#11 caps, availability

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Palladan44

Palladan44

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Havent had to purchase #11 caps in decades, and i just noticed im down to my last 100 or so. These will last me at least a year or 2 at the rate ive been shooting, but who knows... id like to get more.

My initial observation is local stores that once carried them no longer do. (Also not much in stock for traditional muzzleloading supplies in general) Are these caps trending down in popularity? Are they readily available?
Id prefer not to buy online if i can avoid it.
What do these sell for these days?
I recall paying about 8$/100 or so back then, i suspect theyve doubled in price or more by now.
Any insight would be appreciated.
 
They have been subject to a run and are scarce. Graf's has them, you might also get lucky and stumble across some locally.
 
Wal-Mart was where I was getting mine, some idiot manager there seems to think nobody shoots percussion stuff after January so they won't stock caps until September or October. I got in the habit of buying at least 2 tins every time I went in there. I was able to get stocked up at 4.75 a tin. Have at least 3 k of caps.
 
Most folks seem to consider caps to be a seasonal item for the muzzleloading hunting season.
You likely will see some pop up in the fall.
Around here they go on clearance sale in January.
 
No real shortage of caps, only of brick n mortar places carrying them.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, don't complain about caps and powder when all you buy is 1lb and one tin of caps at the time. You will forever be subject to market fluctuations. I maintain at least enough to get me through a year of competition shooting. Reason is twofold, first, it eliminates the chances of fluctuations in the market, second, it ensures powder and caps are from the same lot number to keep accuracy constant.
 
Hopefully we can agree that a retail shortage is still a shortage.
Also note that numerous online storefronts that normally carry multiple choices in percussion caps are currently out of stock.
Now that is also not to say that it is impossible to find any caps of any size or brand. There are some caps out there if you dig and search and are not picky about manufacturer or size, but there is definitely a shortage and they are more difficult to come by that they used to be.
 
I only know one place that still has some "top hat" musket caps. I've been finding #11s at gun shows. I bought 400 and one tin wouldn't ignite at all.
Another tin only a third ignited properly. So I ended up with 200 that work. I was lucky. I only paid $4/hundred. I've seen them selling for as much as $20/tin.
 
I recall seeing dozens of tins at my local Mills Fleet Farm perhaps within the last 1-2 years. It Skipped my mind i was running low on them.
They are gone now, but perhaps they will resupply for fall?? Who knows.

Im surprised i wasnt told by someone to just get a flintlock yet. Common guys!!!
 
Palladan44 said:
Im surprised i wasnt told by someone to just get a flintlock yet. Common guys!!!
Click to expand...

Funny you should say that. I bought my first black powder gun just a few months ago, but I'd already been reloading ammo for modern guns and was well aware of the extreme shortage of primers. Before I bought the muzzle loader I did some research and to my mind the shortage of caps was almost as bad as the shortage of primers. That prompted me to buy a flintlock instead of a cap gun. All I can say is I'm very happy with my choice, and haven't had any problem buying any of the supplies I need for it.
 
Palladan44 said:
I recall seeing dozens of tins at my local Mills Fleet Farm perhaps within the last 1-2 years. It Skipped my mind i was running low on them.
They are gone now, but perhaps they will resupply for fall?? Who knows.

Im surprised i wasnt told by someone to just get a flintlock yet. Common guys!!!
Click to expand...

I can fix that- Get a flintlock. :D

Seriously though, I've seen tons of these types of threads from guys who buy 1 or 2 tins at a time from a retail shop. That's a very low consumption rate that a brick n mortar place will not cater to in a situation with any kind of economic or regulatory difficulties involved. There's a reason you can't buy real black powder at many places anymore. Those of us who consume 20-30lb per year or more, the hazmat is just a nuisance charge. You should either get associated with a group that goes through pretty fair amounts of powder and caps or get one of those cap making kits. From all I've seen, the kits seem to be pretty good. I'll try one just to see how it might affect accuracy. So upshot, quit complaining and solve the problem.
 
mmb617 said:
Funny you should say that. I bought my first black powder gun just a few months ago, but I'd already been reloading ammo for modern guns and was well aware of the extreme shortage of primers. Before I bought the muzzle loader I did some research and to my mind the shortage of caps was almost as bad as the shortage of primers. That prompted me to buy a flintlock instead of a cap gun. All I can say is I'm very happy with my choice, and haven't had any problem buying any of the supplies I need for it.
Click to expand...

