Snap caps in a revolver

[nickel plate]

My SO just bought a new Smith and Wesson 60LS Lady Smith. She wants to practice dry fire trigger pulls at home so can she use spent cartridges or are snap caps the best way to go about this?

[Mr. Meeseeks]

Just get some A-Zooms to be on the safe side. Buying several sets can be pricey, but they last a very long time and she can also practice loading and unloading.

[littlejake]

Agree. I dislike not having some medium to absorb the firing pin energy. And, the AZoom snap caps dimensionally match ammunition giving a real feel when loading and unloading.

I don't need to remind you that even with snap caps; practice along a safe line of fire.
Safety first!!!!!

[scarville]

The likelihood of breaking a firing pin in a S&W by dry-firing is very remote but not zero. Using spent cartridges will protect the firing pin but are a little finicky to load and wear out quickly. Personally I am hesitant to hand any practice cartridge to a beginner that isn't obviously non-functional. Snap caps are not cheap but I think they are better all around for the gun and for safety.

[Old4eyes]

Go with snap caps. Load up a speed loader with them, practice loading with them that way. You can practice that way safely at home without using live ammo. Spent cartridges won't load up well via a speed loader.

The argument that snap caps are expensive is bogus. Consider that a snap cap will supposedly last 1000 to 3000 hits. Load up a 6 shot and get 6000 strikes out of that, for 18 bucks. And 18 bucks is a going rate for 50 rounds of 38 special. Do the comparison of spending 18 bucks for 50 hits, 18 bucks for 6000 hits. If you can buy one box of ammo, you can buy a set of snap caps.

For peace of mind of protection of firing pin and the practice of loading/unloading at home in a absolute safe method, snap caps are a no brainer.

[WDE91]

cheap insurance that doesnt break
I would go snap caps

that is a reminder I need to get some
Thank you

[23 Blast]

Go with snap caps. Load up a speed loader with them, practice loading with them that way. You can practice that way safely at home without using live ammo. Spent cartridges won't load up well via a speed loader.

The argument that snap caps are expensive is bogus. Consider that a snap cap will supposedly last 1000 to 3000 hits. Load up a 6 shot and get 6000 strikes out of that, for 18 bucks. And 18 bucks is a going rate for 50 rounds of 38 special. Do the comparison of spending 18 bucks for 50 hits, 18 bucks for 6000 hits. If you can buy one box of ammo, you can buy a set of snap caps.

For peace of mind of protection of firing pin and the practice of loading/unloading at home in a absolute safe method, snap caps are a no brainer.

Exactly. Snap caps are a good investment. How readily do you shell out a $20 spot for a lunch with buddies, or some unnecessary toy for the kids, or some other doodad that caught your fancy? Snap caps will let you practoce dry fire without stressing your mind or your firing pin. And as mentioned, they're very close to indestructible.

[Jeepergeo]

My SO just bought a new Smith and Wesson 60LS Lady Smith. She wants to practice dry fire trigger pulls at home so can she use spent cartridges or are snap caps the best way to go about this?

Using spent cartridges is just looking for a problem in the future with misrecognition. The red snap caps would be hard to miss.

[orangeusa]

Yup, the 'red' color is just another layer of safety. And as loosewreck mentioned, noobs can use them for practice.

Just get some A-Zooms to be on the safe side. Buying several sets can be pricey, but they last a very long time and she can also practice loading and unloading.

Using spent cartridges is just looking for a problem in the future with misrecognition. The red snap caps would be hard to miss.

[Todosi]

Snap caps are ok, but once I found these:

http://www.stactionpro.com/

I never looked back.