The L.C. Smith Collectors Association

The L.C. Smith Collectors Association
[ The L.C. Smith Collectors Association ]

Stuck Snap Caps - A Big FAQ Thank You!

Posted by Bob Hamilton on December 6, 2020, 12:39 pm

Just wanted to say thanks to Drew Hause, Jim Stubbendieck, Tom Archer, and Bill Hambidge for all their efforts in putting the FAQ section together.

I had a set of Carlson's Wool Snap Caps that were not allowing my 4E to open this morning. After collecting myself and taking a deep breath I went to the FAQ section and found all the information I needed to figure out the issue, cock the hammers and get the firing pins out of the snap caps.

I have not had issues with these snap caps in other vintage guns before. I have also used the A-Zoom snap caps with no issues at all. Needless to say, these Carlson's will not be going back into the 4E, or really any other snap cap for that matter now.

I have seen horn striker blocks, anybody use them as an alternative to snap caps?

Thanks,
Bob

Re: Stuck Snap Caps - A Big FAQ Thank You!

Posted by Drew Hause on December 6, 2020, 1:24 pm, in reply to "Stuck Snap Caps - A Big FAQ Thank You!"

Glad the FAQs are helpful Bob.
If you have a 3 position safety, with the gun assembled and partially open, put the safety in the rear position, pull both triggers, then shut the gun. The hammer springs are now relaxed.

you can also remove and throw away that auto safety rod

Posted by Jent P Mitchell III on December 7, 2020, 11:50 am, in reply to "Re: Stuck Snap Caps - A Big FAQ Thank You!"

What the good Doctor has told you about the 3 position SAFETY is true..... If you have the regular LCS ON,OFF SAFETY just take the gun apart and throw away that auto safety setting rod ..... then you can take the gun off of safe and let the hammers down like the good Doctor described ...... getting rid of, removing that automatic self setting safety will be one of the best moves you ever made for several reasons ...... if you are at THE SOUTHERN SXS and you accidentally leave the safety on and call for the bird that is a lost target, there are no excuses for the gun failing to fire at THE SOUTHERN SXS and a few other shoots..... ask Tom Archer about me throwing a small temper tantrum about these automatic safeties about 10 years ago at THE SOUTHERN SXS ...... posted by Jent on Dec7th of 2020.

by the way that 3 position safety cannot be trusted

Posted by Jent P Mitchell III on December 7, 2020, 12:00 pm, in reply to "you can also remove and throw away that auto safety rod"

While we are talking about 3 position LCS SAFETIES let me say that in my experience the 3 position LCS SAFETY cannot be trusted ...... Here is the problem with the 3 position safety that I have witnessed repeatedly ...... If you pull the SAFETY to the rear to put the gun off of SAFE the recoil of the first shot will set the SAFETY back to the SAFE position and you will not be able to fire the second barrel ..... or the recoil will cause your hand to slide and the web of skin between your thumb and index finger will put the safety back to the ON SAFE position and the gun will not shoot the second barrel ..... so once again throw away that safety rod and always push the safety forward to shoot and the safety will stay forward under the force of the recoil ..... just ask Mike Harris and his son about their 3 position safeties and shooting the 5 stand at THE SOUTHERN SXS a few years ago .... posted by Jent.