. It can also compress far enough to actually let the FP damage itself or the slide or breechface as it hits full extension.

Make sense?

[DwightG]

Even on (or maybe especially on) guns that don't have a firing pin spring, the firing pin doesn't hit nothing. It stops on something. What depends on the design of the gun. Frequently it's the inside of the bolt. When the firing pin hits a primer, the energy is dissipated over .020-.030 distance. When it hits the bolt or other feature that stops it, it stops it in about 0 distance causing extremely high shock forces. It's like the difference between diving 10 feet into the water and diving ten feet onto the pavement. I've seen at least a couple of firing pins broken from dry firing without snap caps. One was Dad's M1 Garand that a certain un-named teenager was dry firing quite a bit practicing an off hand hold. Just the tip of the firing pin broke off. Right at the point where it hit the shoulder inside the bolt behind the breech face. Don't dry fire without snap caps or something similar to absorb the hammer/firing pin/striker energy.

[ShadyDexter]

Alright, don't fire w/o snap cap. To bad it's such a pain reloading it ...

[Weetabix]

If you have a Makarov, the firing pin drops out quickly and easily. You can dry fire all day long because there's no firing pin to break.

[scipioafricanus]

I thought this was one of the "use on firearms that are made prior to 19.. (say 80s)." Anything made after that, dry firing is ok?

All polymer guns (Glocks, XDs, M&Ps) are fine for dry firing, or so I have been told.

SA

[Frankingun]

I had thought that older guns might have the firing pin made from soft metal that could break easily. Sounds like conventional wisdom has changed, and better to be safe then sorry.

Here's an example of one.

[sam]

AFAIK, "snap caps," or dummy rounds, are mostly used for for practice or drills to maintain a safe environment.

That is, loading/unloading, and malfunction drills, when not on a range. The problem is not mixing them with live ammo, so I do not recommend brass "snap caps." Too easy to let a live round find its way into your practice environment.

If you still think you need them, I like ST Action Pro dummy rounds.

[mekender]

I thought this was one of the "use on firearms that are made prior to 19.. (say 80s)." Anything made after that, dry firing is ok?

All polymer guns (Glocks, XDs, M&Ps) are fine for dry firing, or so I have been told.

SA

my ruger has a mag disconnect and the manual specifically states not to dry fire with the mag out as it will damage the striker.