Anyone know where 2 1/2 in 12G snap caps are sold?

Thanks

Al

Al,
Any snap caps will do!!!! No difference !!
Bob Jurewicz

Al: I've never had 12 ga. snap caps that didn't fit in a 2.5-in. gun. I don't think you need worry about it. TT

Beretta makes some short ones for 35 bucks. They are very nice heavy caps.

http://www.shopberetta.com/e2wItemMainSu...00162:008000236

Good for any chamber length

That's odd ..... I just had a 2 3/4 cap get hung up in a 2 9/16 chamber .....

Al

I think that is odd because a 2 3/4" shell that isn't fired is at least 1/4" shorter, and most snap caps are undersized.

These brass snap caps measure 2 3/4 ...... looking closely .... they may be hand made

Activa all-plastic hull w/ BIC mech. pencil eraser adhered in primer well. Cut off red hull for 12 ga. to any length you want; also makes em look less like live shells. Look good with "screwturners" from Sears.

jack

Gee, I prefer my caps to be only slightly heavier then an empty hull. My Euro-made nickel plated brass ones are a "gem". Those inexpensive plastic ones Made in Italy and sold by several outfits (like Beretta, Traditions, Pachmayr,....) also work fine for me.

I've had a set of the plastic ones that I threw away. They kept riding over the extractor.

Ejecting unduly heavy snap caps will put extra strain on the extractor/ejector.

There might be something to that, RM, although I'd think the unduly heavy ones would have to be heavier than a loaded shell, at least as far as the extractors go--because the extractors are built to lift even unfired shells far enough so they can be easily removed.

Merkle snap caps are short if size matters.

LB - both the extractor arm itself and the ejector hammers will get undue strain if the snap caps are heavier than a fired hull. I can't say if the design of ejectors anticipated this or not. I can say that a mechanism that encounters a higher than design load will have a higher than design stress applied.

They are made for Merkel. You can actually order some really short ones with your name on them. They are advertised in Upland Journal, SSM,.....
It's just like the ammo. You know, Westley Richards ammo is not actually made by them only loaded with their name on them.

RM;
Don't really want to get in the middle here, but are you saying anytime one loads a double, both shells "Should" be fired before removing & one should "Never" extract an unfired round?
I was under the impression this was why ejectors are made "Selective", other wise could just always eject both hulls & the mechanism could be much simplified.
There are many situations in the field where it becomes desirable to unload a gun without firing it & I personally have always done so without concern.
I do agree though, that for an ejector snap caps should be light if they are to be ejected, but then that would normally re-cock the gun so nothing would be gained.
I haven't really given this a lot of thought as only have a couple of guns on which I cannot just let the hammers down on closing the gun.

You can do whatever pleases you. That's why they have dts and selective auto ejectors. Just don't leave Al caps in chambers for long time, or you are likely to get frosty residue in them. Provided the chamber has thin layer of grease one can leave plastic ones in there for very long time.

You can also get the "wooly" ones that have a short cap attached to the wool bore mop.

2p - No, I'm saying that ejecting a heavy snap cap will put a lot of extra stress on the extractor/ejector arm. There is a pretty significant stress area between the stem (long arm of the "L") and the side that engages the shell rim (short arm of the "L"). When the hull/snap cap is ejected, the force is manifested in bending at this location. The more cycles of ejecting the more likely the head is to break off the stem. The more severe the bending (heavier the load) the fewer cycles to breaking. Extraction of a stuck case would be similar - bending at the juncture of the "L" legs.

Ejection of fired hulls and normal extraction should be OK for many, many cycles.

I think those "mops" are the stupidest idea I have seen in snap caps! Another one is those this dessicant built in, not sure I want substance that absorbs moisture adjacent to chamber wall.

I just measured the plastic ones I have (and no longer use) and both brands are 2". The brass ones I picked up from a yard sale must have been made from a 12G brass shell, I guess ..... and measure 1/32 under 2 3/4". Were there brass shells this length or did someone make these up from scratch do you think?

Al

Don doesn't miss much! 1oz reload in 12 ga. Remington greenie hull: 1.5 oz. Traditions brass snap cap (in which the piston fails to return after a few uses and has to be driven out and dressed to correct): 2.25 oz. Propelled by the steroid-boosted spring of a Southgate, they're moving fast enuf to make a dent in drywall. Activa homebrewed: no registered wgt. on either an oz. OR gram reading scale. No cost; no appreciable wgt.; less deformation of the pencil eraser than of the brass piston; no dessicant and no forcing cone tickler; and I don't use them anyway. Occasionally something which appears less complicated is less complicated.

AL; I recal the old Alcan Co used to sell a 2 3/4" brass shell which took a regular 209 shotgun primer. These were designed for use in a 3" chamber. I have no idea now how they were headstamped or who else may have made similar, but yes they have been made.