cap crimping

[Navy Six 2]

I have several hundred older Remington #11 caps(green label tin, 1997) that work great but are too large for all of my guns equipped with Slix-Shot nipples. They literally fall right off. In this current issue of HANDLOADER magazine(#329), Terry Wieland wrote a black powder oriented article in which he complains about cap to nipple fit and describes placing a too large cap on a .125(1/8) hex wrench and squeezing it with needle nose pliers as using finger pressure caused the cap to flatten too much. As I hated to waste my older Remington #11's, I tried Mr. Wieland's method but used a wire stripper to put two light crimps on the caps--one near the open end and one at the other. Went to the range with an Uberti Walker and Dragoon and 50 crimped caps. They worked perfectly and placing them on the Slix Shots felt like newer Remington #10's--snug and a little resistance while sliding on. I am aware 'pinching" nipples to fit is not a good idea but this method seemed to work. I will continue to experiment as I have other caps(RWS 1075) that are also a bit large for the Slix Shots. I don't believe these "modified" caps will work well in a capper, but I didn't use one so am not sure.

 

[TheOutlawKid]

Mr.navy six 2...i actually got a really awesome cap sizer from a forum member o. Castboolits. Its a tapered hole in a small steel plate that you push the cap through using a push rod. I dont have cap fitment issues but it was such a great little tool to have i just had to have it in my black powder tools collection. Heres a pic of what it looks like with a cci 11 cap in it. You just push the cap through the tapered whole with the pushrod and it sizes the cap perfectly to a tighter fit that will fit just about any nipple

 

[SlowFuse]

Thats a neat tool. @Navy Six 2 i have lightly pinched oversized caps into a slightly oval shape and they still fit and fed from an inline capper fine.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I want one of them thar tools.

 

[arcticap]

I want one of them thar tools.

I realize that's a nice custom made cap sizer.
But Smokin'Joe showed us how to make a sizer almost for free. --->>> https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ietta-1858-remington-44.788565/#post-10038031

Mike56 tried it and posted:
"I also made his cap sizer after I got used to it I really like this tool. I have been using a cap sizer that I made from wire cutters I like Smokein'Joes tool better."

 

[beag_nut]

A couple of good solutions. But, please remember to wear safety glasses when using anything similar. Just sayin'.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I realize that's a nice custom made cap sizer.
But Smokin'Joe showed us how to make a sizer almost for free. --->>> https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ietta-1858-remington-44.788565/#post-10038031

Mike56 tried it and posted:
"I also made his cap sizer after I got used to it I really like this tool. I have been using a cap sizer that I made from wire cutters I like Smokein'Joes tool better."

Cool. I have a ton of them little sockets. Thanks for the tip.

 

[gasmandave]

Interesting article

 

[Bubba32]

A push through method sounds better to me! Been meaning to go into tinkering mode and see what I could make up. I have a few revolvers even with #10s they fall off way too easy.

 

[grter]

I have a question. How much space/depth does the priming compound take up in standard percussion cap. The reason why I ask is because I want to figure out how much more length does the cap add to the nipple thus determining how close the hammer needs to be to the nipple for reliable ignition and whether or not it is seated deep enough or caught on the lower taper of the nipple.

The few cap and ball revolvers I have seen seem to vary considerably as to how far the hammer is from the tip of the nipple when resting. Some actually touch, others seem to be at the proverbial perfect almost touching ("kissing') distance and the rest although they are not very far still make me wonder if they are too far for a proper set up.

This is all by eyeballing under a magnified light.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

It does make a difference, on my 1860, with new nipples from Track on it, regular 10's and 11's fit fine, (CCI 11's fit best) but just leave enough room for the caps to clear the recoil shield when seated firmly. With #11 CCI magnum caps, the extra priming compound makes them/it too long, and the cylinder will bind up.

Methinks the only way you will determine will be to actually try different caps.

I believe that in a perfect world, the hammer is supposed to stop short of actually touching an uncapped nipple? On my guns, I prefer the hammer to touch, and it seems to give me perfect reliability. ?? I just went through an adventure with a 1851 that had short nipples. It didn't seem to help things.

 

[grter]

Speaking of touching the recoil shield. In one of Hovey Smiths videos he had an 1873 (older model) percussion version that would fire all the chambers at the same time every time he shot it. I think the caps were so close to the recoil shield that they hit it when the cylinder flew backwards during recoil.


Hmmmm on a side note It would be interesting to see if a Pietta "pepperbox can be modified to fire all the chambers at once. Maybe which or how many chambers fire can be determined by using different length (determined by amount of priming compound) percussion caps.

 

[tactikel]

Firing more than one shot with a single trigger pull may be NFA territory.

 

[grter]

I don't know about NFA territory (I think NFA has a volley gun {volley fire firearms} exclusion Duckfoot pistol ?) but I sure would not want to be around if it fell on the floor and hit muzzle first. You may even be able to fire by jabbing something with it.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I will add that the caps will not touch the recoil shield on my 1860, even in recoil. Close, but no cigar. The magnum caps however, will indeed bind up the cylinder, so there must be at least a double dose of priming compounds. ?? Not sure, but I am staying out of pepper-box territory.

 

[arcticap]

I have a question. How much space/depth does the priming compound take up in standard percussion cap. The reason why I ask is because I want to figure out how much more length does the cap add to the nipple thus determining how close the hammer needs to be to the nipple for reliable ignition and whether or not it is seated deep enough or caught on the lower taper of the nipple.

The few cap and ball revolvers I have seen seem to vary considerably as to how far the hammer is from the tip of the nipple when resting. Some actually touch, others seem to be at the proverbial perfect almost touching ("kissing') distance and the rest although they are not very far still make me wonder if they are too far for a proper set up.

This is all by eyeballing under a magnified light.

There's a link in this post with measurement info. posted by Mako. --->>> https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/percussion-caps-source.875990/page-5#post-11714444

 

[grter]

Great thanks for that link to a link with a .PDF

It seems that CCI # 11s (I find they are the most common too) sit the highest.

Did the original cap from the 19th century sit that high or did they generally have a small amount of priming compound ?