Dummy Ammunition, firearm instructor supplies, and cartridge display bullets made from real cartridge components.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are your dummy bullets made out of….

I make every INERT cartridge I sell from actual ‘real’ cartridge components. That is, the bullets and the cases are ‘real’ but have been rendered completely INERT during the process of assembling the cartridge. Brass cases are always used (although sometimes nickel plated) and top quality bullets are used. Please see “Description” page for more info.

Are they safe? Will they ‘go off’ if I drop them?

Every ‘Dummy” cartridge I sell has been rendered completely INERT. They are made without ANY powder or live primer. They cannot “go-off” under any circumstance. You can drop them, hammer them, throw them in a fire if you have to. They are as safe to use any comparably sized object. Of course ALL rules of firearm safety must be followed when using anything with or around a firearm.

1: ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.

2: ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot

3: ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

Please read all warnings contained in the “Disclaimer” page prior to ordering or using any INERT cartridge                             

Is OK to dry fire my gun with your dummy rounds?

Without a doubt, the most frequently asked question I get on Dummybullet.com is about dry firing. Is it safe? Will it damage my pistol or rifle? No – but. The manufacturers of most every modern firearm say that dry firing will not hurt firearms internal parts. Mainly the firing pin, and the firing pin spring, if so equipped. This is not true of rim fire firearms. It is not recommended to dry fire a rim fire weapon because the firing pin can actually strike the corner of the chamber wall. This can cause damage to the firing pin and the chamber. In a center fire weapon the most common firing pin systems are either free floating (the firing pin is struck by a hammer and in many cases does not involve a spring), is fixed to the hammer (some revolvers have the firing pin attached to the face of the hammer with a pin) or striker fired (the firing pin is driven forward by a spring and not actually hit by a hammer).

The reason why some feel that it is a bad idea to dry fire a gun is that the firing pin can over travel if it is not stopped by something – mainly the primer. This over travel is thought to cause stress on the firing pin and spring. And this was particularly true with older firing arms when metallurgy was not what it is today, but the firing pin on older firearms had a life cycle and would have worn out eventually anyway, whether it was striking a live primer or not. Modern firing pins have a life cycle as well, but it is much, much longer. Firing pins can withstand thousands of cycles before they wear out or break. Military weapons have firing pins that are made to withstand the thousands and thousands of dry fires that recruits put them through. A modern firing pin does not need a cushioned or “soft” landing. It will eventually wear to the point that it needs to be replaced if put to enough use. Live fire or dry fire.

Nobody can say that dry firing will definitely harm your gun. Likewise, nobody can say that, without question, dry firing is completely safe to any firearm. My advice, when asked, is always the same. If it is an older firearm where parts may be difficult or impossible to find, do not dry fire it. Actually I wouldn’t fire it all!  If it is a modern firearm and you want to learn or practice shooting fundamentals with a conservative amount of dry fires, go ahead, and use an empty chamber or a dummy round. If you are planning on making a career out of dry firing, buy a set of ‘snap-caps’ and feel better with the thought that your firing pin is receiving a spring loaded landing.

We have firearms in our classes that have had nothing done to them except dry firing for going on 2 years now. Hundreds, if not nearing a thousand, dry fires on an empty chamber have yet to wear out or break a firing pin.

The “dummy” rounds sold by Dummybullet.com are great for function testing, cycling, magazine changes and loading, competitive shooting drills, stoppage drills, and just plain weapons familiarity. I would not go onto say, however, that they are a replacement for ‘snap-caps’. Both have their place. ‘Snap-Caps’ can’t do what INERT real component rounds can do, mainly accurately duplicate the weight, size, and realistic profile of a cartridge.  And real component INERT rounds cannot provide the level of mental ‘comfort’ that ‘snap-Caps’ can when you simply want to dry fire your weapon.  

You can easily turn any of my cartridges into a dryfire safe cartridge. See the

DIY PRIMER page for the details!

Do you sell Internationally?

