Cap fragments

[mec]

does anybody have minor alterations to percussion revolvers to minimize cap fragment hang-ups?

 

[Mark whiz]

The best thing to do is to learn the "gunslinger's flip". After firing a shot, as you go to cock the hammer for the next shot - you need to flip your wrist to the right with a quick pop. This throws the spent cap clear about 90% of the time - greatly enhancing the mechanism's reliability.

 

[Iggy]

The old timers raised the muzzle to the vertical before cocking the hammer, thus allowing caps to fall off and clear.

First early movies, using old cowboys as extras, show them still using this technicque even though it no longer applied to cartridge guns.. Some habits are followed even though the person doesn't know why it was done.

 

[Logan5]

There was an article about this recently in Backwoodsman magazine. The author liked to (carefully) enlarge the capping cutout and the clearance groove in the cylinder face, and reported much increased reliability. The idea was that modern repros are not identical in these areas to originals, and doing this made them more similar. I don't have any originals, but I do have 5 repro's which are all different in these areas, even though most are from the same manufacturers... I asked about it on the forums at sixguns.com, and the consensus was "maybe." It might be worth a try, but I haven't tried it and can't say for sure.

 

[mec]

I'll compare some originals with replicas and see. Bates tells me the originals have more clearance in that area.

 

[TaxPhd]

Couple of solutions, more info. can be found on the SASS wire.

One is Cap Shields, a modification done to the gun, IIRC. The other is using a piece of platic tubing of the proper diameter around the cap. I think the tubing used is fish tank air hose tubing. Again, more info. available on the SASS wire. The Cowboy shooters that shoot C&B really know how to make their guns run.



Scott

 

[mec]

I've been getting better about eyeballing the sequence and flipping when it seems to be the right thing to do. Had much problem with a Remington 58 type and am told that the close fitting them is more prone to hangups than the colt. The old Lemat I had was handling caps very well.

 

[Jim K]

While the Remington is much praised by modern writers for its solid top strap, the Colt was preferred by the original users because caps could be shaken free, something that was difficult or impossible with the solid top Remington.

In fact, in a percussion revolver the entire cylinder recoils and its force is absorbed by the solid part of the frame at its center. In a cartridge revolver, the case recoils back against the recoil shield, which is higher up and there is more stress applied to the frame due to the greater leverage. So a top strap definitely strengthens a cartridge revolver, but is less effective with a percussion gun.

Jim

 

[HogRider]

I used the "flipping" technique last time I had my Dragoon at the range for the first time. Seems to work quite well - all cap fragments fell off, no malfunctions whatsoever.

 

[Logan5]

Being a super genius, I've managed to flip off an unfired cap or two along with the fired cap fragments... in the field... in the rain... with no spares. But only that one time, now I make sure they're on tight.

Still, I spent some quality time with my ASM baby dragoon and R.L. Wilson's Colt book, and last week I got my repro over to a local gunshop to compare to a few original 1849 pocket and baby dragoons. On my ASM, the capping cutout is a little larger but more shallow, and the clearance cut is both smaller and higher up in the cylinder face. It's very noticable, quite a lot of difference. On cocking, the repro's nipple isn't really lined up with the cutout, it's travelling a lot lower.

So of course, now I had to check the other repros I had handy. Looking at a Navy Arms/Pietta brass frame '51 Navy, the clearance cut is visibly quite large and semicircular. Dixie/Pietta steel frame '51 Navy, it's pretty shallow, and Cabellas/Pietta it's right in between the other two in depth.

I'm not sure what accounts for the difference in specs, but it's there, and visible with the naked eye. Anyone know why this is?

 

[mec]

the same observation has caused Johnny Bates to open the cut on his colts - unless they have nice case hardening in which case -just make do.

 

[classic138]

cap frags

Cap fragments
I have read some great stuff here on this subject
One being
One is Cap Shields,
A modification done to the gun, IIRC.
The other is using a piece of plastic tubing of the proper diameter around the cap. I think the tubing used is fish tank air hose
But these can be bought at most store and maybe in the catalog

********
Note if the nipples are greaseless than they will come off with a fling,
only when keeping it weather proof would one advise such a treat with plastic for the nipple of the gun.

I load and might be two month before shooting; as we both know that nipples has to be dry fired with cap a few times to get this ready; and the plastic and beargrease must be applied

RULE !; Keeping the powder dry
I have spoken like you do not know what you are doing, this is for newbies;
You know the ones that have to realize that a gun is always loaded.
Like the OLE lady that for years and years used an old old broken up black powder gun to turn the wood and coals in here fire place; and her husband had been dead for many years and used it to,

IT WENT OFF ONE DAY MISSING THE OLE LADY:
Hard to believe huh true story that old flint type had enough huh

well it did not need a nipple LOL
Good luck with your Hobby of Black Powder and hope this wind has helped Classic

 

[mec]

Heres an opened up cap gate effectively raising the window. The caps tend to pop out without hang-up