5 Best Dummy Rounds & Snap Caps For Dry-Fire Practice

Ready to step up your firearms training?

Let me introduce you to one of the most versatile training tools on the market: dummy rounds.

Dummy rounds are not to be confused with blanks or live training rounds.

These faux cartridges are perfect for malfunction drills and dry fire exercises because they lack the dangerous boom components — specifically, the primer, propellant, and explosive charge.

Today, we’re going to talk about the top five dummy rounds on the market, how they work, and why you want them. 

What Are Dummy Rounds?

Dummy rounds, snap caps, inert training rounds…whatever you call them, these faux cartridges are phenomenal tools that can take your firearms training to the next level.

On that note, it’s important to recognize that “dummy rounds” and “snap caps” are different things, even though the terms are often used interchangeably.

The big difference is that snap caps have inert primers to protect your firing pins, making them ideal for dry fire drills.

Dummy rounds and snap caps mimic the weight and feel of a live cartridge but are completely safe and inert.

They’re available in common calibers, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding 9mm Luger, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .380 ACP, 5.56×45, and 12-gauge rounds.

Less common calibers are available as well; they’re just a bit more difficult to find…especially in 2020.

Many dummy rounds – particularly snap caps – have brightly colored bodies and/or faux projectiles (think neon orange).

We recommend these colorful atrocities for two reasons:

First, that eye-catching color makes it easy to tell the difference between training ammunition and live cartridges.

With a single glance, you’ll know exactly what type of ammo you’re loading into the magazine.

Second, if you’re running stoppage drills, as you should be, the “rack” part of “tap, rack, bang” is going to eject your fancy dummy round into the dirt somewhere.

You shouldn’t have any trouble locating these attention-getters.

Why Bother With Dummy Rounds?

You can’t be the gun-wielding hero of your dreams without getting a lot of practice in!

On a more serious note, firearms are a critical means of home and self-defense. Consistent training is the only way to effectively prepare yourself for a worst-case scenario.

Because dummy rounds mimic the shape and weight of real ammo, you can safely practice reloading and stoppage drills, which are just as important as honing your shooting techniques.

You could be Wyatt Earp reborn, but it’s not going to matter if your gun jams and you can’t clear it quickly enough.

For a little fun at the range, have your buddy load your magazine with live ammo plus one dummy round somewhere in the mix.

Shoot as normal, and then, when you get to the dummy round, clear the malfunction. 

This is the best way to both stimulate an unexpected stoppage and practice how to clear one.

Beyond that, most of us can’t get the range as often as we’d like, so being able to train safely at home has its perks.

For example, you can practice what you would do during a home invasion or live fire situation.

A common drill is to chamber the dummy round, squeeze the trigger, rack the slide, and fire again like you’re clearing a malfunction.

Fellow PPT contributor Travis wrote an entire article about how practicing drills for 15 minutes a day can help you become a more proficient shooter.

To learn about some nifty dry fire drills and optional (but amazingly fun) gear, check out Safe and Effective Dry Fire Training at Home [Guide].

Finally, while most modern centerfire firearms can handle thousands of dry fire trigger pulls without complaint, having something for the firing pin to strike against can help extend its lifespan.

As a warning note, you should never dry fire a rimfire weapon, so .22 LR dummy rounds are essential for serious .22 LR training, especially if you’re trying to become a competition shooter.

Best Dummy Rounds

Alright, with that out of the way, let’s talk about the top dummy round brands, and how to choose the best options for your particular needs.

1. A-Zoom Snap Caps

A-Zoom’s Snap Caps are available in over 100 calibers, with new options added to the lineup on a reasonably consistent basis.

(Also our Editor’s Picks based on personal use.)

These snap caps are a great place to start if you’re working with a less-popular caliber.

As for the caps themselves, they come in packs of 5 for standard pistol cartridges (or 6-round revolver packs) and in packs of two for 12-gauge and rifle cartridges, including 5.56.