Dummybullet.com cannot ship any order outside of the United States and it’s Territories. There are many restrictions on shipping INERT cartridges outside the U.S. and I must follow postal regulations. It would be impossible for me to guarantee that any shipment made outside the U.S. (even to a country that allowed the importation of deactivated ammunition) would not be held or confiscated by customs. Canada order option HERE

Do you sell .22 LR dummy rounds?

Not made from actual components. The rimfire cartridges are not designed to be reloaded or remade into INERT cartridges. It would be impossible to guarantee that the priming compound in a rim fire cartridge was completely removed from the case. I have looked into milling machines to produce an all aluminum cartridge, but the cost is too prohibitive. I do sell the orange plastic trainer cartridges on the INERT CARTRIDGES page.

Does the hole go all the way through the cartridge?

The hole is only on one side of the case.

I can drill through both sides if you would like them for a necklace. The cartridges in the “Jewelry” section do have the hole on both sides.

Are your Dummy Rounds made up and ready to ship when the item says “In Stock” ?

All items are made to order as they are ordered.  “In Stock” means I have the components available to produce the INERT cartridges. With the extreme scarcity of cartridge components these days, I am mindful  to not prepare a bunch of rounds in advance assuming they will eventually sell. Thank you for your understanding.

Do you sell wholesale?

I am asked all the time if I sell wholesale. I think all the items I have on the website are priced very fairly. I really keep in mind what I would pay for an item of similar quality and never charge more than that. I do not import the INERT cartridges from anywhere. I make them up one at a time on manual equipment. If I simply distributed the cartridges I could offer a discount.

I do not see the caliber I needed. Is it possible to make me a few if I send you the brass?

The brass cases are just one of the items I need to makeup the INERT cartridges. The reloading die sets are the key to wether I can make up the dummies and they are fairly expensive. The proper projectile is the next thing needed to purchase. I have to think can I recover my investment in tools and components if I offer the caliber. I write down what folks are looking for and try to work on lining up the needed tools and components if I get a few requests for the same caliber.

Do you sell in any quantity?

Sure. You can order whatever qty you need. For example, your .357 Magnum is a 7 shot and I sell in sets of 6 normally. Just multiply the cost of each single round (shown in the listing) by the qty you need.

Can I order without the side holes?

Sure. If you are using the inert cartridges for display you can order any of the cartridges I sell without the side hole in the cartridge case wall. Just state that you do not want the side holes when you order .

My Father is getting dementia. We don’t want to take his guns away but we want to replace his real bullets with yours. Will your cartridges look real in his gun?

I do not make my inert cartridges to be used as REPLICA rounds or for the purposes of deception. You simply are not following safe gun handling practices when you try to “trick” someone with replica ammunition. A weapon that you THINK has fake ammo in it is not a safe weapon! An alternative that I have heard about that may allow your Father to keep his guns, but render them safe, is to take them to a qualified and competent Gunsmith and have the firing pins removed. Still, is that a safe practice? Looking at a gun being waved around and thinking “it is ok, it can’t fire” is not a safe practice. It is a tough topic because you know that safe gun handling practices are not being followed but you don’t want to hurt anyone's feelings or start an ugly dispute. Bottom line from my perspective? Safety trumps feelings.

•What are your dummy bullets made out of….

•Can I order without the side holes?

•Do you sell in any quantity?

•Are they safe? Will they ‘go off’ if I drop them?

•Is OK to dry fire my gun with your dummy rounds?

•Do you sell Internationally?

•Do you sell .22LR  dummy rounds?

•Does the hole go all the way through the cartridge?

•Are your Dummy Rounds made up and ready to ship when the item says “In Stock” ?

•Do you sell wholesale?

•I do not see the caliber I needed. Is it possible to make me a few if I send you the brass?

•My Father is getting dementia. We don’t want to take his guns away but we want to replace his real bullets with yours. Will your cartridges look real in his gun?

•Are your rounds quieter than regular bullets and not shoot as far?

Are your rounds quieter than regular bullets and not shoot as far?

I get questions like this all the time. My products do nothing is the best answer! They don’t fire, shoot, or go bang. They are completely inert (no primer or powder) and safe to handle, use and display. I had a customer ask if …… better not even say that one! Really though, these are not blanks or less powerful bullets. They are simply completely inert dummy cartridges.