Why Does Anyone Use No. 11's??

[Elbert P . Suggins]

Thanks for the reply. I am not going to worry about it. It's not that hard to pinch an oversized cap to make it fit. Even an undersized can be forced into submission if you take side cutters and snip it and than squeeze it to fit. Like my wife said " If there is a will than there is a way". People make such a big deal out of cap size but if you can't find the right ones use your head and adjust. The only problem I have had is finding caps for a Colt 1st Dragoon. They were designed for no 12s originally and Colt continued that concept. I had a post in regards to that a few days ago. With CCI 11s and Rems 10s I just drive em on with a dowel.

 

[pohill]

I would say that anytime you feel you have to squeeze a cap to make it fit, you're using the wrong cap or the wrong cap/nipple combination.

Not according to Colt...
From an old Colt Industries pamphlet:
"Percussion caps are now made in sizes from nine to thirteen. Ten and eleven are the best numbers for the small and medium-sized arms, and twelve for the larger sizes, although, as different-sized nipples are sometimes met in specimens of the same model, no hard and fast rule can be given. It is better to have caps slightly too large than too small, as large caps can be pinched together at the bottom enough so they will stay on the nipples, but small ones must be driven down on the nipple by the blow of the hammer, and this process frequently cushions the blow to the extent of producing a misfire."

 

[Pancho]

I've never cared for the "Colt" method of pinching to fit. I've spent too much time trying to fit over-pinched caps.
As for converting to musket caps, I've converted every percussion long gun I own to musket caps even my 32 cal. Cherokee. I've noticed no change in accuracy but they are a lot easier to handle especially in winter.

 

[dwave]

Just for the record, RWS does have 4 flanges and I have not had any of them fly off. Caps pretty well stayed together. I converted my Pedersoli Frontier rifle to them.