Hawken cap question

[hammerman]

Went out and burned some powder today :: WOW, its been forever since I've smelled that smell :thumbsup:
Back to the question on hand: When seating the cap do you press it all the way down on the nipple or just till it feels like its tight(hard to explain). I had problems with nofires/lightfires from them and can't seem to pinpoint the problem. I was using remington brand #11's and the hammer was definately smashing them but they were not firing or just barely popping some of the time. Could I have been installing them on the nipple wrong? or maybe they were a bad batch?

The nipple was clean(brushed and picked every 4th or 5th shot)and the channel was clear of obstruction. All I can figure is the batch was not so good. What do y'all suggest for a brand of caps?



BTW The cabelas Hawken that I got likes 70-80 grains behind a maxi-hunter :front:

 

[roundball]

Went out and burned some powder today :: WOW, its been forever since I've smelled that smell :thumbsup:
Back to the question on hand: When seating the cap do you press it all the way down on the nipple or just till it feels like its tight(hard to explain). I had problems with nofires/lightfires from them and can't seem to pinpoint the problem. I was using remington brand #11's and the hammer was definately smashing them but they were not firing or just barely popping some of the time. Could I have been installing them on the nipple wrong? or maybe they were a bad batch?

The nipple was clean(brushed and picked every 4th or 5th shot)and the channel was clear of obstruction. All I can figure is the batch was not so good. What do y'all suggest for a brand of caps?

BTW The cabelas Hawken that I got likes 70-80 grains behind a maxi-hunter :front:

FWIW, I never had good luck with Remington caps...tried CCI brand and they were very good, used them for several years, then used CCI#11 Magnums when they came out, and they've been outstanding...I seat mine down as far & tight as I can get them.

I also store spare tins of caps with a piece of electrician's tape wrapped around the lid, and then seal them in a ziploc bag.
:m2c:

 

[Sully]

Seat the caps firmly on the nipple. Is the nipple new or well used ? If it is well used or if the rifle has been " Dry Fired" I would change the nipple.

 

[Halftail]

A long time ago I had some trouble with Remington caps.Probably 10 or 12 years ago.A lot of people I knew then said they weren't any good.Then swithed to CCI and never had anymore experiences with Remington untill a year ago when a guy gave me 20 or so tins that a Dog got into and chewed 2 or 3 of the tins up some.I have been firing these at the range without any trouble.Even some of the tins that were only punctured a little I never had a missfire.(you would think there would have been some drool in there :: )
Last weekend I was at a shoot when a woman ahead of me on the line forgot her cap so I offered her one(Being the Gentleman I am) :winking:
She took it and she was shooting a smaller cal. rifle that the cap was too big and her hammer didn't set it off.
I suspect that was something to do with he nipple being too small.....

 

[jdixon]

I agree with some others here that storage and moisture may be an issue if the caps you are using are a few years old. My experience is from what you described, you have a cap that is slightly too small for the nipple you have. You are hitting the paper with the #11 size for a Hawkin, however - not all #11 caps are made equal. I have found caps vary in size by different makes, even though they may say they are the same size, they are not. The diameter of #11 caps may differ as much as .006" depending on the brand. Diameter is not the only consideration however; length of the cap can sometimes be a problem. Some nipple designs flare the barrel, others have the same diameter the entire length of the barrel. Those that flare, a cap that is too deep, even if it is the right diameter, will fail in the way you were describing.
The DGW catalog lists some popular caps and their sizes (page #660 of the 2005 ed.) as the following:
Alcan #10's .167 dia. .178 length
RWS 1075's .170 .170
Remington #11's .170 .190
Winchester #11's .175 .200
DGW's table doesn't list CCI's - but with a digital caliper I just checked some #11's CCI's that I have here - inside diameter seems to be around 0.163, O.D. - 0.176, depth on the inside of the cap to the charge 0.117 and over-all length 0.165.
I would try some different #11 caps. As you can see from the chart, Remington #11 caps are longer than any of the other #11 listed, this could be the culprit if you have a flared barrel nipple. I shoot Remington #11's all of the time on a Ruger OA - never had any problem with them, put the same caps on my Investarms Hawkin - double hits about every time to get fire. :results:

 

[Maynerd62411]

I had the opposite problem. CCI's would misfire or plug the nipple with the paper in them. I switched to Remington's and have never had any problems.

