How not to use snap caps in your 44-40 1966 Goldenboy

[Trader Dan]

I would stay away form Azoom 44-40 snap caps. Here is why!

And here is something you pards may want to  be aware of. I ordered a bunch of Azoom 44-40 snap caps so I could practice here at the house. When they got here I loaded ten of them in my rifle (Cimarron Uberti 1866 44-40 Goldenboy)  and started to work the action. Well, herein lies the problem. The first snap cap worked OK and the second one hung in the chamber, I ripped the rim off of the snap cap trying to get it out of the chamber. A cleaning rod solved that problem. Then, after apparently not learning my lesson the first time, I loaded two snap caps and cycled the action again. This time, the first one hung in the chamber and after ripping the rim off of it, I cycled the rifle and got the snap cap loaded in the carrier stuck behind the one in the chamber. I could not move the lever. After stepping back and speaking a few chosen words, I had to completely disassemble the action, take a large punch, place it on the top of the snap cap and tap the snap cap down until the carrier broke loose. Fortunately, no damage was done to the rifle. The moral of the story, stay away from Azoom 44-40 snap caps as they are too big for the rifle chamber. I have not tried them in my revolvers.     

     

[Crow Choker]

I don't know, but I think the plastic hulled snap caps were made primarily for revolvers. The rifle extractor has too much leverage and strength on the plastic rims, hence your problem. Read somewhere sometime ago, some guy made his own snap caps using resized brass casing of his rifles caliber and put pieces of some sort of a hard eraser in the primer pocket. Claimed it worked.

[Fingers McGee]

Crow Choker - A-Zoom snap caps are anodized aluminum, not plastic.

Thanks for the heads up Dan.  I bought some to cycle through my .38 1866.  I'll make sure I do it one at a time to make sure they will work before I load up the mag tube

FM

[Crow Choker]

Aw Jeez Fingers, I thought they were plastic, have never used snappers, the ones I've seen were plastic. I stand corrected. I'll take the dunce award for the day!!!!

[Pettifogger]

.44=40 ammo and chambers vary all over the map.  I have used Azoom snap caps in a variety of calibers and they have all worked fine.  Have you contacted Azoom?  Have you gauged the snap caps?  I have had factory loaded .44-40 ammo that would not chamber in some guns.  You had a bad experience.  That does not mean everyone else using them will.

[Trader Dan]

If it would have been only one or two of the snap caps, I probably would not have said anything, but none of them worked in my 1866. Like I said, I have not tried them in my revolvers. I am just glad that I took a step back and figure out how to unjam my rifle with out damage. I was not a happy camper. 

[Pettifogger]

If it would have been only one or two of the snap caps, I probably would not have said anything, but none of them worked in my 1866. Like I said, I have not tried them in my revolvers. I am just glad that I took a step back and figure out how to unjam my rifle with out damage. I was not a happy camper. 

Well there you go.  That's the problem.  If they DO NOT work in your rifle why would you think they will work in your revolvers?  The rounds are not going to change moving them from one gun to another so that must mean the guns are different?  Different chamber dimensions perhaps?  Hmmm.

[Pettifogger]

You other question/suggestion?  You said you were practicing in the house.  Most people don't load ten and practice in the house.  The ejected rounds can put a lot of dents in the walls and ceilings.  (Don't ask me how I know.   )  What most people do when practicing in the house is take one of your Azooms and grind the rim off where the extractor would grab it so that it is NOT extracted every time you lever the gun.  That way you can practice all day long, protect your firing pin and avoid breaking glass or denting your walls.

Oops.  Excuse me OP.  Just noticed you said at the house not in the house.  Same end result.  Only load one and dry fire with that.  Azooms are aluminum so even if someone is practicing outside you don't want them landing on hard, gravelly ground.

[Montana Slim]

.................Read somewhere sometime ago, some guy made his own snap caps using resized brass casing of his rifles caliber and put pieces of some sort of a hard eraser in the primer pocket. Claimed it worked.

I've use silicone caulking, works great for shotgun inert training dummies as well.

Slim

[Abilene]

I, too, use silicon rubber in the primer pockets.

BTW Trader Dan, in common language, the '66 is called a Yellowboy, while a Goldenboy refers to an HRA .22 rifle.  Just so's nobody gets confused