Poor man's SliXshot nipples

[SomebodyMakeRiderRepro]

I still think hammer blow back is the main culprit, and what Jack says is true, a cap post and action shield will eliminate cap jams. Sometimes "cap sucking", or the cap being pulled off the cone by the hammer is actually hammer blow back. ( I know Hawg, you hate cap-posts!)

All the other "cures" or fixes will help, as will SlixShots, but I don't think will result in 100% reliability. As I use my cap-N-ball revolvers in the field, hunting and exploring/hiking etc., 100% is a must.

A curious thing, that I think kind of enforces my point (I won't say "proves") is that after Jack put a cap post and action shield on my 1862, and took a look for any other problems, the gun went 100% with the Slix Shots on it. Then I put the factory cones back on, as they were a little better fit with the CCI #11's, and it didn't change a thing. Still runs 100%.

Now to be honest, and full discloser, (!!!!!) if I go over 20 grains of 4fg under a ball, I can detect a little bit of hammer blow back, which does not cause a jam, but I can tell it's happening. If I were to put the Slixs back on, I think I could get an extra couple of grains in, without blow-back, but 20 seems to be the sweet spot for that pistol, accuracy is minute of grouse, and she'll shoot through a dense fresh 2X6", which is good enough for me.

One of these days, for extra insurance, I'll probably put the Slixes back on.

Ok, You can get your open top Colt repro to near 100% reliability with cap post and action shield but how do you prevent 1858 Remington from jamming then?
The nature of a jamm is substantially different here. Most of the time deformed cap gets sucked between the cylinder and the frame and prevents the former from turning. It is non issue with mild loads but with hotter ones it is a common occurence with all 1858 pattern guns I have. SlixShots help a lot because the caps don't get anywhere near as much blown back and deformed as is the case with factory cones. The only way I can get satisfactory reliability with heavy loads is a combination of SliXshot nipples and custom, heavy mainspring. But still it is quite off from 100% mark. With factory nipples it gets to a point where it is noticeable.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Ok, You can get your open top Colt repro to near 100% reliability with cap post and action shield but how do you prevent 1858 Remington from jamming then?
The nature of a jamm is substantially different here. Most of the time deformed cap gets sucked between the cylinder and the frame and prevents the former from turning. It is non issue with mild loads but with hotter ones it is a common occurence with all 1858 pattern guns I have. SlixShots help a lot because the caps don't get anywhere near as much blown back and deformed as is the case with factory cones. The only way I can get satisfactory reliability with heavy loads is a combination of SliXshot nipples and custom, heavy mainspring. But still it is quite off from 100% mark. With factory nipples it gets to a point where it is noticeable.

Good question. ! I have a 100% 1863 New Model Army in Navy caliber, so I guess the dynamics of the .44 would/might/are/must be different from the .36. ? Yes, very different revolvers from the Colt. In my pistol, there is no clearance between the cylinder and frame. ? Does your cylinder rock back and forth? Fore and aft play? That is a mystery, I have my Remington in hand right now, and it has no fore-aft play, I don't see how a cap could get between cylinder and frame. (never has) I've had it for at least 20 years and it has never jammed or miss-fired. I fire a 140 grain bullet over 23 grains of 4fg, which must produce some healthy pressure, but a .44 must develop more pressure, but I don't know. !!!?! Perhaps Jack or Mike have some insight into this.

 

[hawg]

I've had .36's and .44's and cap jams were never a problem.

 

[SomebodyMakeRiderRepro]

Good question. ! I have a 100% 1863 New Model Army in Navy caliber, so I guess the dynamics of the .44 would/might/are/must be different from the .36. ? Yes, very different revolvers from the Colt. In my pistol, there is no clearance between the cylinder and frame. ? Does your cylinder rock back and forth? Fore and aft play? That is a mystery, I have my Remington in hand right now, and it has no fore-aft play, I don't see how a cap could get between cylinder and frame. (never has) I've had it for at least 20 years and it has never jammed or miss-fired. I fire a 140 grain bullet over 23 grains of 4fg, which must produce some healthy pressure, but a .44 must develop more pressure, but I don't know. !!!?! Perhaps Jack or Mike have some insight into this.

Most of my 1858 Remingtons have no noticeable endshake. The cap is simply deformed and is stuck between the cone slot in the cylinder and the frame. It seems to be just a friction fit there but it is enough to jamm the gun. Most of the time you just have to help cylinder turn by hand, at most it requires a simple pull with a knife but it makes you get off target to fix and is quite annoying.

Here is a good example of what I mean, go exactly to 3:24 timestamp:



The guy is using a 30 grain charge and it is enough to cause this jamm. Exactly the same thing happens to all my 1858 remingtons with heavier charges.

 

[noelf2]

I've had .36's and .44's and cap jams were never a problem.

Yep. Same here. For colt clones I smooth the hammer faces, and tilt the gun during cocking. Technique becomes 2nd nature. Never had a problem with NMAs.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Yep. Same here. For colt clones I smooth the hammer faces, and tilt the gun during cocking. Technique becomes 2nd nature. Never had a problem with NMAs.

I used to flip my 1860 up and back when cocking (not at a public range, I can shoot in my backyard) and that always threw the cap off. Since Jack worked the gun over and put on a cap post and action shield, I don't have to do that. Now it's like shooting a cartridge pistol.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Most of my 1858 Remingtons have no noticeable endshake. The cap is simply deformed and is stuck between the cone slot in the cylinder and the frame. It seems to be just a friction fit there but it is enough to jamm the gun. Most of the time you just have to help cylinder turn by hand, at most it requires a simple pull with a knife but it makes you get off target to fix and is quite annoying.

Here is a good example of what I mean, go exactly to 3:24 timestamp:



The guy is using a 30 grain charge and it is enough to cause this jamm. Exactly the same thing happens to all my 1858 remingtons with heavier charges.

I never knew the 1863's would jam, (I assume the ROA must be very close in design to the Remington) it's kind of funny, my New Model Army of Navy caliber led me to believe they were all super-reliable. I'm kind of thinking that modern caps are a bit too "stout" or hard, but I have no idea if the old caps were more fragile, made of a thinner material. I've heard that they were. ??

 

[hawg]

I never knew the 1863's would jam, (I assume the ROA must be very close in design to the Remington) it's kind of funny, my New Model Army of Navy caliber led me to believe they were all super-reliable. I'm kind of thinking that modern caps are a bit too "stout" or hard, but I have no idea if the old caps were more fragile, made of a thinner material. I've heard that they were. ??

Original caps were thicker and made out of copper.

 

[noelf2]

I used to flip my 1860 up and back when cocking (not at a public range, I can shoot in my backyard) and that always threw the cap off. Since Jack worked the gun over and put on a cap post and action shield, I don't have to do that. Now it's like shooting a cartridge pistol.

What's the fun in that?

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Yeah I should do it anyway. It's much more dramatic.