doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 2.5 inch snap caps

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.