doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Snap caps

What's the proper way to use snap caps? a guy told me to leave them in the bore. So he takes down his sxs, cleans it put it back together puts the snap capes in pulls the triggers and puts it back in the safe.

I clean, snap the caps, remove fore end, take down gun, remove snap caps, reassemble

What is the right way to U.S. Snap caps --to set the record straight

I always break down a double with the hammers cocked. There's no harm in this, and taking some doubles down with hammers down makes re-assembly a major PIA or risks doing damage. I learned the hard way.

Jay

If your goal is to just relieve the mainsprings I use a 2" or 3" section of 1/2" solid brass or bronze rod. Slide it down the bore (perfectly harmless), point the gun upward and pull the trigger. You will hear a small bounce as the brass absorbs the impact of the firing pins. Slide the brass out. Much, much better than snap caps that lose their effectiveness in a very short time.

I'm with Charlie on this. I used to snap the triggers on snap caps then clean the gun and reassemble. Wrong way. It puts added and unnecessary tension/pressure on the ejectors. Most especially with model 21's and I understand Lefevers. If I'm putting the gun away assembled, I'll use the snap caps to relieve spring pressure. If I'm breaking the gun down for storage, I'll cock the hammers and disassemble.

I shoot Lefevers. I can simply let the hammers down as desired, absolutely no need for a snap cap or brass rod. Gun can be left assembled or taken down as desired matters not if cocked or un-cocked or if it is an extractor or ejector gun.
Whether gun is cocked or uncocked makes no difference as relates to action, not sure about forend ejectors, but the vast majority of LAC ejector guns are inframe ejectors. these ejectors do not cock until the gun is being opened for ejection so it matters not with them.
On any of them with the holdover catch for top lever if leaving it taken down I do trip it & let the lever come back center & not leave it sticking out in the open position.
Long Live Lefever (LLL).

Some snap caps have a wool chamber mop you can leave lightly oiled and in the gun. Prevents chamber rust. I wouldn't bother unless maybe I was going to store the gun for several months.

I used to use snap caps until my gunsmith, and a well known gun dealer, told me not to. I now use a horn striker that Jeff's Outfitter sells and hold in tightly as I pull the triggers. I like the method Joe Wood uses with brass rods down the barrels.

While there are reasons to let hammers down, taking the tension off a spring isn't really that important. A properly made spring has a finite number of flexes. The act of loading or unloading is the wear factor. The only V-spring I know of that broke was a 1899 grade 2 LC Smith. I watched as a WWI vet took out the Luger he bought home, and unloaded it. The mag had been fully loaded for at least 40 years maybe longer, and you still have to use the loading tool to fully load that magazine. If It makes you feel better dropping the hammers and letting the tension off the springs, go for it, but it will bring you one flex closer to failure. Hopefully that will be another 100 years from now.

The little section of brass rod is also invaluable when examining guns you might buy. With rebounding strikers it's almost impossible to see their condition. Snap caps show you nothing. But snapping the strikers against a brass Rod gives a good imprint to examine.

You can also snap them against a wood block and get a good imprint.