Snap Cap Jams & other issues

[stancehold]

This may seem very simple to many of you, but please have patience with a learner. I'm waiting (it seems like forever ... all paperwork was submitted in person 1-11-12) for my CCP to arrive. Meanwhile, I've already been through our CC course (1-7-12), had a private lesson, and spent lots of time practicing and learning and getting to the range as often as possible.

I have 2 firearms I plan to carry. One is a S & W .38 model 642 with CT laser grips and the other is a Ruger LCP .380 that came with the LaserMax setup from the factory. I've been using snap caps for practice at home with the Ruger LCP. However, I keep having failures to eject and jams with the snap caps, no matter how firmly I rack the slide or how much care I take. On the range with actual ammo, I've never had a failure to feed, a failure to eject or a stovepipe. Is this common with snap caps? If I've never had a problem with live ammo with close to 200 rounds (Federal Hydra Shock, Hornady JHP, and another brand of ball ammo) ... does it mean this firearm is probably not going to have an issue with live ammo and it's just the snap caps that are the issue?

I know I need to put more range time and rounds through the LCP, but I don't want to doubt its functionality or reliability as a back up firearm if the issue is just a common snap cap issue. I will continue to get more range time and use more live ammo soon. I don't want to be doubting the firearm if it's truly just a snap cap problem. I also put another 30 rounds through it at the range today and it was very smooth.

Thank you for your input and sharing your experience.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Mike1956]

Plastic snap caps, perchance?

[stancehold]

Plastic snap caps, perchance?

No, they are metal. Like these: http://sporting-goodsonline.com/imag...oom-15113-.jpg

[raytracer]

Should just be a byproduct of the compactness of the LCP. When you're ejecting a snap cap, you're trying to eject the entire round, in normal operation you'll just be ejecting the spent brass.

Good opportunity to determine what technique is most effective in ejecting a full round, in the event you have to clear a malfunction.

[claude clay]

the ejecton port may be cut minimually; such that a truncated unfired round will clear when ejected but a 'cartrage' that is longer in the bullet (oglive defines the shape of a bullet) may be hanging up. that the gun ejects the HP's and fires anf fnctions fine leads me to think the problem is the snap caps you have. trust the gun with real ammo. try a different shaped snap cap.
good luck and don't overly trust lasers--time may be used to get it sighted and on target when you could have been placing bullets COM or close enough to get your defense rolling.

[stancehold]

Thank you everyone.

I'm rarely practicing with the lasers on. I plan on only using them in low light, hopefully. The Ruger LCP has TINY sites that are black. When shooting at a black target, they are basically useless. Also, just trying to use the regular sites would waste time in any real life situation. I may add some site paint to help out a tad, but basically am practicing pointing and shooting with the LCP about 80% of the time. I'm also trying to concentrate on using my off hand to get it somewhere near the reliability of my right hand. I will be having another lesson in the next 10 days. I'm also right handed and left eye dominant ... so lots of things to work on!

[tokerblue]

I have .380ACP snap caps and have had trouble cycling them through my LCP from time to time. Never had an issue with the LCP with real ammo.

[stancehold]

Thanks, tokerblue. I'm glad to know that you've had this happen and that your LCP is reliable with real ammo as well.

[archer51]

Since the problem is only occurring with snap caps, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Freedomofchoice]

What you can try is after you squeeze the trigger on the snap cap, pull the slide back only 1/4" or so; just enough to reset the trigger without ejecting the snap cap, and then fire on the same snap cap and repeat this 2 or 3 times using this method before ejecting the snap cap and picking up another.

[bmc]

I have the same issue with snap caps on my Glock 26 and S&W Sigma. Live ammunition has not given me any trouble though.

I don't worry about the snap caps jamming anymore, as long as the ammo I carry feeds and fires, that's all I need to care about.

[MrBuckwheat]

I had the same problem with them with 30:06 in a garand. I needed to practice for my rapid fire string. Because of the length they would not eject proper.
We did start with the plastic type and they did not work at all. The metal ones were better. Like everyone else said above, the live ammo is fine.
good to see people practice proper loading and unloading at home!