Removal of exploded caps

[david]

When shooting some of the caps are not falling off the nipples. Do I need to remove these before I cntinue shooting. What can I do to aid the dislodging of the caps.

[Singing Bear]

Keep shooting until you're empty.  As long as the caps are not dislodging and jamming the cylinder, it's okay.  If you look at the recoil shield, you'll see one side at the top is grooved.  This is to allow loose spent caps to fall out as the cylinder is turned.  I use CCI's and they fragment pretty good when fired and most fall out just as they should on the grooved side of the frame.  A few will wedge themselves between the nipple and the cylinder, but usually don't affect the action.  And still a few stick to the hammer and falls into the action preventing the hammer from coming in contact with the next cap.   All are inherent problems with just about any c&b revolver.

Certain brands of caps will remain whole even after firing.  They usually need to be picked off the nipple before reloading.  The upside is that no fragments will jam the action.  The downside is that they can sometimes be difficult to pry off the nipples.

[Shorty]

David,
They ain't supposed to "fall off"!  That's how they jam up you action.  Ideally, they will split but stay on so that it's easy to pluck them off with your fingernail.  Usually, my biggest problem is when they jam onto the nipple so tightly I have to pry them off with the point of a knife!  

[dodgecity]

Fragmenting or dislodged caps can cause a jamming problem in any cap n ball revolver, but, the Colt models are particularly prone. If a cap is dislodged from a loaded cylinder, stop shooting immediately! An exposed nipple on a loaded chamber is an invitation for a chain fire. To minimize the possibility of a jam from a fragmented cap, or, dislodged cap on the fired chamber, get into the habit of smartly raising the revolver to a vertical position while cocking it for the next round. this will throw the cap  away from the action rather than allowing the fragments to fall into it. The channel in the recoil shield was designed to help with this problem, but many of the replicas have a poorly aligned groove, or, one of insufficient depth or poor design. At any rate, a fragment, or entire cap that falls between the hammer and frame will surely be a problem. Manually throwing the cap or fragment away by raising the revolver is a period correct precaution against that type of jamming.

[david]

Thanks for the information. The revolver I'm shooting is a 36 cal Colt signature series. I tried #10 caps but they are too tight and will not slide on to the nipple enough to allow proper cylinder rotation and am now shooting #11. I just purchased the gun and therefore am not familar with its shooting characteristics.

[Gatofeo]

A small, narrow-bladed screwdriver handily pops off spent caps that are firmly stuck to the nipple.
Insert the blade upright, between the spent cap and the shoulder of the nipple and drag it backwards. Works like a charm.
The same screwdriver can often be used to remove a spent cap that falls down into the action. Many times I've held the revolver upside and, when a vigorous shaking didn't do it, worked the screwdriver into the action while the hammer is cocked. You usually have to hold the revolver overhead to see the cap but it can spare you from disassembling it.
NOTE: Do not do the above with a loaded cylinder. If the cylinder is partially loaded, remove it and place it face-down on the shooting bench or even the ground, a few feet away.
If all else fails, use the screw driver to disassemble the blamed thing and remove the cap fragments from the action. Done that a few times too.  :roll:

[Hellgate]

I just pick up a spent 38 spl casing and slip the mouth over the nipple and pry off the tight caps. That was the brass case doesn't mar the steel like a screwdriver can if you slip.