Learning about percussion caps

[echo6mike]

Today's lesson: Remington #11 and CCI #10 caps are not the same. :dunce:

Also, operating a black powder revolver in the cold is a PITA. I need to find shooting gloves that will work for all the steps of BP shooting.

Still had fun at the range today, though!

 

[Uncle Duke]

Today's lesson: Remington #11 and CCI #10 caps are not the same. :dunce:

Also, operating a black powder revolver in the cold is a PITA. I need to find shooting gloves that will work for all the steps of BP shooting.

Still had fun at the range today, though!

Not only the number, but also the manufacturer, with height especially. I don't shoot a lot of black powder, but I've heard dedicated shooters mention significant lot to lot variations in caps as well. Usually cussing when they do. One of the quirks of the hobby it seems.

https://www.google.com/search?q=per...d=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=869qR5FZrmyn3M

 

[echo6mike]

Not only the number, but also the manufacturer, with height especially. I don't shoot a lot of black powder, but I've heard dedicated shooters mention significant lot to lot variations in caps as well. Usually cussing when they do. One of the quirks of the hobby it seems.

https://www.google.com/search?q=percussion+primer+chart&oq=percussion

Oh, I just got started with black powder last year, and I already understand the *(#$& pain of f#$%%& BLEEEP such small frustrations. It's a learning process for sure.

And the fun of "who has what in stock?" "Oh, they have X? Sure, that might work, I'll try some! What, out of stock already? D&^@%mit" - it's even worse than simple ammo chasing.

 

[Zorros]

Yup. Enjoy it. I don’t do it a lot snd came to it late in my shooting life, bit i enjoy it. To me, it’s about the process. Shooting the darn thing is almost (almost) anti-climatic. I don’t think too much about the stuff. Number 10s. Whatever and wherever. For a 1862 made, 1851 Navy.

 

[JohnnyE]

I'm still figuring it out myself. My Colt gen 2 1862 Pocket Navy (made in 1980) takes #10 caps. CCI's work fine, but after a each shot the damn things fall into the works from a third of the time. I have set of #11 nipples and #11 Remington magnum caps. Maybe I'll give those a try. It's fun, but it's all new to me.

 

[Melnic]

here is another lesson, 90 %+ of misfires with a percussion cap is not the fault of the percussion cap.

 

[John from MD]

The best thing you can do if you are serious about shooting cap and ball pistols is to replace the nipples with Slixshot nipples. They fit number 11 caps better and are stainless which tends to have a smoother finish so the caps slide all the way on. If you don't want to buy new nipples, then I suggests you spin the nipple in a drill chuck while holding 400 emory paper to it so that your cap will slide all the way on.

https://www.slixprings.com/proddetail.php?prod=SliXshot-Black-Powder-Nipples

I don't shoot my revolvers unless the temp is above 40 as my fingers don't work too good in the cold.

 

[Doco Overboard]

In some systems, once the protective oils are completely and thoroughly removed from the metals in a rifle/shotgun,
Place a tight fitting patch on your loading rod and snap one or two on the unloaded barrel with the patch set completely against the breech.

Remove the rod and examine the patch to be thoroughly blackened and becoming to be thread bare. Pop a second cap with the rod not so tightly against the breech where the rear of the main charge sits when loaded.
Pour main charge into dried carbonized breech for sure fire consistent first time performance.

 

[Virgil Co.C]

I like my cap- er I gues it’s called. Very easy to cap the handgun with gloves .Trail and error I give my caps a little squeeze , just a little and fit good 98% of time . Have to know the caps first as far as fit. My cap-er definitely makes life easier

 

[The Saint]

From smallest to largest...at least of the 2 main brands I use.

CCI #10 - seem to work great on older imports and Pietta guns
Remington #10 - the go-to for ANY cap and ball revolvers most would say
CCI #11 - The go-to for ANY sidelock, basically
Remington #11 - NAA Companions require these, just about...basically just a shorter skirt than the Rem #10

RWS in the mix was somewhere between Rem 10s and CCI 11s...good caps, I just haven't used them much to say.

 

[JohnnyE]

Thanks all for weighing in. I'm on a BP hiatus because, well, winter, and am already itching to get back at it.

I presume nipples are consumable items. What sort of life should I expect out of them? I'm sure it depends on the material they're made of, but I have no idea whatsoever how long I should expect any of them to last.

 

[The Saint]

I presume nipples are consumable items. What sort of life should I expect out of them? I'm sure it depends on the material they're made of, but I have no idea whatsoever how long I should expect any of them to last.

It takes a lot to burn out a flashhole on a nipple...I don't think there's a set "shelf-life" for them; but sometimes the italian ones come from the factory just....bad? I mean, right out of the box bad...tolerances all over, giant flash holes that give you hammer blowback, etc. It was mentioned to replace your stock revolver nipples with SlixShot, I 2nd that sentiment on all Italian guns minus Pedersoli Rem Target/Custom models.

 

[JohnnyE]

It takes a lot to burn out a flashhole on a nipple...I don't think there's a set "shelf-life" for them; but sometimes the italian ones come from the factory just....bad? I mean, right out of the box bad...tolerances all over, giant flash holes that give you hammer blowback, etc. It was mentioned to replace your stock revolver nipples with SlixShot, I 2nd that sentiment on all Italian guns minus Pedersoli Rem Target/Custom models.

