Dear Technoid,

Are snap caps necessary for modern coil spring guns such as the Beretta 680 models or the Browning 425’s or just a potential safety hazard. Thanks for your continued knowledge.

• F.B.

Dear F.B.,

I leave all my coil spring guns stored cocked. I use snap caps on the leaf spring guns, but frankly, I am never at ease putting ANYTHING in the chamber and dropping the hammers inside the house. It just makes me edgy. When I travel with a leaf spring gun in a take down case, I just hold a coin against the bushed pin holes and drop the hammers while the gun is apart.

I do use snap caps a lot when teaching students. It helps them focus on the target and not on the recoil and noise of the gun. After three or four “dry” fires at a low seven on the skeet field, a novice will just about always hit the first bird he actually shoots at. First shot success goes a long way towards making a life time shooter. Advanced shooters also benefit a great deal from dry firing. It lets then know exactly where they are at the moment of pulling the trigger.

Best regards,

Bruce Buck
Shotgun Report’s Technoid