Favorite cap, Uberti 1851, 158s, 1860s?

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
OK, here is a picture of percussion cap dimensions that a CAS Forum member posted a few years back. I attempted to post the whole three page thread on the caps. It was posted by a former member that went by the name of Mako who was very knowledgeable on percussion guns, their workings, faults, and fixes. He was some kind of an engineer by trade I believe and was very talented in posting CAD drawings of any type of firearm you could mention. Of course, this thread has to do with percussion revolvers and the various percussion caps available and nipples available at the time. At the time of the posting Treso nipples (Mako and some others on CAS call them cones) were the rage of the percussion community. Slix-Shots were not on the market yet, but after the posting of this thread, postings on the CAS black powder forum related how the Slix's and Treso's were blood brothers.

I attempted to attach the whole three page thread but because my computer skills are lacking alot of know how and ability to do so, I kept getting a "Unable to Download" signal so I just took a picture of the cap chart, downloaded that to my desk computer and went from there. If you want to read the whole thread, which is very informative on caps, nipples, cap to hammer relationship, cap construction, relative power of caps, etc, you'd be missing out on a real real informative article by not reading. I know--CAS has to do with cowboy action shooting of an era that occurred later than flint lock and percussion rifles and pistols (kind of after 1865 era), but the basic information that is relative to cap and ball revolvers from the beginning of Colts Paterson to the last of the cap revolvers developed in the early 1860's is the same. Not all CAS shooters shoot conversions or the 1873 Colt Army 45 Colt. Alot shoot percussion and even muzzleloaders in competition.

If you want to read the thread go to The CAS Forum. Scroll down to 'The Darksiders Den'. At the top of the page you'll see 'The Dark Arts', click on that. About 2/3 down the page is a thread originally posted by a guy call 'Mako' called 'Cap Gun Primer: Correct Cone Length". Click that and three pages of top shelf info follow. I got the cap chart off of page 2. Enjoy. Oh WOW, got it to download. Ifin some outfit hired me to do computer work for them I'd be sent down the road before the 0900 break. I never grew up with these things or had a job that needed the ability of my fingers. Even the 21 years I was a Police Officer the dispatcher did all the work. I typed reports on a typewriter and used a copier for additional copies. Were not even smart phones, much less flip phones around then, carried a Colt Trooper .357, no Tasers, no body camera's, just my 6-shot Colt, Mace, and a side handle baton, plus my deadly trained hands. :)

View attachment 192065

Here is the percussion cap dimension chart I mentioned back in 'Reply #8' (ya have to click the expand). Taking each individual cap dimension, Rem 10's fit down over the nipple similar to all the rest @ 0.166" internal dimension where they fit down on the top of the nipple on average except CCI #10's (which seem to only fit small caliber firearms). Where Rem 10's shine is the external length of skirt, 0.181" more so than all the others (CCI 11's and RWS come closest @ 0.165/0.160" respectively, but still way shorter than Rem 10's).

The Rem 10 length allows the skirt to fit tighter over the body of the nipple farther down as the width of the nipple increases, gripping it tighter. The internal height that covers the nipple of the Rem 10's far exceeds all of the others also adding to the cap fitting down and tighter than the rest, approximately 0.031" more than CCI 11's and RWS's. This allows unfired caps to be retained better when other cylinders are being fired plus as previously noted the longer external skirt after firing hangs/clings better to the nipple once fired. I've noticed this about them when firing other brands/numbers of caps. The thickness of Remmington's primer compound in their caps is less than CCI's which accounts for alot of the loss of skirt with them. Believe MAKO's thread on the CAS Forum I mentioned brings this up.

Nipple manufacturers may have designed their nipples around a CCI 11, but the Rem 10's IMO and from what others report work far better on those CCI 11 designed nipples. Sort of like a car manufacturer recommending a certain brand/model tire for their vehicle, but sometimes a better one can be bought. If anyone reading this hasn't read MAKO's cap/nipple thread on the CAS forum I mentioned in reply #8 of this thread, it is well worth the read. Sad part is that Rem 10's are and seem to be in short supply. I've read that Remington after they reorganized their ammo production facility (sold and moved) the new Remington owners were going to produce percussion caps in abundance once they got up and running and fulfilled ammo orders. Can't say where they are, until then shooters using caps will have to use what they can get.

Edit:::: Three/four years ago I fitted Rem 10 and 11's, CCI 10 and 11's, and RWS's on every revolvers nipples and spare cylinder I had at the time. This included Uberti, Pietta Colt and Remington models, and a ROA. Checked for tightness and seating depth. Factory nipples, SlixShots, Treso's, Track of Wolf nipples were all checked. Rem 10's came in first as far as seating depth/tightness, followed by CCI 11's, and RWS third. Rem 11's didn't have the seating depth and seemed not to fit as tight and CCI 10's were too tight to seat without pushing them to firmly, concerned they would detonate. The Rem 11's are leftovers from what I bought some years back for my TC Hawken MZ rifle. The Colts were two Uberti Navy models, one Army, three Dragoons, Walker, the Remington's were one Uberti and one Pietta, plus two extra Pietta cylinders. One Pietta Navy 44 caliber. The ROA, well was a ROA. I have but can't find a paper that I had digital measurements, but it's around, but lost in the shuffle. I've been going to as I think I previously mentioned going to fire the top three caps I mentioned in firing tests to see how all three performed, but that's a still 'going to' deal testing on factory, Slix, Treso, and Track Wolf nipples. Hope to do so before snow flies.
 
Last edited:
CCI #11s never seem to fit right/tight on the factory nipples of the revolvers I have. After market Treso or Slix always seem to work better with CCI #11. That always adds another $40 for aftermarket nipples! I have tried the pinching, hairspray, spit, etc. Works sometimes but not all the time.

Really gets me thinking how the Texas Rangers kept their revolvers ready to rock and roll while in the back country, on horse back, and in a fight for your life. Mine would go click or cap jam!
 
Pickings are pretty slim right now except for RWS 1075 and 1075+.
I have usually run CCI or Remington on my percussion revolvers. What are your favorites? What do you think of the RWS?
I switched to shooting RWS caps and Swiss powder because of the COVID shortages in 2020. My groups noticeably improved and I stuck with them even after cheaper alternatives became available.

I used to prefer Remington caps but the ones I've tried in the last year have been hit or miss. I think like everything else new productionif its happening has taken a quality hit, and the people that held on to them during the COVID scare are offering caps that are past there shelf life. I never liked the CCI caps. Reliable ignition but they opened up my groups at 100yds by an inch. I think they were too hot.

1075s work fine in my revolvers but I only use OEM nipples in my Italian rerprductions. No experience with the aftermarket Slixshots etc. I'm shooting bullseyes not cowboy action so your mileage may vary. Out of 100 caps I'm getting 0-1 failures.
 
I can only get CCI caps. As has been said, the CCI #11's are best. Their #10's are too small in diameter to properly fit any nipple I've come across.
 
Back
Top