The caps are constructed with a coated aluminum that is fairly robust. Supposedly, one of these caps can last for over 3,000 cycles.

But that’s just marketing. In real life, some people have complained about the finish scraping off and the cap wearing out around the case rim.

However, that reportedly doesn’t seem to be the case with the latest run of Snap Caps, so maybe we’ll luck out, and they can truly last those 3,000 cycles.

What’s your take on A-Zoom?

2. NewBold Dummy Training Rounds

NewBold Dummy Training Rounds are durable snap caps designed for dry firing.

The brass casings give these rounds a realistic look, while the polymer “primers” and bullets are bright orange.

That “safety color” allows you to differentiate these training rounds from your live ammo.

This is one of my favorite options for practicing home defense scenarios and malfunction drills.

These brass cases could pretty much last forever, and the soft polymer primer protects your firing pin by giving the spring a place to release its energy.

Beyond the polymer projectile and faux primer, these snap caps look and feel pretty much like a real round, which is great for training purposes.

They also come in a variety of calibers, but it seems like most of their product line is in the pistol caliber category, which is fine for most shooters.

Not a lot of folks sit at their desk dry firing an AR-15.

I mean, we do, but that’s different. 

3. ST Action Pro Trainer Dummy Rounds

ST Action Pro Trainer Dummy Rounds are awesome for practicing mag change drills; in fact, it’s one of our preferred options because a pack comes with 20 rounds for handguns.

I like to use these dummy rounds when I’m sitting at my desk or standing in front of the TV practicing mag changes.

If that’s a drill on your training regimen, then this might be a go-to dummy round for you.

True, you can do the same drills with an empty magazine, but the weight will be off, and it won’t have the same effect.

And if you’re doing more complicated tasks, like drawing a second mag from a CCW holder, you want your training experience to be as close to the real thing as possible.

ST Action Pro Trainer Dummy Rounds are an effective option for practicing self-defense scenarios and training for competitions.

When these rounds are loaded, your mag will feel close to its regular, fully-loaded weight – which is exactly what you want.  

4. Tipton Snap Caps

Tipton is one of the biggest names in firearms accessories, so it’s no surprise that they started manufacturing their own Snap Caps.

While these training rounds aren’t weighted like a standard live round, they do have other great features to recommend them.

Namely, that they’re spring-loaded.

Another cool detail is that the primers have what is, in essence, tiny shock absorbers that completely absorb the impact of the firing pin.

This makes both your firing pin and the snap cap last much longer.

These training rounds don’t feel like live rounds, but they’re great for double-action firearms or a gun with a resettable training trigger installed.

The best news? Tipton offers calibers for pistols, rifles, shotguns, and revolvers.

5. B’s Dry Fire Brass Snap Caps

B’s Dry Fire Snap Caps — also known as “B’s Dummys” — are designed to mimic real ammo.

Not only is the weight almost exactly the same, but the design also includes a real brass cartridge case.

Even with that swanky brass case, it’s impossible to visually confuse one of these snap caps for a live round. Unless you’re super new to ammo, I guess.

I mean, it has a vibrant blue or neon green projectile and a giant logo etched directly on the cartridge.

But I’m not complaining; that level of obvious is what we like to see in a dummy round.

Other than that, B’s has pretty much nailed the size, weight, and feel of a 124-grain 9mm round.

If you’re looking for a dummy round that’s as close to the real thing as possible, this is the way to go.

Only downside? It’s a little pricey for a pack of 10.

Conclusion

Whether you’re training for competition, defense, or general self-improvement, practicing with dummy rounds is a great way to develop your shooting and gun handling skills.

With inert cartridges, you can hone your talents with a stand-in that mimics live ammo, but without all the muss and fuss of needing a range.

And if you want to kick your training up a not, consider getting into laser training tools too!

What’s your preferred snap cap brand? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re new to guns, please don’t hesitate to check out How to Shoot a Pistol Accurately [Ultimate Guide]. We look at the fundamentals of shooting, easy at-home exercises, and practical tips for the range.