A-Zoom Snap Cap Review

Empty-chamber dry-fire may or may-not be hard on firing pins; the subject has long been debated by experts.  I am in the "why take a chance" camp of non-expert gunners who believe that snap caps are cheap insurance.

Years ago I used a snap cap brand made of hard plastic that used a spring-loaded metal strike-pan.  They were not inexpensive nor were they very durable; when they failed the spring would fly out of the gun barrel; I gave up on snap caps until I ran across this brand.

Dry-fire is recommended as a training aid by most qualified instructors (I am a longtime student of the gun, I am not an instructor).  Dry-fire is more a part of my practice now than before.  I rediscovered that it helps me; your mileage may vary.

Costs for live-fire practice add up in a hurry; range time, ammunition, targets, travel time and expense, etc.  While live-fire practice is far more fun, dry-fire practice is far easier on the wallet and it makes my range visits more worthwhile.   I have a "cold range" in the basement where I do all of my dry-fire practice (including holster drills); always, safety first.

The red snap caps shown above each have around 3,000 firing pin impacts and all are now in the recycling bin.  They served well.