1:2 Colt 1851 Navy engraved

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Just last week I decided to tinker around in my garage and try making percussion caps that would fit the nipples. The aluminum sheet I had on hand was too thin. One of these days I'm gonna get some copper sheet and try again.

I don't know if the hammer has enough oomph to set off priming compound or not. But I'd like to find out.

Mine is an older one with a fully rifled barrel. Just have to finish drilling tiny holes through the nipples and it could fire. .177 round lead BB's seem like a perfect fit, and a pinch of Swiss Null-B priming powder aughtta be suitable for the charge. No real practical purpose, but I just think it would be cool as heck to actually shoot one of these.
 
Good idea. I am suprised no one makes the primers by now. I guess the numbers/market is just too small.
 
I guess the numbers/market is just too small.
Click to expand...

Was that a pun? :D
I actually called Wayne Driskill to ask if he knew of anyone that makes caps this small. He said no, but apparently they used to over 100 years ago. There were tiny muff pistols had nipples this same size- they were actually carried for personal defense. He said once in a while you come across these antique mini percussion caps, but of course they're too expensive to shoot.

If I can work out the process for forming good cap cups, the next step is to order some priming mix:
https://sharpshooter-22lr-reloader.myshopify.com/products/prime-all-repriming-compound
I may need to make a stronger hammer spring. Do you know if the hammer & trigger are hardened & tempered? I'm assuming they are since a soft sear would wear quickly even just playing with it, but I'd like to make sure.
 
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#5.2 :)

They're miniature replicas that are 47% the size of the real thing. No one makes caps for 'em. The end of the nipples are about as big around as a pin head. :eek:
 
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