CCI #11 caps - a REAL hazard!

[TFoley]

Stocked up on my usual #11 CCI caps yesterday - all I can get around here within a hundred miles or so - a hied me off to the range this morning for a nice long session with my ROA and 150 made-up cartridges.

The very first six clearing caps I popped I knew I had a problem.

Every one of them fragmented into blisteringly hot fragments, many of which buried themselves in my hand along the top and in my face. I cussed, and passed a very unpleasant 20 minutes or so tweezing the bits out from nasty little wounds they had made in my hand, and a couple of pieces in my face - eyes saved by my wrap-around safety specs. I put on a pair of RAF pilot gloves I keep in my gun box, and carried on, determined not to let this spoil my fun...

Fail.

Within twenty shots it became obvious that I hadn't had the bad luck to pick six baddies - they were ALL like that in the tin.

I picked up another tin, and tried them out - same deal.

They have no lot number that I can find on them, sadly, else I'd tell you what it was.

Anyone else suddenly having this problem with CCI #11 caps?

'snot funny.

tac

 

[Poor Private]

I have never had a probem with the #11 caps from CCI, BUT we in civil war reenactin are not allowed to use thier standard musket caps. CCI caps have 6 wings instead of 4 wings. Which makes them weaker and they fragment off the nipple when fired. I have had buddies with caps in thiers lips, eyebrows and ear loobs from them. CCI due to this problem has in the last couple of years came out with "reenactor caps", in addition to thier stnadard caps. We find them to be ummmm underpowered. Most of us stick to the German caps. I havn't bought any pistol caps in a while except Remingtons. We have a couple of chain stores here that sell them at a reduced price once the muzzleloading hunting seasons are over with and thats when I buy them. I thinnk I have 3-4k of them now.

 

[nkbj]

shazzam

 

[Zonie]

Yours might not have it but my CCI caps have a small number printed on the lower edge of the top.

In my case it is 006E and I'm sure it represents the Lot number.

A Lot number is often used to identify large groups of parts that are made at the same time.

 

[TFoley]

Yours might not have it but my CCI caps have a small number printed on the lower edge of the top.

In my case it is 006E and I'm sure it represents the Lot number.

A Lot number is often used to identify large groups of parts that are made at the same time.

Gottit!

E21P

I'm familiar with the system of lot numbering. Over here in UK we even make some things by this modern 'mass-production' method that that nice Mr Whitney talks about.

No doubt you are familiar with it? :hmm:

tac

 

[TFoley]

I have never had a probem with the #11 caps from CCI, BUT we in civil war reenactin are not allowed to use thier standard musket caps. CCI caps have 6 wings instead of 4 wings. Which makes them weaker and they fragment off the nipple when fired. I have had buddies with caps in thiers lips, eyebrows and ear loobs from them. CCI due to this problem has in the last couple of years came out with "reenactor caps", in addition to thier stnadard caps. We find them to be ummmm underpowered. Most of us stick to the German caps. I havn't bought any pistol caps in a while except Remingtons. We have a couple of chain stores here that sell them at a reduced price once the muzzleloading hunting seasons are over with and thats when I buy them. I thinnk I have 3-4k of them now.

Ah, 'chain stores....'

Right.

'muzzleloading hunting season...'

Right.

'3-4k of them...'

Right.

Sir, THIS is UK, and, like I said, the nearest store to me that has anything else except CCI is in North Yorkshire, about 150-160 miles to the north of me. It's not a matter of preferring one make over another. Given the choice, I, too, would shoot only RWS caps. Hereabouts, it's CCI or don't shoot.

And no wonder we can only get manure - YOU'VE bought all the good ones. :td:

tac

 

[Kentuckywindage]

fragmenting caps is nothing new, i always get that with ALL primer brands.

 

[Poor Private]

I have never had a probem with the #11 caps from CCI, BUT we in civil war reenactin are not allowed to use thier standard musket caps. CCI caps have 6 wings instead of 4 wings. Which makes them weaker and they fragment off the nipple when fired. I have had buddies with caps in thiers lips, eyebrows and ear loobs from them. CCI due to this problem has in the last couple of years came out with "reenactor caps", in addition to thier stnadard caps. We find them to be ummmm underpowered. Most of us stick to the German caps. I havn't bought any pistol caps in a while except Remingtons. We have a couple of chain stores here that sell them at a reduced price once the muzzleloading hunting seasons are over with and thats when I buy them. I thinnk I have 3-4k of them now.

Ah, 'chain stores....'

Right.

'muzzleloading hunting season...'

Right.

'3-4k of them...'

Right.

Sir, THIS is UK, and, like I said, the nearest store to me that has anything else except CCI is in North Yorkshire, about 150-160 miles to the north of me. It's not a matter of preferring one make over another. Given the choice, I, too, would shoot only RWS caps. Hereabouts, it's CCI or don't shoot.

And no wonder we can only get manure - YOU'VE bought all the good ones. :td:

tac

Sorry about buying all the good caps( :wink: ) but it happens sometimes. I feel for your ability to buy limited locations, and brands. RWS is my choice in musket caps. I try to avoid CCI caps in any form.

 

[vthunter52]

I've never had a fragmenting problem with CCI caps, but do get a larger amount of duds. I too prefer RWS caps, but getting hard to find. They are expensive(worth it), and a minimum order with hazmat fees really runs the tab up. Most dealers in this area carry only CCI, because it's all their distributers carry. It's a sad state, but most shooters in my area have gone to the modern ML, and everyone stocks 209 primers. What is the world coming to? The other reason I'm turning to flint!

 

[Tumblernotch]

I don't have any problem with CCI caps fragmenting, but I've been seeing more duds. I'm an RWS man myself, but the price for those is getting crazy, especially for musket caps. I can get them locally for $12/100. Yes friends, that's $12 per Hundred. I saw 200 cap tins at a show last week priced at $20. The last time I bought any they were $8.00/200. I still have a bunch in 250 ct. tins that I paid less than $5 for. I'm seeing RWS #11s going for $7 to $8 per tin which is the going rate for CCIs about everywhere I go. While I was at that show, I bought some old Italian and DGW caps on the cheap for plinking. They look good at least. I'll have to clean the guns carefully because they'll have fulminate of mercury in them. Guess I kinda ran off the rails here. No fragments, some duds.

 

[George T.]

RWS are nor readily available and until reciently the local shops only carried CCI caps. I guess that with drying after cleaning and shooting I have fired 2500 over the last three years. I have only had one dud. In about 6 other times I had not seated the cap so it took a second hammer strike. I want to add that I store them in a out building that is not climent controlled. These were standard #11's and 10's and magnum 11's. I just bought a 1000 #11 magnums and they are working fine. I have swiched to Remington #10 for handguns as they are supposed to be hotter and they were cheap at Gander Mountain. Long Story short myself and most of the other shooters I know don't have problems with CCI caps.

Do you think that there might be some import requirement that leads to your problem? Anyway good luck and stay safe! Geo. T.

 

[cynthialee]

What is the condition of the nipple? If the nipple hole is to large (blown out from over use) the blast back can shred nipples.
Do you ever get blow back of the hammer?

 

[Matt85]

What is the condition of the nipple? If the nipple hole is to large (blown out from over use) the blast back can shred nipples.
Do you ever get blow back of the hammer?

this.

i would check your nipple, maby even replace it. im not saying its not your caps but it might be worth a try.

ive tried four brands of caps and i would rate them as such:
1. RWS
2. Remington
3. CCI
4. CVA

but all 4 caps have worked for me. the onley issues ive had are CCI caps like to not properly hold onto the nipple. CVA caps like to get stuck on the nipple after firing.

-matt

 

[Zonie]

... Over here in UK we even make some things by this modern 'mass-production' method that that nice Mr Whitney talks about.

No doubt you are familiar with it?

Indeed I am sir but I'll remain skeptical until I hear of Mr Whitneys ideas becoming commonplace in the industries.

:rotf:

Sorry if you took offense, but as you know, even when I'm writing to someone who I know will fully understand my comments (like you), I often try to clarify or explain them for the many people who are not familiar with the terms I use when they are reading them.

Who knows? Maybe one of our members who never thought about a lot number will walk into a store and say, "This lot of caps is causing problems for people." only to have the store clerk say,
"Hell! That ain't a lot of caps! You ain't got over 50 or 60 left.
Now, if you want to see a lot of caps look into this big box. There must be a billion of them in there!"

 

[swathdiver]

Stocked up on my usual #11 CCI caps

The very first six clearing caps I popped I knew I had a problem.

Every one of them fragmented into blisteringly hot fragments,

Not familiar with the ROA, could you lighten the mainspring a bit so it won't mash them to pieces and still fire them off?

 

[TFoley]

... Over here in UK we even make some things by this modern 'mass-production' method that that nice Mr Whitney talks about.

No doubt you are familiar with it?

Indeed I am sir but I'll remain skeptical until I hear of Mr Whitneys ideas becoming commonplace in the industries.

:rotf:

Sorry if you took offense, but as you know, even when I'm writing to someone who I know will fully understand my comments (like you), I often try to clarify or explain them for the many people who are not familiar with the terms I use when they are reading them.

Who knows? Maybe one of our members who never thought about a lot number will walk into a store and say, "This lot of caps is causing problems for people." only to have the store clerk say,
"Hell! That ain't a lot of caps! You ain't got over 50 or 60 left.
Now, if you want to see a lot of caps look into this big box. There must be a billion of them in there!"

1. Didn't take offence, was trying to insert a bit of jocularity into what, over here, is a serious business. Seems there are NO other caps to be had except CCI and I bought 5000 of them, not just ONE tin. This is the result of the first of the first tin.

2. To KanawhaRanger - quote - 'Yes friends, that's $12 per Hundred'. last year, when I bought my last black plastic 'tin' of 200 #1801 musket caps, they cost $35.86. That's almost 18c each. And I live substantially nearer Germany than YOU do.

3. The term ROA is the usual abbreviation for the Ruger Old Army .44cal revolver. It has six nipples, and no, I've done nothing to it except to change to nipples about a year ago. Until now all was working just dandy. Futzing around with the mainspring is not something I'd care to do with a gun that functions with mechanical perfection.

4. Here in yUK items of an explosives nature, like this, are non-returnable stock, so I'm now $216 out of pocket with items I can neither return nor dispose of. :cursing: x 10.

tac

 

[Tumblernotch]

2. To KanawhaRanger - quote - 'Yes friends, that's $12 per Hundred'. last year, when I bought my last black plastic 'tin' of 200 #1801 musket caps, they cost $35.86. That's almost 18c each. And I live substantially nearer Germany than YOU do.

Son, I feel for ye! That is ridiculous. Still, I remember buying them here for $3.00 for a 250 ct. real tin. I guess I'm just not ready for change. Of course everything has risen way out of proportion to wages. I reckon it would be a little easier to take if I just bought a few at a time and more often. When you buy a lot every so many years you tend to get hit with sticker shock.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Do you think that there might be some import requirement that leads to your problem? Anyway good luck and stay safe! Geo. T.

There's no problem getting them. It's just burns me that they've jacked the price up so much. If I had to pay a HazMat fee I would really be steamed.

 

[Rat Trapper]

If I was in your situation, I'd take some pictures of the amount of caps you have, some pictures of the problem and then write a letter to CCI. A copy of the receit for the purchase of those caps wouldn't hurt. I am sure if they are in fact defect, CCI will make things right. Oh, and by all means include the lot number in your letter. They by now may already know they have a problem with that lot number.

 

[TFoley]

4. Here in yUK items of an explosives nature, like this, are non-returnable stock, so I'm now $216 out of pocket with items I can neither return nor dispose of. :cursing: x 10.

tac

Darn, I just NOOD I got up too early today. I didn't convert the pounds into dollars back there..

I should have written $360.00.

Even more GRRRRRR.

tac