I shoot my Dragoons in CAS with a cartridge conversion from Kirst.
But when I'm shooting off the clock, I prefer cap and ball.
I like to take the cylinders out and load off the gun using a nice portable press. (not the one you see advertised on Cabellas - yuk!)
My question, for those of you who also like to load off the gun; what do you think about putting the caps on the nipples before putting the cylinder back on the gun?
Now before the safety monitors show up, I am aware this COULD be dangerous in more than one way, I'm just exploring the options.
I take full responsibility for my own actions and hold no man to blame for me killing myself in the most meaningless manner possible by being stoopid.
I'm talking the Dragoon and the Walker.
If I were to put caps on the nipples, it would be the same way I shoot all my CAS guns; with one empty chamber under the hammer.
So with 5 caps I would think being careful to keep the empty chamber aligned with the hammer, and carefully placing it on the arbor should be safe enough.
Then putting the barrel back on the frame would introduce the first "dangerous" situation; a hand in front of the loaded cylinder. This alone has kept me from actually doing more than "think" about doing it. But, if the gun is in proper working order, there "shouldn't" be any reason to expect an accidental detonation of a cap... "shouldn't" being the famous last words and all.
Then there is the inevitable "finageling" of the wedge, again with a hand in front of loaded the cylinder. It might be possible to accidentally rotate to a loaded chamber and drop the hammer while messing with the wedge...
With all that being known danger areas, what are your thoughts on pre capping the loaded cylinder before putting a cylinder loaded off the gun back on the gun?
Oh, why do I want to even think about doing this?
As I get older the caps seem to be getting smaller cuz I sure can't see them as well these days. A capper helps BIG TIME! and love Cash's snail capper but I'm always looking at other ways to make life easier.
But when I'm shooting off the clock, I prefer cap and ball.
I like to take the cylinders out and load off the gun using a nice portable press. (not the one you see advertised on Cabellas - yuk!)
My question, for those of you who also like to load off the gun; what do you think about putting the caps on the nipples before putting the cylinder back on the gun?
Now before the safety monitors show up, I am aware this COULD be dangerous in more than one way, I'm just exploring the options.
I take full responsibility for my own actions and hold no man to blame for me killing myself in the most meaningless manner possible by being stoopid.
I'm talking the Dragoon and the Walker.
If I were to put caps on the nipples, it would be the same way I shoot all my CAS guns; with one empty chamber under the hammer.
So with 5 caps I would think being careful to keep the empty chamber aligned with the hammer, and carefully placing it on the arbor should be safe enough.
Then putting the barrel back on the frame would introduce the first "dangerous" situation; a hand in front of the loaded cylinder. This alone has kept me from actually doing more than "think" about doing it. But, if the gun is in proper working order, there "shouldn't" be any reason to expect an accidental detonation of a cap... "shouldn't" being the famous last words and all.
Then there is the inevitable "finageling" of the wedge, again with a hand in front of loaded the cylinder. It might be possible to accidentally rotate to a loaded chamber and drop the hammer while messing with the wedge...
With all that being known danger areas, what are your thoughts on pre capping the loaded cylinder before putting a cylinder loaded off the gun back on the gun?
Oh, why do I want to even think about doing this?
As I get older the caps seem to be getting smaller cuz I sure can't see them as well these days. A capper helps BIG TIME! and love Cash's snail capper but I'm always looking at other ways to make life easier.
Last edited: