Cappers / DeCappers / Holsters for 1858 Remington

[David L]

OK folks, I have been reloading my 1858 Remington with the ramrod on the gun, after doing this for a box of 100 round balls I decided to get a reloading block, the hand lever on the gun started eating away at the palm of my hand - Problem solved. I took some 357 magnum cases and made some little dippers for my cream-of-wheat filler. I almost have this down to a fine art except for capping the nipples, this takes me “almost” as long to do as the entire loading process. I always end-up dropping 1 or 2 caps (#10 percussion caps) during the process, the waste and time involved is taking an expensive toll just to go out and shoot.

Capping Tools?
Here’s the deal, I hate to go shopping without knowing what some of the avid users of black powder use. For those that have been doing this awhile, what are you using for a capping tool. What do you think, what did ya pay, what do you use and where did ya get it?
 
Holster for 1858 Remington / 8 inch barrel
Also, I would like to know where some of y’all bought your holsters? Does someone make a holster that will carry extra cylinders for the 1858 Remington, (Pale Rider Style)? I have been looking and cannot find this type of holster anywhere. I have no idea what the price range is for a good quality holster, I have seen them from 12 bucks all the way to well over 300 georgies for complete sets, what do you think, what did ya pay, what do you use and where did ya get it?

Ya know, I just don’t wanna show-up at a CAS shoot with some kiddie-kid tools / accessories and get laughed off the range, ya know. I suspect I’ll hafta leave my leather hat with the confederate flag on it at the house, perhaps a velvet covered Stetson is in order, I dunno man….Hmmmmmmm, then again maybe just a hair-cut and a 25 dollar straw hat might be the order of the day. IF I’m gonna do this then I might as well go Full Throttle, I’ve never and I repeat “Never” done anything half-xxxed(CENSORED).

I think I could really break-up the crowd if I showed-up wearing a fireman’s hat, leather vest, short shorts (shaved legs), leather chaps, platform shoes and wearing a double-duce holster with the gun in one side and the other side crammed with 2 or 3 loaded cylinders, at least no one would “ever” forget me….*jk* I just wanna avoid the new-guy look, ya know….

Thanks for all your help --

David L

[John Traveler]

David,

Just the THOUGHT of seeing you in a fireman's hat, vest, and shorts CRACKS ME UP!

For spare cylinder belt holders, try the LARGE size "revolver speedloader" belt pouches.  Police supply shops have them.  The ones for .45 Colt and .44 Magnum speedloaders should fit.  They come in a variety of styles, including full-flap protection, and cutaway style, where unsnapping the flap almost lets the cylinder drop into your hand.  They come in singles, doubles, (and more).  Quite cheap, now that revolvers are less popular in law enforcement uniformed wear.

However, please be advised that many ranges (for safety reasons) don't allow you to carry around loaded, capped cylinders.  That loaded and capped six-shot cylinder amounts to a large-calibre snubby revolver with relatively little protection against inadvertent discharge.

Remember the Elemer Keith story about a shooting parder that lifted a stirrup up onto his saddle to cinch up the girth belt?  The stirrup slipped off, fell, and hit the hammer of his fully-loaded Colt SAA and fired it.  A 255 grain lead slug going down through most of the man's lower leg DEFINITELY ruined his day!

John


For PPC competition,

[David L]

I never thought of police supplies houses, my mind has been locked into the ole west since I’m considering CAS competition. Thanks for steering me in the right direction. I would never cap a loaded cylinder that is not installed into the gun, that’s an accident waiting to happen to someone that does not know how to handle these BP guns.

That was the reason I asked about a capping tool, I don’t wanna be fumbling around with caps in my hands and dropping them in the heat of the shoot. I have no intention of carring loaded capped cylinders around in a belt and I truly feel sorry for anyone that does. IF I saw someone doing this I would leave the range and say a small prayer for all those involved with this individual. IF I saw someone smoking while loading a BP cylinder I would leave, in short, I pay attention to the folks around me, my life may depend on it.

I’ll load the cylinders and carry them uncapped in the belt, I’ll only load 5 cylinders and rest the hammer on the empty chamber, that is my intention. When I can get information on a good capping tool I think I’ll purty much have this thing whipped.

Thanks for the info

David L

[John Traveler]

For authenticity, get those inexpensive Italian copies of the old Colt Inline Capping Tool.

You know the type:  brass sheet metal, formed into a rectangular cross section tube to hold caps in line, and spring-driven,  The cap passes to and is held in pincher-fingers for you to place on the nipple.  Spring pressure feeds next cap into position, etc.

I guess they are still faster than using your gloved fingers, but I never found them any facter than using my fingers.  Of course, I've never had the urgency of reloading a cap 'n ball revolver while someone was shooting at me!  They should work okay for CAS stages.

John

[Flint]

Get an inline capping tool for starters. they fit the Remington best.  The "snail" shaped capper will hold a whole can full of caps, but doesn't fit in the Remington nipple cut as well, as the nose of the capper is wider than the inline style, the snail fits a Colt very well.  One solution if you have the nerve is to open up the Remington nipple port to accommodate the capper better.  Cappers, grease dispensers, flasks, and all that stuff are expected if you're shooting a Cap & Ball, no-one will laugh at legitimate equipment..  Also get a loading stand, it makes loading a revolver a lot easier.

[David L]

I guess they are still faster than using your gloved fingers, but I never found them any facter than using my fingers.  Of course, I've never had the urgency of reloading a cap 'n ball revolver while someone was shooting at me!  They should work okay for CAS stages.

John

Um.....This made no sense at all to me John, I just can't picture being able to get that little bitty can open(#10 percussion cap can) with gloved hands. The only way I see this is with latex gloves, even high quality gloves like Tillman's I found opening the can "almost" impossible, and there was no way I could even think about capping my cylinder with gloved hands, I don't wear gloves while capping my cylinder because I find it to be an impossible task even for well fitted leather gloves.

You have folks shooting at you? Let me say this now while I have the chance, Was nice knowing ya. On the other hand IF I implied someone was shooting at me and I need a method of quickly recapping my cylinders then you have misunderstood my post - Folks are not shooting at me guy and I'm not shooting at anyone either. I do not need a gun to dispatch an intruder, I'm extremely good at close combat with my hands ---*LOL***

Thanks for the info on cappers

David L

[David L]

OK Flint on the inline capping tool, I'm looking and shopping now for one. The revolver reloading stand looks like a boot-jack that was cut in half. I'll bet if I dig-out my ole wooden boot jack I can make my own out of that by cutting it in half and screwing the U part of it to a little bit bigger base. I already have the wood and screws, might as well use what I already have.

I'm looking at next year for CAS shooting, by then I think I'll have everything rounded up that I should need. Besides, it will give me a year to get to know this gun and how it shoots different loads, that and, I think it will take about that long to get up the courage to cut my hair, OR should I say take the hedge clippers to it...*L*

Thanks for the info

David L

[The Shrink]

David

I'd suggest that you check out all the snail type cappers, I use the Cash and it fits my Rogers & Spencer.  Don't have a Remington, so I can't say if it will fit yours.  The problem with the in-line ones is that they only hold nine or so caps, so you have to reload them every time you use them.  I fail to see the point.  the Snail type will hold a full box.  I would doubt that the plastic see through ones would work, but try one of the brass snail type.

[David L]

Hiya Shrink

I'm glad ya said something, this narrows down the field of choices here. I do not want to reload an inline capper after capping just one cylinder, I think the snail type is just the order of the day here.....Thanks loads!!!

NO telling what I would have wound-up with without all the good advise here.

Thanks to everyone that replied, it really helped me out and prolly saved me some money by buying the right one to begin with....

David L

Chicken today and feathers tomorrow....

[howdy doody]

Howdy David, I love my 58 rem repros, even though I shoot my ROAs more often.
I found that the Ted Cash inline capper will work fine with the high flash shields on the rem cylinders. It is the capper with two fingers of spring steel, not the one with only one finger. They hold about 20+ caps. I couldn;t get a snail capper to work on my rems, but it will on the ROAs, go figure.
I agree anything you can get to work will be better than using your fingers. That get's old.
For leather I got mine from 4EyedBill in Okla. He makes a nice holster to your specs for not too much money. Mine are lined and stamped and really heavy duty. I am a little rough on equipment. Here is a link to Bills place. My rig can be seen about 4 from the bottom in the gunbelt section. Black, no bullet loops, pouch, derringer holster. He made me a second set of holsters for my 5 1/2" ROAs that hang off the same belt.
http://www.leathergunsetc.com/index.html

[Cactus Cris]

I use Ted Cash in line for my 58's.  They hold 12.  Leather is from ( dare I say ?) Big Ed.  Plain slim jims.  Not into fancy.  Have 5 round flasks ( 5 diff. powder's) and many nozzels from 10 to 35 gr.  Also a nipple pick, and a wedge puller.
  All the stuff that is needed for C&B is what makes it fun.  Anybody can shoot FC.  It takes balls to shoot C&B. :shock:    :-D

[David L]

Hiya Howdy Do,

Ya know, the Ted Cash Capper is what I’m looking for. I plan on getting 2 more cylinders from Cabela’s so holding 20 caps will get the job done. Since that snail capper may not work I’ll go with something that is tried and proven like the Ted Cash, getting info directly from folks that use this equipment has saved me the headache of “Trial an Error” and useless spending on something I will never use, thanks…..

I looked at the holsters and they are very impressive for the price, I counted on spending about 250 bucks but I can see right now I can more or less put together my own “custom” rig for a bit less. I have that site book-marked for when my kitchen-pass is validated for this purchase….again, Thanks!!

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Hiya Cris,

OK, on the nipple pick and wedge puller. You more or less confirmed the Ted Cash Capper purchase for me, I was looking at what the regular shooters of C&B are using and when you said the same thing Howdy Do, that sealed the deal. I haven’t checked out the local dealers on gun holsters yet but I suspect I’ll be getting one from the website that Howdy Do suggested. I wanna be able to pick out my dye color and have my initials stamped onto the face of it.

===============

I have already purchased an adjustable round powder flask from Cabela’s.

http://www.cabelas.com

Item ID is this:

ID-210252

This flask eliminates measuring each charge for each cylinder. It has 5 gr increments but CAN be adjusted for anything in between 5 to 30 grs. It is extremely consistant in throwing the same charge from cylinder to cylinder and is VERY fast when it comes to reloading, solid brass and well built from what I can see so far, I really like it.

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With my ReLoading block, cream-of-wheat dippers and Ted Cash Capper should make the process painless and easy. I would have stayed in C&B shooting years ago if I would have known about all these time-saving tools. I sold my ole colt over 15 years ago for 50 bucks because of all the hassel of reloading. I truly regret that now and get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach just thinking about it, O’well, chicken today and feathers tomorrow……

Thanks for everyones help on this, I’m looking at more expensive guns now, I HOPE y’all are happy!!!!…..I know I am…*LOL*****

David L

[Rob P.]

Hello David, I am glad to see you are enjoying the Cap & ball revolver. I just thought I would mention that I have had problems with every capper I have tried and have resorted to just using my fingers but it seems they work for some of the above fellers. Well I'm off to make my own smoke today so good luck and good shooting, Rob P.

[howdy doody]

Pards, I should go on to say about this a couple of things.
1- 4EyedBill didn't even charge me but $225 for the rig pictured and he made the pouch in lieu of the loops. Said it took the same amount of time.

2- I don't even use a flask any more. I use loading tubes from Dixie Gun Works. What they are is CB anntenna covers. You measure your load out, and I use a 1.9cc lee scoop (30 gr) at home and load the powder and then just stick the ball in the end of the tube ( a soft vynal plastic) and the ball stays in and the powder never spills. At the shoot I work the ball out with thumb and squeeze the tube into a funnel and add wad from a tin and ball and ram. No muss and no fuss. I can load those C&Bs really quick and just cap at the loading table. It works for me just fine, since I only shoot C&B this year and needed to stream line operations best I could.

If you get real interested in what the deal is all about, I can take a pic and post it.