Caps!?

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Panzerschwein

Panzerschwein

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Hey everyone! Well I've been wanting to get into cap n' ball revolver shooting for some time now, and I have my "sights set" on a Uberti 1851 Colt Navy .36. I have found various sources for powder and balls, but...

I CAN'T FIND PERCUSSION CAPS FOR THE LIFE OF ME!!! :eek:

Every place I look around my area of eastern Kansas, they are nowhere to be found. I've checked the Cabelas and Bas Pro Shops, nothing. Several times I've checked over the pat 6 months. They have the labels for them on the shelves, but they are empty.

Back home in Illinois, I've tried many places. Still, I can't seem to find any percussion caps at all! I know you can order through the internet, but there are hazmat fees for that and I just would rather not do such a thing if I can avoid it. It just seems strange to me. I'm in particular looking for Remington #10 caps as I hear these are best for this revolver.

Does anyone know where I can find any percussion caps? Is there a shortage right now, are you having issues with this to? Are there any alternatives I can use instead? This is really keeping me from getting into cap n' ball revolver shooting, which I do enjoy as I've done it before and would greatly like to do again!

Thanks! :D
 
do a search for gun shows in kansas you will find some at a gun show there should be one comming up in your area.
 
You can order online, but the hazmat fees will jack up the price. Plus, you'll need to order in increments of 1000 caps. After all is said and done, you're looking at $9 or so per 100 caps. I'm on the verge of doing this, myself. I have one more spot, locally, to check before I pull the trigger.

Good luck!

-John
 
I would suggest that you go into your local gun store and place an order for Remington caps and in two weeks they should be there.
By the time your gun shows up you should be ready to go.
 
Cabelas gets them from time to time. They have actually been present in the local store the last couple of times I looked. Apparently Remington has their number 10s and 11s on some sort of fairly fast orbiting production rotation and you can find them fairly regularly.Cabelas says they don't post them on line unless they are actually available. so frequent searches of their site might help. They tend to be in stock for a little over a week when they do come in.
 
Just to give you hope...

I was at the Hammond, IN Cabela's yesterday and they had more than a dozen tins of CCI #11's, and another dozen or so tins of Remington #10's both in blister packs on the rack.

although at $8 ea/ 100 I decided to pick up some CCI #300 Large Pistol Primers instead.

I've got it in my head to load 45 Colt with black powder so I don't need caps. I've only dabbled in reloading and haven't loaded BP in a cartridge yet, but I'm getting close.
 
Malachi-

I had a similar experience at a local Bass Pro yesterday.

I was elated to see plenty of Rem. #10 caps hanging there, but had to walk away from that nine dollar per hundred price tag.

Purchased CCI Large Pistol Primers instead for four dollars per hundred.

I have been reloading 45C with BP for a while with the Lee Loader kit. It has been a fun and economical undertaking.

I don't have all the bench reloading equipment yet, but the Lee Loader has helped me to get my toes wet.

Very affordable way to get started... if you can get past the idea of making cartridges with a hammer...!

If anyone wishes to go that route, I strongly recommend a hand-held priming tool.
 
Man. 9 cents not including tax to make 1 tiny percussion cap.

What, maybe a half square centimeter of 1mm thick copper and a grain or so of explosive compound per cap? Ten for a buck?

Maybe cap and ball shooting isn't for me after all.
 
Cooldill-

Please don't get discouraged and throw in the towel..!

You don't want to miss out on the excitement that is BP revolver shooting.

When supply and demand come back down to Earth then the prices hopefully will conform.

I am very happy to just see them in the stores again. That's a step in the right direction.

Buying in bulk is a way to bring the price down.

Small local gun shops might be more reasonably priced if they have them.

If it stood between me and shooting, I would pay that nine bucks for a hundred caps.

The great thing about cap and ball revolvers is the slower pace of loading and shooting. More time to enjoy the whole experience.

So a hundred caps will keep a smile in your face for a while..!
 
Yes... yes I suppose you are right.

Heck it's no more expensive the centerfire ammo shooting even including the cost of balls and powder.

I am still VERY much wanting to get into it, but trying to find any caps is so hard that it just doesn't seem worth buying a cap and ball revolver is there would be no caps available to shoot it! :(
 
I'm considering ordering from Westernguns.fr. They will ship up to 2.2 lbs of stuff for $22, but with no tracking or insurance. That's a little risky, but reasonable. I figure I can get a tin each of Remington (#10 and #11), CCI (#10, #11, and magnum), and RWS (1075). This is currently impossible here in the US. If I could possibly locate a supplier with any in stock, it would be at most one or two types.

If I do this, I'll let everyone know how it goes.

-John
 
That would be great John. They have a lot of stuff listed that is not sold over here. Don't know why though. :confused:
 
I have heard of the Tap o Cap device before. I understand one uses things like soda cans to punch out the metal part of the cap, but how about the explosive compound? How is that produced?
 
John,
(I think) a euro is worth about $1.35. If that is true, then the Remington #11 caps would be $11 and 100 .454 balls would be about $26. That does not include shipping.
 
Hellgate;

You are correct that the Euro is $1.35 plus or minus, but since the caps would be exported to the US, where I am, I wouldn't pay the value added tax (VAT). It's sort of like sales tax, but it's baked into the price of everything in Europe. So you need to subtract 20% from each of those prices.

The Remington caps are the most expensive on the westernguns.fr site. The CCI and RWS are much more reasonable. I just paid $9.95 plus tax for a tin of Remington #11 caps locally. So prices are well above what they were a few years ago.

With those calculations, and the lower shipping from France, compared to paying hazmat charges, it's worth it. Regardless, it's never going to make sense to ship round balls over the Atlantic. Low volume, high value caps? Maybe.

The real advantage is the ability to get a couple tins of each type of cap, something not possible here.

Thanks,

-John
 
I do wonder, are the cap companies not making caps due to low demand, or is it because of the general ammo rush/disaster going on right now?

Also, are musket caps hard to find? I'm interested in buying a Springfield rifled musket and it take musket caps. Thanks!
 
I have heard of the Tap o Cap device before. I understand one uses things like soda cans to punch out the metal part of the cap, but how about the explosive compound? How is that produced?
Click to expand...

2 or 3 roll cap centers. Works great in my ROA, but my Pietta nipple's holes are a little smaller. One of these days, I'll get a wire gauge drill bit set.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=753136
 
According to NRA's National Riflemen's magazine the government is not to blame for the recent ammo shortage, it was strictly market driven. That being said we sidelock and C&B revolver shooters are at the end of the line when it comes to the manufacturers answering our needs they are too busy making .380 and 22 cal. ammunition and heaven help those of us that need musket caps.
 
Yeah :'(

But there is still demand eh? When... or IF... this is over, will musket caps (and percussion caps) continue to be made and available?
 
Cooldill, I think so. The fact that we're all complaining about the lack of caps indicates that there's demand.

I think cap selection will come back soon. Primer prices are coming down as the shortage abates, and all of the cap manufacturers are also big primer makers, namely CCI, Remington, and RWS. It makes sense when primers were scarce that they diverted production to primers. Now, caps are scarce and 2x the regular price.

-John
 
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