Best Snap Caps for 38 Special

I was doing a bit of dry fire with my 38 CF wheelgun, and when I went to unload the A-Zoom brand snap caps, one of the rims of the caps sheared off. I imagine there is a bit of abuse that these take, and I can see cracking starting along the rim of the remainders. I suppose I could get more A-Zoom, but they are sort of spendy if they wear out in the same way, and for what seems like a short amount of dry fire.

Other than Tipton, are there any other brands of snap caps worth checking into?

I use the A-Zoom and they lasted a while but the rim will sheer off eventually. If yours happened quickly perhaps it was a bad one? Idk. They are speedy but I like em. They’ve been alright for me.

Make some dead rounds and paint or mark them as such.

Tim:H11 wrote:I use the A-Zoom and they lasted a while but the rim will sheer off eventually. If yours happened quickly perhaps it was a bad one? Idk. They are speedy but I like em. They’ve been alright for me.

I think I've had these longer than I realize, and probably have used them more than I think. Counting dry fire shots is a bit extreme, but I'm guessing at least 2-300 per cap and probably more. 

Never thought I'd see the day when I wore out a centerfire snap cap!

I make my own snap caps by seating the desired bullet in a fired case with a drop of red LocTite to make sure it doesn’t move. Some folks recommend making a “primer” from a delrin rod and supergluing it in the primer pocket. I fill the primer pocket with hot glue, good for thousands of snaps.

Some Dummy rounds eventually wear out -  - -dud rounds-the spent primer gets to the point of little or no cushion

Dry firing revolvers I use a rubber tap instead of snap-caps: A small, right size, pc of truck tire inner tube wedged in where the hammer falls. Not too thick tho or the trigger won't re-set.  

With a range command recording & that tap, one can T&R dry practice with a revolver-almost as good as live fire.   -- I might use dud (no primer/no powder) rounds for the feel of the weight.     ---- Russ

So then, is it bad to dry fire on an empty revolver chamber? 

Val

It depends on the design of your revolver.  Most S&W and Colts with a pivoting firing pin that is pinned to the hammer, it’s generally OK to dry fire.  With a frame mounted firing pin, the pin gets hit and those can be damaged.  S&W revolvers were changed 20 odd years ago to a frame mounted firing pin.  Almost all the Colts built since 1970 have a frame mounted firing pin.  I would not dry fire those.

Tipton Snap Caps

These are cheap. All steel with fairly hard rubber inserts. Countless dry fire with hardly any dents.
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