Thanks for your guidance. While I have a 1862 Pocket Navy bearing Colt markings and SN (known as a gen 2 gun, circa late 1970's into the 80's) the forgings are by Uberti. The barrel has a left-hand twist like the Uberti's not a right-hand twist like the original gen 1 Colt's of the 1860's.

The forgings were brought into the U.S. and Colt contracted with Iver Johnson to do the machining. The machined parts were sent to Colt for heat treating and assembly. I'll guess that the nipples are Italian. At least the threads are 12-28, and take #10 caps.

ETA: I do have SlixShot nipples...got them a few months back. They take #11 caps so I'll exhaust my supply of CCI #10's before switching over.

 

[BeoBill]

In some systems, once the protective oils are completely and thoroughly removed from the metals in a rifle/shotgun,
Place a tight fitting patch on your loading rod and snap one or two on the unloaded barrel with the patch set completely against the breech.

Remove the rod and examine the patch to be thoroughly blackened and becoming to be thread bare. Pop a second cap with the rod not so tightly against the breech where the rear of the main charge sits when loaded.
Pour main charge into dried carbonized breech for sure fire consistent first time performance.

I just run a paper clip through each nipple. Unfolding it is easier than chasing down cap vendors.

 

[Doco Overboard]

I just run a paper clip through each nipple. Unfolding it is easier than chasing down cap vendors.

Glad that works for you.
Some systems could readily be identified as a rifle barrel not a pistol.
Pistols are relatively easy to prepare for shooting because the cylinder is so short. Running a cap or even a paper clip through a pistol tube is something I have never done and I’ve been shooting BP pistols for 40 years.
Thanks for the tip.

 

[dannyp]

I use welding torch tip cleaners , they have multiple sizes and will clean out "whatever " .

 

[John from MD]

I use welding torch tip cleaners , they have multiple sizes and will clean out "whatever " .

I forgot about this. I have a set of these in my box and use them to ream new touch hole liners. When I am shooting, I have a piece of wire attached a piece of rawhide that I stick in the touch hole when reloading.

Pistol nipples rarely get clogged for some reason but rifle nipples do. To clean them, I have a neat Traditions nipple pick which is attached to my Ted Cash capper by a piece of rawhide.

https://www.amazon.com/Traditions-Performance-Firearms-Muzzleloader-Nipple/dp/B000PW7B50

Walmart usually has these in the fall and the wire is replaceable with .025 piano wire that you can get from Fleabay.

https://www.tdcmfg.com/product-page/universal-capper

Ted Cash makes the best cappers in the sport.

 

[Doco Overboard]

Thanks for your guidance. While I have a 1862 Pocket Navy bearing Colt markings and SN (known as a gen 2 gun, circa late 1970's into the 80's) the forgings are by Uberti. The barrel has a left-hand twist like the Uberti's not a right-hand twist like the original gen 1 Colt's of the 1860's.

The forgings were brought into the U.S. and Colt contracted with Iver Johnson to do the machining. The machined parts were sent to Colt for heat treating and assembly. I'll guess that the nipples are Italian. At least the threads are 12-28, and take #10 caps.

ETA: I do have SlixShot nipples...got them a few months back. They take #11 caps so I'll exhaust my supply of CCI #10's before switching over.

Some 51 navies manufactured around 1860 as far as I know had left hand twist. Examples are out there that can found as I have seen them before myself.
Around the same period when the Armies came out, they all had right hand twist to the best of my knowledge.
Whether the early London models were built from local trade/ outsourced parts could be the explanation until manufacturing was moved back to America and standardization occurred spares from stores were finally used up? Not sure.
I cant also say if this is true just for the navies or other pocket models as well, again I'm not sure either.
I didn't know if I was reading your post correctly to be sure/understand all Colt originals had either clockwise or anti clockwise twist.
It would be nice to own enough examples to do a comparison and see how caps work on them.

 

[BigCountry14]

Question for the group. When I first got my Pietta, it was one of those kits from cabelas. It came with wax seals to go over the balls when pressed into the cylinder. I have never been able to find them since. At one time cabelas sold them in packs of 50, but they've been discontinued. Does anyone actually run their guns with the wax? I get that the theory was to keep the cylinder sealed to prevent sparks from touching off the powder and also lube the barrel. I just find it odd that they don't seem to carry them anymore.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[echo6mike]

Question for the group. When I first got my Pietta, it was one of those kits from cabelas. It came with wax seals to go over the balls when pressed into the cylinder. I have never been able to find them since. At one time cabelas sold them in packs of 50, but they've been discontinued. Does anyone actually run their guns with the wax? I get that the theory was to keep the cylinder sealed to prevent sparks from touching off the powder and also lube the barrel. I just find it odd that they don't seem to carry them anymore.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I use wax/grease - powder, wad, ball, then seal. I think it helps keep things lubed and cuts fouling. You can get the seals (Ox Yoke) or a pot of lube to put on with a popsicle stick or similar, at a number of places online. Usually. With post-Covid supply chains, ymmv but try Taylor’s, Buffalo Arms, Track of the Wolf…

Some LGS may have supplies, I need to go check Atlantic in Rockville for example (nice BP section there in the new store!).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk