LeMat smooth bore ignition problem

[alan33rice]

New Pietta LeMat revolver.
Having trouble getting the .63 cal center barrel to fire regularly (one time in ten, "not" ).
I noticed that when the "shotgun" hammer falls, it hits the nipple at an angle and "skids" up a little.   In the process, the cap does not fire, and often the "stuff" in the cap is driven into the nipple.
Anybody else's does that?
Is there a brand or size cap that works best?
Did J. E. B. Stuart have to put up with this?  (i. e. is this a design flaw from 1855?)
                                     Grumpy Grandpa

[simonkenton]

That's probably how that damn Yankee got the drop on Jeb, Jeb had a point blank shot at that varmint and the smoothbore barrel misfired!

Just kidding, I don't know much about the LeMat, good luck with it, what a cool pistol.

[madcratebuilder]

Did you see me reply over at gunboards?  You may need to do some work on the hammer nose.  It sounds like it is dropping down to far.  At the proper angle it well hit the center barrel nipple dead on.

[Gaucho Gringo]

I have read that some solve the problem by sanding the top of their caps, therefor making them thinner and more sensitive to being hit. I do not know personally whether this works but on other gunboards this has been posted as a solution to this problem.