Caps splitting on ROA

Q

qcable

Inactive
I am having a problem with a ROA and wonder if others are having similar problems. The percussion caps just seem to explode and binds the cylinder on almost every shot. The caps will separate into several pieces and stay in the nipple area preventing the cylinder from rotating. Pointing the revolver up and/or rolling it to the right has little effect.

The components I am using are:
Remington # 11 caps
20 grains of Hodgdon 777
Lubed wad
Cream of Wheat filler
Hornady .457 RB

I have tried to use CCI # 10 caps and they are too small. No stores in this town sells CCI # 11 caps. A Pietta revolver I have, and use an identical load except it uses # 10 caps, does not cause the caps to separate as much. It only hangs up periodically. If I force the #10 caps on the ROA nipples using a wooden rod they do not explode and bind the cylinder.

Do any of you guys have any ideas about how to correct this problem? The ROA is a used stainless one that I just bought.
 
Try some different caps

The percussion caps just seem to explode
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This is going to stir the pot and so be it. They are suppose to fracture so they don't get stuck on the nipple. Now hold on, this applies to single shot M/L's. If you look at the cup walls of "most" caps, they are ribbed on purpose. Again, it's so they "don't" get stuck on the nipple. I've had as many as five or six fractured caps stacked inside my hammer cup. As far as C&B revolvers, there has to be a cap that is more user friendly. When I had my ROA, the cap wall was smooth but I still had a few that got jammed. ...... ;)

Either change the nipples, change the caps, or both.
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This would be my call, as well ..... :rolleyes:

Be Safe !!!
 
Thanks for your replys.

Later this week I am traveling to the Flagstaff area and the Sportsman's Warehouse there has some CCI # 11 and 11M caps. My plan is to buy some of both and see if either will work better. I will post the results next week.

If CCI caps do not cure the problem then my next step will be to replace the nipples. What brand would anyone suggest ?? Oh yes, I should mention...I am relatively new to the black powder revolvers since my first purchase was late last year. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
 
When I first fired my 1858 Pietta NMA with BP and caps 4.5 years, that was one of my 1st questions. They pretty much all do that.


Here's a link to Slix-Shot nipples for your Ruger Old Army.
http://cowboybullets.com/SliX-Shot_p_47.html

They work with Remington #10 caps.

I think you'll find that the caps still split. Kinda how they work.
 
Drobs, Thanks for your advice.

I realize the caps are designed to split and be easily removed from the nipples. I also have 2 Pietta 1858 NMA revolvers and the caps will cause the cylinder to hang periodically, but on this ROA the caps fragment and prevent cylinder rotation on almost every shot.

The ROA is a used one and this past weekend was the first time that I shot it. After every shot, parts of the cap would be jammed between the cylinder and the right rear of the revolver, preventing cylinder rotation. Picking the pieces out with a small screwdriver would free the cylinder. I'm sure this isn't normal and I must work at finding a solution.
 
I really like my Track of The Wolf nipples, though I chose them primarily because I didn’t have the Ruger nipple tool and went to great lengths to track down a Klein 3/16 nutdriver. Regardless they are good and have the interior dimensions of Tressos but with the exterior of the Ruger nipples according to them. And comparing to another retailer they were $1 less per nipple which paid for the shipping.

They state they are designed to work with CCI #11’s but the magnum variety don’t work well. But Rem #10’s work flawlessly. Can’t seem to find standard CCI #11’s to try without buying a crap ton not knowing if I’ll like them so I keep buying the Remingtons.
 
Blackie at Shaman's Forge Woodscraft (YouTube) has a video on filing a slight channel in the back of the nipple cone face, to direct the gasses and split the caps in just the right place. You might try that on a couple of your gun's nipples and see if that fixes the problem. It might not help, but then again it might save you a lot of time and money.

"Try the easy fixes first."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr5Efa8L5DA
 
First, I would certainly like to thank all of you who have responded to my problem. All have been good advice and I appreciate your timely to reply. Since I am a "newbie" on black powder revolvers any advice is helpful.

Today I went to the range, along with another ROA that I borrowed from a friend. He also had an extra container of Remington # 10 caps that I bought. Using my same original loads his ROA did not have any problems with either size cap.. Then I tried my ROA with Remington # 10 caps and had the same exact problem as before. So, to my way of thinking, that eliminates caps as the problem. Then I switched nipples with the cylinder in my friend's ROA and shot both revolvers again. My ROA shot both # 10 and # 11 caps with no problems. My friend's has the same problem with both types of caps !! To me, that proves that I need new nipples for my revolver.

Again, thanks to all of you for your help.
 
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