Caps?

[Muley]

I'd like some of your opinions on brand of caps. In the past i've used the newer Remington, and the CCI mag caps. It seems like the CCIM caps work a little better, but i've never done a back to back comparison with the same gun/load.

What do you guys like?

[Two Steps]

Muley, when I shoot my cap guns I use CCIs.  Pretty much always have as they were what I got first.  Never tried any of the mags.  Never had a problem with the CCI #11s.
There is a thread going on right now about different brand caps.
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=19383
Al

[Muley]

Oops! I figured there would be a thread on them. I looked on the wrong forum.

Thanks.

[prairie dog]

I am using the CCI magnums currently.  I've used the regular CCI, RWS, Remington, and Winchester.  I don't see much if any difference except the Remington caps are a little larger than the CCI.  They will fit a nipple that's a little larger or starting to mushroom out.

It seems any of the newer caps are more reliable than some of the imported stuff I got back in the 1980's.  I hardly ever find a cap that's lost it's prime these days.

[rollingb]

I am using the CCI magnums currently.  I've used the regular CCI, RWS, Remington, and Winchester. I don't see much if any difference except the Remington caps are a little larger than the CCI.  They will fit a nipple that's a little larger or starting to mushroom out.

It seems any of the newer caps are more reliable than some of the imported stuff I got back in the 1980's.  I hardly ever find a cap that's lost it's prime these days.

Here is a cap size chart that some of you might find handy.
THR

[Ron T.]

I, too, use regular CCI #11 percussion caps... they always worked just fine for me in my .50 caliber older CVA Hawken rifles.  I've often wondered if the CCI Magnum caps would work even better, but haven't had any reason to changed the type of caps I am now using.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

[Bigsmoke]

Have had numerous misfires using regular CCI caps.  Not worth the bother to try them again.  The magnums are better.
Started out with Remingtons and really had good success with them, but they are hard to find here.
Somewhere along the line I started shooting with RWS caps and have been totally satisfied with them.  Hardly ever a misfire, and when there is, it's usually my fault.  
In my big rifles I rely upon musket cap ignition and have found that the CCI musket caps work OK there.
Years ago, a friend of mine did a series of tests on different brands of percussion caps and his findings confirmed that the RWS caps were the best.
If you are shooting Pyrodex, for sure use the hottest caps you can get.

[Riley/MN]

Yup, if there were a shelf stocked with all the different caps, I would choose the RWS. Not sure why, they just seem to work "better". I have had decent luck with CCI, Remington and Winchester caps as well.

Then there was the CVA caps that came in the light blue plastic "tins". If ya hit em hard enough, they go off...after 4-5 hits.

[Muley]

I'm experimenting with using RSW musket caps now on the Renegade. A lot easier to handle with my big fingers.

[Ron T.]

Have had numerous misfires using regular CCI caps.  Not worth the bother to try them again.  The magnums are better.

Years ago, a friend of mine did a series of tests on different brands of percussion caps and his findings confirmed that the RWS caps were the best.
If you are shooting Pyrodex, for sure use the hottest caps you can get.

*****************************************************************

Ahhhhhhhhhhh... I see (now) why you may have had a "problem" with standard CCI percussion caps... you're using Pyrodex (man-made) black powder, a black powder substitute rather than REAL black powder.   :idea    


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

[Bigsmoke]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
Looks like I was misunderstood again.
No, I was not shooting Pyrodex or any of the other synthetic powders.  Except for some tests I have run over the years, I never have, and I never will shoot that stuff.

[Detached]

Powder snobs.  

[Geezer in NH]

Sounds like the new fashioned nipple huggers don't work quite like. Need to get a good rock lock, god lined the streams with rocks that work not nipple huggers.

LOL all in good fun

[Bigsmoke]

Geezer, replying to your post could get me in a lot of trouble with the powers that be, something about obscene posts and all that.
So, I will just leave that alone, darn it.  It could have been a lot of fun.
By the way, you just don't know how many times I have tried to embrace the rock.  Even went so far as to sell off all my percussion guns so I would have to get with that program.  Wound up buying another cap gun.  Never could develop a real fancy for them rock locks.  Always kept coming back to cap guns.  At this stage of my life, I think I will just stay where I am at.

[Ron T.]

Jezzzzzzz... John (BigSmoke)...I "goofed" even BIGGER than you did... sorry I mis-interpreted what you meant.  Butttttttttttt... I'll stick with CCI "caps" anyway 'cause they work for me jus' fine.

I also have a Pennsylvania "rock-lock" Long Rifle, but don't shoot it nearly as much as the cap-locks.  However, the ol' "flinter" is very accurate and fun to shoot, but not so "fun" or easy-to-clean as the cap-lock Hawken rifles are with their wedge-held-in removable barrels.

The cap-lock rifles have kinda "spoiled" me as far as the ease-of-cleaning goes.

Keep yer powder dry...  


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.