Snap Cap "Primers"

[Patrick Butler]

I am looking for a source of snap cap targets, 'primers" or whatever you call that bit of hard plastic.

I have an all-original cased 20 gauge 1930 Brit SXS with a complete cleaning kit and maker's snap caps. The "primer" just fell out of one of the caps and when I emailed the gun maker in London, they quoted me 117 Pounds Sterling (plus shipping) for maker's caps-and they were ebony, not the nickel finish of the originals. I just replaced then with some nice metal ones, but would, as you would imagine, like to use the originals.

I have read that later (top lever) Parkers do not need snap caps, but I would never assume that for this gun, or any other, for that matter.

These caps are well made and the replacement would be very easy if I can just find that bit of hard plastic-a small black cylinder 21/32 " long that drops down in size to protrude and mimic a 20 primer. Behind the plastic is a spring in good condition and a well-machined brass slotted plug. There are some great plastic fabricators here in Silicon Valley, but I can see the look on their face when I bring in this little order.

Any suggestions for finding a replacement would be appreciated. I found nothing for sale after spending way too much time on the internet.

Patrick Butler
Palo Alto, CA

[Dean Romig]

I have read that later (top lever) Parkers do not need snap caps, but I would never assume that for this gun, or any other, for that matter.



Actually, that applies only to hammerless Parkers. I wouldn't chance dry-firing a Parker hammer gun.

[John Dallas]

Certainly not elegant, but I have used pencil erasers for the job

[Patrick Butler]

Certainly not elegant, but I have used pencil erasers for the job

An interesting idea, but I can feel the founding gunmaker turning over in his grave...

Your suggestion does bring up an interesting point- if you want to imitate the resistance of a live primer-over many years, what type of plastic should you use? The black plugs on my old caps are very hard, but that may very well be a factor of age and I doubt they had most plastics in 1930.

I'll bet there is a real (read mechanical) engineer out there who can calculate the properties of a live primer. My guess is that the result will be a compromise, starting a bit hard and moving softer over the years. In other words, you should replace snap caps "caps" on guns that need then every few years.

I'll visit a local plastics company next week and see what they can do.

Thanks for your replies,
Patrick

[Rick Losey]

i wonder if the original inserts were horn- horn striker blocks were common.

[John Campbell]

Suggest you contact Toby Barclay at Heritage Guns in the UK. He makes repro snap caps of his own from old Damascus barrels, and may be able to help you at a more reasonable price. Toby also attends the Vintager events here in the US. His website:

www.heritageguns.co.uk

[edgarspencer]

I have read that later (top lever) Parkers do not need snap caps, but I would never assume that for this gun, or any other, for that matter.



When Parker made the statement that it would do no harm to dry fire hammerless guns, they had been in the hammerless gun business for fewer years, than the number of years they have been gone. I am of the opinion, supported by the photograph below, that, while the occasional dry firing may do no harm, it also will do absolutely no good. In fact repeated dry firing will eventually do harm.
The auto makers may have come out with impact absorbing bumpers on cars 30 years ago, but I wouldn't make a practice of contact-parking.

[Bill Murphy]

I don't know how the little plastic do hickeys are retained in the shell, unless they are inserted from the front and ride on a ridge at the back. Any machinist can turn some out of black nylon rod and create whatever bump needed to retain them. Anyone with a lathe can do the same.

[Dean Romig]

Delrin rod. Google it.

[Rick Losey]

Suggest you contact Toby Barclay at Heritage Guns in the UK. He makes repro snap caps of his own from old Damascus barrels, and may be able to help you at a more reasonable price. Toby also attends the Vintager events here in the US. His website:

www.heritageguns.co.uk

now those are just too cool- and my wife just finished Christmas shopping :violin:

so- guess I'll just have to shop for myself :whistle:

[Dean Romig]

I am of the opinion, supported by the photograph below, that, while the occasional dry firing may do no harm, it also will do absolutely no good.


Edgar, I'm not convinced that broken hammer is the exclusive result of dry-firing.

No, I wouldn't condone dry-firing as a normal routine practice either but I wouldn't dry-fire a hammer gun even once.

[edgarspencer]

Edgar, I'm not convinced that broken hammer is the exclusive result of dry-firing.

No, I wouldn't condone dry-firing as a normal routine practice either but I wouldn't dry-fire a hammer gun even once.

I am.
That hammer came out of the 32" DHE Fulford Trigger gun. The guy I got it from claimed he dry fired it, the right side sounded "funny", and then he couldn't open the gun. I got it as-is, and had to take the trigger plate off to see the problem, then a total disassembly. Rebounding or not, the hammer goes further forward than if there was a shell resisting it.

[Chris Travinski]

Some snap caps have lead for the striking surface. I would think as long as the material is softer than the firing pin you should be OK.

Edgar, Do you have any pictures of the DHE?

[Patrick Butler]

Delrin rod. Google it.

Thanks Dean.

Tap Plastics sells it for 4.95 for ten feet! I'll stop by and just have them do the diameter reduction for the outside half of the rod and cut a bunch to the proper length.

[Patrick Butler]

i wonder if the original inserts were horn- horn striker blocks were common.

I bet you are right as there was not much plastic about in 1930.

[Rick Losey]

I bet you are right as there was not much plastic about in 1930.

when I used to do re-enacting - one of the craftsman that made horn products used to call horn the plastic of the 18th century

he made spoons, combs, boxes all out of cow horn by heating it and molding

the British and more so the continental makers used buffalo horn for striker boxes, buttplates, and even trigger guards.

by the 1930, gutta-percha was in use, but i think that would have been to brittle for snap caps,

i do not have any buffalo, but if you want to try your hand at fitting a set in solid black cowhorn, i should be able to find some scraps you can try it with

[Bill Murphy]

Delrin or nylon should work equally well. One may crater more than the other, or maybe neither one will crater. It's been so long since I worked as a machinist, I can't remember the specific properties of each. Google them.

[wayne goerres]

All ways hated turning plastic. Hard to clean out of the machine and it seemed like a wast of a really expensive machine.

[Bill Murphy]

Wayne, you are wrong. Turning nylon and delron is a piece of cake. There is absolutely no clean up. It is a piece of cake. I spent years working with this stuff and know what I am talking about. Your turn.

[Dean Romig]

A good snorkel vacuum cleans up nicely.

[wayne goerres]

I don't remember what type of plastic we were turning but it stuck to everything in side of a CNC lathe. It was a lot like cleaning up bronze. I was glad I only had to run it a couple of times. We had to clean out all of it before we could run anything metal. The company did'nt want it mixed in with the scrap metal.