 

[arcticap]

There are "old" & "new" Remington caps. The old ones have a
clear golden priming compound while the new ones have a solid green color. The old #10's fit on a #11 nipple, while the old #11's were oversized. The new #11's are tighter and claim to burn hotter. Which were you using? I have never had any problems with any but I can easily imagine there being underpowered batches produced or affected by storage somehow.

 

[oomcurt]

While I am somewhat new to black powder..I have shot approximately 100 balls out of my Renegade. I used only CCI #11 caps and have no misfires whatsoever. Nor do I "pick" the nipple. I do use a hot shot nipple however. Along with that..I use a Ted Cash capper. That allows me to set the cap firmly down on the nipple. At an average shooting with the outfit I joined I will shoot anywheres from 25 to maybe 40 shots.

 

[oldmaster]

I tend to push caps on to a snug fit and have always had good luck with CCI caps and so so luck with Remington. :m2c:

 

[hcook]

I always put the cap on, then carefully lower the hammer down on the cap and push on it to "set" the cap. Works well for me especially after things get dirty. I'd also check up in the hammer to check for stuck caps in there or excessive fouling.

Hank

 

[hammerman]

Thanks guys, they are the ones with the green colored charge. Most of the time I would have had to hit it twice to get it to fire. The nipple is a flared one FWIW.
I'll try seating them on nice and tight for now till I can track me down some CCI's locally.
How much better are the hotshot nipples? Are they worth getting to replace the original with if all I am going to use the gun for is hunting and/or target plinking?
And on that subject, can I just drill the bottom hole a tad larger to get more fire into the chamber? Or is that not the difference in the hotshots?

 

[Rebel]

Yes the Hot Shot nipples are worth the price. They aren't even that expensive. In the mean time try lowering the hammer down on the nipple carefully after you cap it. Then push down on the hammer to seat the cap good. Also, i perfer CCI #11 magnum caps. Have had very, very few problems with them.

 

[roundball]

Thanks guys, they are the ones with the green colored charge. Most of the time I would have had to hit it twice to get it to fire. The nipple is a flared one FWIW.
I'll try seating them on nice and tight for now till I can track me down some CCI's locally.
How much better are the hotshot nipples? Are they worth getting to replace the original with if all I am going to use the gun for is hunting and/or target plinking?
And on that subject, can I just drill the bottom hole a tad larger to get more fire into the chamber? Or is that not the difference in the hotshots?

First thing I did with every percussion I ever owned was to replace the factory nipple with a Hot Shot.

No, don't drill out the bottom of any nipple...that will have a negative effect...ie: if/when a hole starts to get enlarged from fire wear, it needs to be replaced.

A Hot Shot's primary design points are a slightly longer length for a longer combustion chamber so to speak, and a tiny side vent hole near the top of the nipple

 

[Snuffy]

Best ones are the RWS Dynamit Nobels 1075s (red box) :nono:

 

[Rebel]

Not necessarily. I have had prob;ems with them fitting some nipples.

 

Best ones are the RWS Dynamit Nobels 1075s (red box) :nono:

I agree . I have not had any problems with them fitting the nipples on my guns (CVA and TC) . I also use a Ted Cash capper . :m2c: :thumbsup:

 

[750k2]

My A&H pops any caps I try - Hot shot nipple was put on when new Have tried OLD Dixies, RWS,CCI new magnum and old ones 20+yrs and Remingtons.
If Rem is all that is around try a different lot # and see if there is a dif. Had some shotgun primers a decade
ago that federal put out that were bad (said the machine went out of adjustment) They replaced the whole case.

Could also try a nipple that uses musket caps??

 

[sidelock]

Bought 1000 caps a few years ago at a NSSA meet in VA.(make unknown--- Green box--{made in Italy}) Fired them all up--- great performance-- no missfires (not one) but they are all gone. What would you fellows recommend I try next? I do not target shoot--- only hunting. :thanks:

 

[Rebel]

CCI #11 Magnum caps.

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

I had the opposite problem. CCI's would misfire or plug the nipple with the paper in them. I switched to Remington's and have never had any problems.

Ditto on that situation. #11 CCI's needed two hits or even a third whack to seat the cap fully and fire it (BTW, 1 or 2 out of a box wouldn't fire at all!). The Remington #11's worked first time--every time. I've found that the nipple is more to blame... but nipples are cheap--so modifying one to work better with a particular brand of caps is not too big a deal.:relax:

Shoot Safely!
WV_Hillbilly