Did I get sold bad caps?

[Lickskillet]

Cannot get this shotgun to fire this morning. Caps will not go off, when the hammer strikes, thats all I get. Just plugs the nipples. Cleaned them out, tried again, same thing.

 

[Grenadier1758]

One strike, two strikes or more?
Has it fired previously?

 

[Old Hawkeye]

Do they do the same thing on a different gun/nipple?

 

[Lickskillet]

I got the left barrel to fire with just the hammer striking the nipple. The right barrel finally fired also, same route. Cleaned the nipples, still no fire with the caps.

I shot it around 10 times over the weekend, she got a good cleaning on Sunday evening. Going to break her down and give another cleaning and see what happens.

 

[William Lincoln]

Pull the nipples. Clean the flame channels. You might have
pushed crud down and blocked them. Also remember nipples
and caps are a hand in glove fit. The cap must sit on the
nipple face.

 

[ord sgt]

I put a new nipple on a new barrel. If I don't get the #11 cap to seat squarely on the nipple and push completely down, the hammer will fall and partially crush the cap. Usually, a second hammer fall will get the cap to fire. This IMHO, is due to the machining of the new nipple, being slightly over sized. With repeated firing, enough erosion will improve the fit of cap to nipple. I could try to reduce the cone size with abrasive cloth but risk going too far. So, I will just continue to shoot the rifle this way. Or, I could just get a replacement and hope that the new one is a better fit.

 

[sheriff john]

What brand of caps? New or old stock? I've an assortment of really old caps (40-50 years old) to some only a year old. Old ones are more "disappointing" than "devastating" as a rule but the Alcan antiques mostly fire ok. Even some newer ones will have the primer loose or completely come out of the cap. Might try a different tin of caps before replacing/altering nipples. Just a suggestion.

 

[rafterob]

By the look of the picture, I would say you need to file down the nipples a little so the caps will fully seat. Chuck the nipple in a drill and hold a small flat file against the shaft. Do a little at a time and test for fit with the cap. It usually does not take long at all to get a good fit.

 

[deerstalkert]

By the look of the picture, I would say you need to file down the nipples a little so the caps will fully seat. Chuck the nipple in a drill and hold a small flat file against the shaft. Do a little at a time and test for fit with the cap. It usually does not take long at all to get a good fit.

have had to do this on several percussion guns. never had to do it on my flintlocks

 

[hanshi]

Way back when I noticed the priming came out of some of the caps but can not recall the brand. I had the same problem of a rifle and had to thumb press the caps to fit so they would fire every time. Nipple work solved the problem.

 

[megasupermagnum]

I've had my share of caps that were not seated all the way down, and also nipples that were not perfect fits. I've never once had the priming compound squish into the hole, and the peculiar thing is it looks like it is on the outside as well. Sometimes priming compound can fall out, but it should fall out in a disc, not as powder.

I'm not saying you can't get them to work with some fitment adjustment, but those are definitely not good quality caps.

 

[Lickskillet]

They are CCI caps. Purchase about three months ago right when that new batch of caps hit the market.

I was using up the last of some winchester caps over the weekend. First time I tried the new ones was yesterday. I’m going to get up with a friend a little later and try these caps on his musket. If thats a no go, I’m sending these caps back.

 

[J. Paul]

Does nipple have a small ridge just below top from mushrooming a bit being shot? I carry a small file in my kit to clean up nipple when it does. It will prevent cap from setting down solid and can require 2 or more hammer strikes before nipple is driven down enough to fit firmly on top of nipple.

 

[ZUG]

You may need new nipples. The ones you have maybe battered and not allowing the caps allow total contact with the top of the nipple when the hammer strikes.

 

[user 50507]

and no one has bitched out the op for the fillips head screw !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sawyer04]

I had some caps that drew moisture that looked like those. They dried and fired afterwards. Just saying they had that caved in look.

 

[megasupermagnum]

and no one has bitched out the op for the fillips head screw !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why would anyone? I don't see how it effects the caps at all.

 

[fleener]

I think your problem is that Philips head screw on your ML.

Fleener

 

[megasupermagnum]

They are CCI caps. Purchase about three months ago right when that new batch of caps hit the market.

I was using up the last of some winchester caps over the weekend. First time I tried the new ones was yesterday. I’m going to get up with a friend a little later and try these caps on his musket. If thats a no go, I’m sending these caps back.

These do have red foil in the caps before firing when you look, correct?

 

[Lickskillet]

I lost the tang screw, had to use the home depot replacement. Not going to lie, it definitely intrudes some on the view down the barrel. Doesn’t sit down like the old one. The original is somewhere in my house. I hope one day to find it.

The caps did go off in my friends gun, so I did a little filing. There was a slight ring around the nipples as someone mentioned. Got the rings down, the caps sat down a lot better, and now she goes BOOM again lol. Thanks for all the help!!