Percussion Caps

[Dogmann]

Is it safe to use #11 Magnum percussion caps as opposed to standard #11? Iwanted to use these on a New Lyman and a newer TC percusiion?

[Semisane]

Totally safe (and recommended).

[necchi]

Yup, what he said 

[johnnyb]

+1 on what Semi said, I use #11 magnum  caps on all of percussion guns even my Ruger Old Army.

[ceadersavage2]

Go use them there better in cold weather

[keith44]

It is absolutely safe!


I have a different view of their use though.


If you are using Goex 2F or 3F, or any other Real Black Powder, not a substitute like pyrodex or whatever, you do not need magnum percussion caps.  Remember real black is lit off by the sparks of a flintlock so as long as the flash channel is clear, clean and dry, and the powder is dry, they are just not needed with the real stuff.

[Dogmann]

Right now I'm still learning and experimenting. I use the Goex but I want to try a cleaner substitute. So magnums won't hurt only help....

[keith44]

Right now I'm still learning and experimenting. I use the Goex but I want to try a cleaner substitute. So magnums won't hurt only help....

Correct, the magnum will help with ignition, but may affect accuracy in a bad way.  Not usually the case though.  Try both you might be suprised

[Dogmann]

I just got some Pyrodex

[ironball]

If I remember correctly, (not always the case anymore), magnum caps came out in response to hunters using Pyrodex and having ignition difficulties in cold weather. Regular caps always worked when I experimented with Pyrodex years ago. They are probably not needed otherwise, but I doubt they will hurt.

[keith44]

If I remember correctly, (not always the case anymore), magnum caps came out in response to hunters using Pyrodex and having ignition difficulties in cold weather. Regular caps always worked when I experimented with Pyrodex years ago. They are probably not needed otherwise, but I doubt they will hurt.

Well unless we both are out in left that sounds about right to me.  Also all of those conversion nipples to use small rifle and small pistol primers, the musket cap conversions, and yes the magnum percussion caps.  I seem to remember it being a cold weather, and damp conditions fix for improper loading and poor rifle designs

[ironball]

Improper loading and poor rifle designs??? No, it was a fix for improper choice of powder!

[keith44]

Improper loading and poor rifle designs??? No, it was a fix for improper choice of powder!

Ok I'll agree with the powder choice, but you must admit that some of the imported rifles had too long of a path from the percussion nipple to the powder charge
 

[ironball]

Yea, I have a .45 CVA I bought in 1978 that has that problem. That's the gun that cured me from Pyrodex.
 
Nowadays I mostly shoot flint long guns and BP revolvers, so I don't really have any use for the imitations.

[keith44]

mine was (is) a traditions Hawken in .54 cal




Oh and to the OP there are a couple of places that sell "nipple primers"  these tools trickle a small amount of powder into the nipple then you are supposed to put the percussion cap on the nipple and fire the load.  DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE STOOP TO THIS LEVEL OF UNSAFE LOADING PROCEDURES!!!  This is more gimmick than good engineering as it causes high pressures in a low pressure area, and can cause damage to the gun.  At a bare minimum these things will cause the fired cap to become schrapnel

[ironball]

The truth is, those old imports are actually historically correct. The addition of the snail drum, and replacement of the hammer was how they converted flintlocks to caplocks back in the day. Maybe that was all the Italians could get their hands on to copy back in those early repro days?
 
And I agree, do not trickle powder into a nipple. Buy a little screw ball puller to attach to the ramrod if the gun didn't come with one.

[coyotejoe]

Improper loading and poor rifle designs??? No, it was a fix for improper choice of powder!

Ok I'll agree with the powder choice, but you must admit that some of the imported rifles had too long of a path from the percussion nipple to the powder charge
 

That issue is not limited to imports, T/C and the imported clones of T/C are about as bad as any. A lot of recomended practices are really "work-arounds" to compensate for poor designs.

[ironball]

coyotejoe, the pointyou are missing is that it wasn't such a "poor design" back in the 1800's when black powder was the only thing available. It actually was a major improvement, otherwise they would not have adopted it. Those folks had just graduated from flintlocks, and knew the importance of keeping the firing mechanism clean. Something that has been lost on many modern day "mountain men". Besides, they didn't have to deal with all the intricacies of various fake powders.