Shadow 2 - Snap caps (training ammo) vs O-ring

[c0d3r]

I know it’s not a big deal, but which option is better for my gun?

Or which option do you prefer and why?

[Russty]

Neither.  I like to use a dead trigger. That is, pull the trigger once, let it out just enough so it doesn't reset, do the rest of the dry fire string with the dead trigger, not letting it reset. Sounds harder than it is. Stoeger recommends this method.

[Malarky112]

This is what Ive been doing as well.  I'll practice DA a little bit too but most of the time I'll use the dead trigger technique.

[HesedTech]

3 hours ago, c0d3r said:

Or which option do you prefer and why?

 

I think the majority of people use dummy loads without primers for the weight.

 

I would also highly recommend you practice that first DA shot and then do the dead trigger trick. It will really steady out and take the fear away and smooth out the DA shot after your draw.

[Artemas]

I use the snap caps to cushion the DA blow and for when I want to actually press the SA trigger... After a week or so the pocket is pretty much useless. I may try using the O ring method. I have used a cut down foam ear plug before, but more often than not it sticks to the hammer and flies off mid press.

[HesedTech]

1 hour ago, Artemas said:

I use the snap caps to cushion the DA blow

I think most of us dry fire without snap caps and after 10s of thousands of dry fire what I have worn out are springs. Trigger return, sear, firing pin, and hammer springs have all been replaced at least once. The firing pin and hammer are still going strong. 
 

Now 22 rim fire is a different story, wears out the pin because it strikes the chamber side. 

[Artemas]

15 minutes ago, HesedTech said:

I think most of us dry fire without snap caps and after 10s of thousands of dry fire what I have worn out are springs. Trigger return, sear, firing pin, and hammer springs have all been replaced at least once. The firing pin and hammer are still going strong. 
 

Now 22 rim fire is a different story, wears out the pin because it strikes the chamber side. 

 I use to not use snap caps too, but I got tired of replacing firing pin return springs and FPRP on non shadow CZs. Snap caps are cheaper and ship free from amazon.

Edited May 18, 2021 by Artemas

[SGT_Schultz]

On 5/17/2021 at 11:18 AM, c0d3r said:

I know it’s not a big deal, but which option is better for my gun?

Or which option do you prefer and why?

The o ring by far.  It stops the hammer from ever hitting the firing pin so there is zero stress on the pin or on anything that retains it in the gun.  They also never wear out and are cheap as hell by the hundreds.

 

I'm also amazed that over half the posts in this thread were completely unrelated to your question.  You didn't ask about dead triggers, dummy rounds to add weight to magazines, or spring replacements........

Edited May 18, 2021 by SGT_Schultz

[c0d3r]

2 hours ago, SGT_Schultz said:

The o ring by far.  It stops the hammer from ever hitting the firing pin so there is zero stress on the pin or on anything that retains it in the gun.  They also never wear out and are cheap as hell by the hundreds.

 

I'm also amazed that over half the posts in this thread were completely unrelated to your question.  You didn't ask about dead triggers, dummy rounds to add weight to magazines, or spring replacements........

TY

[Captiontom]

I use half of a foam earplug under the hammer. I mainly do it to quiet the sound so other people in the house don’t get annoyed. Out of your two options I would go with o ring. The aluminum snap caps I have tried, get beat up and then have difficulty feeding or extracting. 

[HesedTech]

3 hours ago, SGT_Schultz said:

I'm also amazed that over half the posts in this thread were completely unrelated to your question.

Come on Sarge, we all like to help and add our 2 cents!

 

Admit it! 

[SGT_Schultz]

18 hours ago, HesedTech said:

I think most of us dry fire without snap caps and after 10s of thousands of dry fire what I have worn out are springs. Trigger return, sear, firing pin, and hammer springs have all been replaced at least once. The firing pin and hammer are still going strong. 
 

Now 22 rim fire is a different story, wears out the pin because it strikes the chamber side. 

 

I have nearly cut in two the firing pin retaining pin on a P-09 from being lax about protecting the firing pin from impact.

 

Now I use the o-ring religiously.

 

 

[Silverscooby27]

Ok...can someone please explain to me what the O ring method is and what size O ring and where to buy them?  Thanks.

[HesedTech]

3 hours ago, Silverscooby27 said:

Ok...can someone please explain to me what the O ring method is and what size O ring and where to buy them?  Thanks.

https://forums.brianenos.com/topic/193638-dry-fire-o-ring/
 

That link and the CZ link in it explains the issue. 
 

 

[M1A4ME]

The firing pin retaining pin on the CZ75B/BD/P07/P09 pistols (and others) is in that hole you see in the slides of the slide in the rear gripping notches.

 

It holds the firing pin in place in the slide.  The firing pin has a notch cut in the top of the shaft.  The firing pin retaining pin controls the forward movement of the firing pin when the hammer strikes it with an empty chamber (more on some pistols than others - said only because I've seen some pins come right from the new box with damage to the pin and yet I've dry fired some of my CZ pistols for weeks, pulled the pin and they were in better shape than the new pistols/pins I mentioned).  It also keeps the firing pin from flying out the back side of the slide when the hammer is off the firing pin (driven rearward by the firing pin return spring and slide inertia as the pistol functions  in live fire.

 

Different ideas about the pins/longevity.  Some aftermarket pins are different steel, some are rolled/coiled type pins, some are solid pins depending on who makes them and what they believe will last longer/be better.

 

As someone stated earlier - snap caps are damaged and lose effectiveness the more you use them.

 

O-rings eliminate any firing pin to hammer contact, firing pin movement, firing pin to retaining pin contact and they don't suffer the damage and reduced effectiveness snap caps do.

 

I will say that people who use the o-rings have suggested buying the red o-rings - because they are harder to forget and leave in the slide notch.  Some people say they've finished a dry fire session with the black o-rings and put the pistol away with the o-ring still in place and then loaded the pistol up for carry/use.  The red ones should stand out and help eliminate that mistake.

 

No idea about the "right" size.  I can't recall ever using one.

 

I should dry fire more, and use the o-rings.

[BLUEPSTU]

I am another that uses  the o-ring.

 

[Silverscooby27]

Where exactly do you put the o-ring? Thanks

[motosapiens]

4 hours ago, Silverscooby27 said:

Where exactly do you put the o-ring? Thanks

 

o ring squeezes into the slot where the hammer contacts the firing fin. if you get the right size o-ring, you have to compress it slightly to get it to fit, so it stays where it belongs. 

 

another advantage to o-ring, you'll never forget a snap-cap in the gun and go to a match and get dq'd for it.  You *might* forget an o-ring in the gun and have nothing happen when the buzzer goes off, but I always drop the hammer on a sight picture at make ready, so I think I would notice now.

[c0d3r]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KIrBfVxRJt8hoF1X5zyS_5IEh07f-zy8/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JxD2kTCqPyJAMCaUQlZ1NVg74_Yu5TWJ/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Keilhj4jLUVv4h8357XbLuAPuPVgsjet/view?usp=sharing

[Tok36]

.

Edited June 1, 2021 by Tok36

[LuvDog]

I'm an O ring person too.  To me it takes all the issues out of the equation.