F.A. Revolvers and Snap Caps

[Bob96]

  F.A. says to Not dry fire their guns w/o snap caps. I ordered caps with mine and will certainly heed their recommendations. I was wondering what is subject to damage if dry fired w/o the caps? Hammer - Firing Pin - Frame?. Many other brands can be safely dry fired and wondered what the difference is with the F.A. design?

[Sverre A.]

And why do we order snap-caps - if we can`t/don`t have use to them at all 

[MarkH]

The firing pin bushing can be damaged, and the firing pin can be broken.  Trust me      I have done both. 

[SJPrice]

You do not even have to order them.  If I recall correctly my 475 came with snap caps.

[Ken ONeill]

I certainly won't say that your gun didn't come with them, but snap caps are definitely an optional item. You can order whatever number you want from FA in the various calibers. I don't have a price list handy, but they are about $ 3.00 each from FA...perhaps a bit more by now. The price would be shown on their website.
There are also other snap caps in several calibers available from other vendors.

[madbadger]

I've also busted rebound springs and pins by dry-firing without snap caps on guns that were supposedly "fine" or "sturdy enough" to handle it.  Not again.

I've tried most every brand of snap cap and for me, the FA version is by far the most durable.  On most other brands the cap "primer" starts to crater after only a few dozen uses.

Madbadger

[Wiking]

I know the thread is "dead" - but couldn't you just use an old casing for dry-firing? Or does the used primer cause problems?

[doghawg]

 After a dry fire or two that fired case primer would be so far recessed that it would probably be the same as dry firing an empty chamber. That's my guess anyway.

[alamogunr]

I read a post somewhere on this subject that suggested using a case that had been decapped and a rubber pencil eraser somehow inserted in the primer pocket.  I haven't tried it and am not sure that the rubber material would give enough resistance to be effective.  Has anyone else tried this and would it be false economy?

[old coach]

My used 83 came with the snap caps. I was told it had less than 500 rds down the tube. I got the used brass with the gun. It looked great, no abuse. The main spring broke on about the 50th shot. I called FA and the gunsmith told me that too much firing with the snap caps could have caused the problem. FA is sending a new spring free of charge.

[odoh]

My used 83 came with the snap caps. I was told it had less than 500 rds down the tube. I got the used brass with the gun. It looked great, no abuse. The main spring broke on about the 50th shot. I called FA and the gunsmith told me that too much firing with the snap caps could have caused the problem. FA is sending a new spring free of charge.

? ? ? ? Use snap caps and the main spring (take that as the hammer spring?) breaks. Don't use snap caps and the firing pin breaks or worse. Guess the only safe thing to do is only to fire for effect 

Mine is on the way finally but have second thots on what to do w/it.