Taking apart shot shell to make snapcap?

[an actual gun]

Snapcaps are pretty d'rned expensive in my humble opinion, and I like the idea of DIY whenever possible. I'd like to make my own snapcaps for practice and function check purposes.

I've taken apart rifle and pistol ammo, which is relatively easy to me. I have never taken a shot shell apart though, so I'm clueless as to how to do it. I have my guesses as to how I might go about it, but I figured I'd ask the pros. I realize I could simply fire the shells and use spent casings. I can't get out to the range right now though, and on top of that I've got some very old possibly unkosher ammo that I don't want to fire and so this seems like the perfect stuff to use for this purpose.

How can I do this best, as in without destroying the hull of the shell and without blowing off a finger?

I would also like to remove the primer, which I want to replace with rubber pencil eraser material to ease wear on the firing pin during dry fire. How do I remove the primer without setting it off?

[ysr_racer]

Don't do it, you'll be sorry.

Snap caps are asking for trouble. Making your own is worse.

[ERdept]

I can make you a dummy with a fired round.

I punch out the old primer. Seal it with shot and wad, and fill the primer hole with clear rubber sealant.

Has realistic weight, no powder or primer can ever go off.

[ysr_racer]

I can make you a dummy with a fired round.

I punch out the old primer. Seal it with shot and wad, and fill the primer hole with clear rubber sealant.

Has realistic weight, no powder or primer can ever go off.

Until you confuse it with a live round.

[tyrist]

Snap caps should in no way ever resemble a live round.

[scr83jp]

I can make you a dummy with a fired round.

I punch out the old primer. Seal it with shot and wad, and fill the primer hole with clear rubber sealant.

Has realistic weight, no powder or primer can ever go off.

Friends used to use lead pencil erasers,I've had to punch out live 209 primers on occasion with my Pacific DL 366 when the wad went in cockeyed and the plastic hull was crushed then I cut off the plastic ,placed the base under the sizing die with the primer punch never had one ignite and there was no harm to the primer.

[sorensen440]

Snap caps should in no way ever resemble a live round.

I agree with this 100%


also they are not all that expensive midway has the tipton ones on sale right now http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=107676

[sorensen440]

Don't do it, you'll be sorry.

Snap caps are asking for trouble. Making your own is worse.

if you follow all the safety rules and use an actual snap cap that doesnt resemble a live rnd I dont see how snap caps are asking for trouble

Dry fire drills when done safely are very beneficial to proper trigger pull

[ERdept]

Until you confuse it with a live round.

The live round has a primer in it. The Dummy had sealant in the primer pocket.

[ERdept]

Snap caps should in no way ever resemble a live round.

But, I agree with this. That's why I use snap caps. My post was to suggest a means to make one, as the OP asked how do you make one.

My post was not to suggest that I do it, though it's worded like that. I get home at 8 am, so I"m sleeeeepy and my be sleeep typing.

But again, my post is meant as a direct answer, not a suggestion that I do it.

Hope this clears things up.

[The Cable Guy]

The live round has a primer in it. The Dummy had sealant in the primer pocket.

Yes, but thats not the point. The point is, if your dummy round looks like a live round, you can get them confused, and accidentally load a live round instead of an inert round.

Any training or dummy rounds should be brightly colored, and easily distinguishable from a live round.

[unusedusername]

Any training or dummy rounds should be brightly colored, and easily distinguishable from a live round.

I get the bright red snap caps to make sure that the training rounds look nothing like real ammo.

[ERdept]

Yes, but thats not the point. The point is, if your dummy round looks like a live round, you can get them confused, and accidentally load a live round instead of an inert round.

Any training or dummy rounds should be brightly colored, and easily distinguishable from a live round.

I know. I said in my previous post that I concur.

[an actual gun]

I can pretty this one up so it doesn't look like live ammo. I guess I'll pick up some safety orange paint.

Anyways, I got the shot, wad and powder out. Now all I've got is a primer. Any ideas on how to get this thing out of there safely? If anything I'll just wait until I can fire it. But I'm brainstorming for ideas, because I can't get to the range any time soon.

[Johnny661]

I use these:
Inert, Factory Spec Dummies Give Safe Function Testing
Manufactured to exact specifications, including diameter and length dimensions, weight and balance of factory loaded ammo, these DUMMIES have the proper functioning characteristics to reliably check magazine feeding, action timing, extraction and ejection of all guns. The only professionally accepted and safe way to check gun functioning; live ammo should never be used except in actual test-firing on the range - after you have checked the gun with DUMMIES. The very reasonable cost per DUMMY is an added incentive to use them regularly. The blackened case makes them distinct, and instantly recognizable as DUMMIES, which makes them ideal - and safe - to use as a sales aid. Especially useful when demonstrating how a particular gun functions or in gun safety instruction classes. They absolutely eliminate the chance of an accidental discharge.