Anyone use Tipton or A-Zoom?  Is one better than the other?  My wife has a pretty bad flinching problem with the 9mm and am hoping this will help as a training aid.  I could use the practice too.

What makes a good snap cap?
I usually just use once fired brass.

One is plastic the other is metal.  Both the same price and similar reviews on amazon.  I wanted to load a mag with a mix of live ammo and dummy rounds as I heard it helps to stop recoil anticipation.

One is plastic the other is metal.  Both the same price and similar reviews on amazon.  I wanted to load a mag with a mix of live ammo and dummy rounds as I heard it helps to stop recoil anticipation.

This helped me a lot. 

Also, I do a drill of load one from the mag, then remove the mag.  Take a well aimed shot, the slide will not lock back, take another well aimed press...  You'll see if you are messing up.  I do 10 or twenty to warm up, and 10 or twenty to finish at the end of the shooting session.  I have seen much improvement.

I've read that the non-metal caps are better for not wearing down the firing pin.

These are my favorites.  I've gotten these in many calibers and like the colors, too:

http://www.stactionpro.com/

I also bought some of these when I couldn't find the caliber I wanted in the other brand:

http://DUMMYBULLET.COM

Anyone use Tipton or A-Zoom?  Is one better than the other?  My wife has a pretty bad flinching problem with the 9mm and am hoping this will help as a training aid.  I could use the practice too.

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For your purpose, you have 2 options that are free.

1. Use a centerfire revolver if you have one. Load 1 live round and spent shells in the rest.
Then play Russian roulette.

2. Have your wife or shooting partner load the semiauto pistol while you turn your back.
Your partner should vary between empty chamber and 1 live round intermittently.
Similar to playing Russian roulette. If the pistola has a loaded chamber indicator, then you must use a snap cap or dummy.
Take turns loading for each other.

Making a dummy round for training:
Need 1 shell casing, 1 fmj bullet, a small screw, silicone caulk, and Reloading stuff.
See diagram.

I've read that the non-metal caps are better for not wearing down the firing pin.

These are my favorites.  I've gotten these in many calibers and like the colors, too:

http://www.stactionpro.com/

I also bought some of these when I couldn't find the caliber I wanted in the other brand:

http://DUMMYBULLET.COM

The back part of the snap cap where the firing pin strikes isn't metal - it's a hard plastic/gel like substance.  I think most snap caps now days are made with this material in the primer area so when your firing pin strikes the back it shouldn't get damaged.  I've found the metal ones more closely the weight and feel of a live round for those flinching drills.

I use a laser trainer cartridge. The laser only stays on for a slit second but it's enough to see how much you are flinching. It's a little costly at around 60 bucks but I think it's a great training aid.

I've read that the non-metal caps are better for not wearing down the firing pin.

These are my favorites.  I've gotten these in many calibers and like the colors, too:

http://www.stactionpro.com/

I also bought some of these when I couldn't find the caliber I wanted in the other brand:

http://DUMMYBULLET.COM

 thanks!  for the suggestion mauidog ive been looking for snap caps but just like 2 or 3 of a few calibers so i didnt want to buy a 5 or 10 pack of a single caliber.  I checked out stactionpro and they sell them by the individual snap cap at around $1 each, or $2 each including shipping.  I got 2-9mm, 2-.223/5.56, and 2-12ga snap caps, a total of 6 for $12 including  shipping.  A decent deal considering the variety. 

thanks!  for the suggestion mauidog ive been looking for snap caps but just like 2 or 3 of a few calibers so i didnt want to buy a 5 or 10 pack of a single caliber.  I checked out stactionpro and they sell them by the individual snap cap at around $1 each, or $2 each including shipping.  I got 2-9mm, 2-.223/5.56, and 2-12ga snap caps, a total of 6 for $12 including  shipping.  A decent deal considering the variety.

That's one reason I like them ... they offer by the single piece.

And the colors help make sure you keep the live ammo and practice ammo segregated.  Having "real-looking" practice dummy rounds means you need to be even more careful about what's in the mag.

 

I just made some like old fart but I drilled a hole on the side and colored them with a marker. It sure helped ease the wife when doing drills inside the house. The first time I made dummy rounds she freaked out looked to real.

I just made some like old fart but I drilled a hole on the side and colored them with a marker. It sure helped ease the wife when doing drills inside the house. The first time I made dummy rounds she freaked out looked to real.

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Yeah, I seen some like that.
Good idea.
I use nickel plated shells if possible. It lessens the possibilty of a mix up and they stay bright and shiny for a long time.

i like the tipton. got a spring in there but idk if it does anything but make me feel like it helps.

i like the tipton. got a spring in there but idk if it does anything but make me feel like it helps.

That's what I went with as Amazon wouldn't ship the A-zoom for some reason.

That's what I went with as Amazon wouldn't ship the A-zoom for some reason.

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Lots of amazonions won't ship to HI.
We are a strange foreign country to some vendors.

I've ordered the A-Zooms off Amazon no problem. I have the 9mm and 5.56 ones. Useful for function testing at home since you can test feed and extraction. I don't find them useful for test "firing" since you have to constantly rack the slide/re-charge plus you have to hunt them down when your extractor flings them across the room. The aluminum will get pretty chewed up over time and some people freak out since the extractors can tear small shavings off (since they're soft aluminum). It's not a real problem IMO unless you're the type to freak out over any sign of use. The rounds still function just fine even when chewed up.

When I was building an AR I was having issues and I got a FTE with the dummy round stovepiped. Bolt hit the dummy round with cosmetic damage to the round scratching off a bunch of anodization, but it still works fine. No damage to rifle.

As others have said the firing pin area is some kind of synthetic material. Not rubber, maybe polyurethane or similar. It gives a bit so shouldn't damage your firing pin.

Nothing else to say really, they work fine and the weight is better than the plastic ones..

thanks!  for the suggestion mauidog ive been looking for snap caps but just like 2 or 3 of a few calibers so i didnt want to buy a 5 or 10 pack of a single caliber.  I checked out stactionpro and they sell them by the individual snap cap at around $1 each, or $2 each including shipping.  I got 2-9mm, 2-.223/5.56, and 2-12ga snap caps, a total of 6 for $12 including  shipping.  A decent deal considering the variety.

i received my dummy rounds from stactionpro
however, after cycling one of the 9mm a few times the orange insert began to come loose from the 9mm casing, eventually the orange plastic insert completely shifted out of the casing, it is a dysfunctional dummy round....

BUT, i called stactionpro in florida and they assured me that the insert is not supposed to shift at all, they thanked me for pointing out a potential problem with their machine, and offered to send me 2 brand new ones after the machine had been checked and fixed.     i'm content.

i still believe its a good product at a good price because they have great customer service. 

i received my dummy rounds from stactionpro
however, after cycling one of the 9mm a few times the orange insert began to come loose from the 9mm casing, eventually the orange plastic insert completely shifted out of the casing, it is a dysfunctional dummy round....

BUT, i called stactionpro in florida and they assured me that the insert is not supposed to shift at all, they thanked me for pointing out a potential problem with their machine, and offered to send me 2 brand new ones after the machine had been checked and fixed.     i'm content.

i still believe its a good product at a good price because they have great customer service.

Glad they are standing by their product.  I've used my dummy rounds extensively with no problems.  As they said, it must be a machine problem.  Either that, or whoever they buy the inserts from isn't doing something to spec.

Make sure to check all the rounds for tight, solid fit so you don't have this problem with others.  As they said, there should be no play/looseness at all.