I just bought one as well and it had absolutely nothing to do with the supposed shortage. I just wanted one for use in my muzzleloading instruction and to shoot. I was looking for a Hawken style and found one (Investarm who makes Lyman) in the price range I had targeted. It should be here later this week.
 
Palladan44 said:
Any insight would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

If there's a Cabela's or BassPro within driving distance, you can call and check if they have any on the shelves.
You can also call all of the gun shops within 30 - 50+ miles and if they don't have any then perhaps they can order some for you.
Gun shops deal with different distributors, some may have access to caps that others don't.
 
mmb617 said:
Funny you should say that. I bought my first black powder gun just a few months ago, but I'd already been reloading ammo for modern guns and was well aware of the extreme shortage of primers. Before I bought the muzzle loader I did some research and to my mind the shortage of caps was almost as bad as the shortage of primers. That prompted me to buy a flintlock instead of a cap gun. All I can say is I'm very happy with my choice, and haven't had any problem buying any of the supplies I need for it.
Click to expand...
Long ago I chose cap lock because I was under the impression they were more reliable. Also here in Wisco our December hunt is almost always wet and cold. I realize I could have been wrong about my reliability assumptions
 
11$ a hundred at my local store (Frontier Firearms in TN) last week. They seemed to have a good supply.
 
Palladan44 said:
Long ago I chose cap lock because I was under the impression they were more reliable. Also here in Wisco our December hunt is almost always wet and cold. I realize I could have been wrong about my reliability assumptions
Click to expand...

I've found that reliability is a relative issue. Relative in the sense that each system has it's quirks and if you don't allow for or deal with them, then ignition becomes iffy. Folks don't realize the geometry that goes into how a hammer swings through an arc to hit a certain spot in a certain part of the swing. Flint or percussion, this is part and parcel to a sidelock. In a percussion gun, if that swing is over just as the hammer hits the cap, spotty ignition results. If the hammer nose that hits the cap is eroded, again ignition issues. If the hammer nose is clogged with fouling, it won't strike the cap properly leading to erratic ignition. Flints have their own issues. If the lock is not in it's mortise correctly the hammer may not hit the cap squarely or the tumbler may bind on the stock, again, ignition problems.
 
And for you guys who go on and on and on about a cap shortage, I just received 6k musket caps and 25lbs of powder. Amortize the hazmat across that many caps and 25lbs of powder and it's peanuts. Yeah, I shoot a lot but all it takes is for a couple of you to band together to pool your order and the hazmat/shipping starts to get way smaller in the big picture. Think outside your local box. Get new friends addicted to the holy black and save money on stuff and have new friends at the range.
 
dave951 said:
And for you guys who go on and on and on about a cap shortage, I just received 6k musket caps and 25lbs of powder. Amortize the hazmat across that many caps and 25lbs of powder and it's peanuts. Yeah, I shoot a lot but all it takes is for a couple of you to band together to pool your order and the hazmat/shipping starts to get way smaller in the big picture. Think outside your local box. Get new friends addicted to the holy black and save money on stuff and have new friends at the range.
Click to expand...
Good for you. Any Remington #10s or any maker #11s out there?
 
Jackrabbit1957 said:
Wal-Mart was where I was getting mine, some idiot manager there seems to think nobody shoots percussion stuff after January so they won't stock caps until September or October. I got in the habit of buying at least 2 tins every time I went in there. I was able to get stocked up at 4.75 a tin. Have at least 3 k of caps.
Click to expand...
Walmart stores here don't carry them at all. 4 Walmart's here where I live. I went to a local pawn/gun shop. Never had been in there. I said why not. Pulled in. Lady scratched her head,... no...we don't have those. Thank goodness a guy over the counter said yes we have those. They only had 10 tins of #11. Bought them all as they said they weren't going to carry them anymore? I Feel very lucky. $3.89 a tin.:thumbup:
 
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