Lesson learned about caps

[Atlast357]

10s or 11s
Only two places in town that have BP supplies both had 2 cans
each so got one can of CCI #11 . I removed the cylinder off the newly purchased 1851 Navy, and fit a cap on the nipple they fit fine......... in the shop.
Well being the new kid on the block and I now know the dealers don't shoot black powder guns , and didn't bother ,being kind here, didn't know the caps will fall of when fired.
So next step is try to crimping the cap case a little ?

 

[Lock Nut]

Nipples and caps will vary slightly from one manufacturer to the next even if their both labeled #11 for example. The trick is to find the right combination that works together well.

 

[Zonie]

Pinching the mouth of the caps a little won't cause a problem and it will usually keep the caps from falling off of the nipples when the gun fires.

Many people feel the occasional "chain fire" where more than one chamber fires is caused by loose caps and I tend to agree with them.

I have noticed that sometimes a cap will fall off of the nipple when another chamber has fired.
This can happen even with properly fitting caps so I almost always give the rear of the cylinder a glance to make sure all of the unfired caps are still there.

 

[M. De Land]

I've seen some fast frame camera shots of a cap-n-ball hand gun shooting and it is amazing how much fire comes back through the nipple if the hammer spring is weak or the nipple worn.
My thought is this is what initiates the chain fires when loose caps come off from adjacent cylinders. MD

 

[Atlast357]

Jamming seems to be a concern, but he chain fires
to me could be more serious.
I hear a lot about chain fires, but no one has explained
what really happens when the chamber not aligned with the barrel goes off ?

 

[cynthialee]

Jamming seems to be a concern, but he chain fires
to me could be more serious.
I hear a lot about chain fires, but no one has explained
what really happens when the chamber not aligned with the barrel goes off ?

the bullet goes forward at a very high rate of speed and then embeds lead into every crevace forward of the chamber, the lead wraps around and gets into everything
then you typicaly stand there stuned for a few seconds as your brain registers What? just happened
:grin:

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Jamming seems to be a concern, but he chain fires
to me could be more serious.
I hear a lot about chain fires, but no one has explained
what really happens when the chamber not aligned with the barrel goes off ?

Surprising as it may seem, there usually is no harm to the shooter and often even no permenant dammage to the gun, though I'd not care to bet on it either way. I've shot C&B revolvers for over 50 years and have never had a chainfire so I realy don't worry about it. I do however always take proper measures to guard against it, such as grease over the ball or a grease wad under the ball and I make sure my caps fit tightly on the nipples. Pinching a cap out of round to hold it on the nipple is OK for singleshots but I don't trust that method with a revolver.
But be sure to never get any part of your body ahead of the cylinder just on the one in a million chance of a chainfire.

 

[outbackzack]

That is a fantastic description. I simply tell a person that it will make you pray to every religion on the planet in under a second.

 

[cynthialee]

a description born from hard earned experiance
:redface:

 

[Many Klatch]

I had a couple of chain fires :td: with my 1858 Remingtons until I got my load fixed up. It seems to work best for me with a ball that is big enough to leave a ring of lead when pushed into the chamber and a cushion wad under the ball over the powder. I threw away the nipples that came with the guns and use stainless steel ones from Track of the Wolf that seem to fit my #10 caps better.

The chain fires make a bit more noise, and sometimes the ball goes off somewhere else and sometimes it is still there stuck in the frame of the gun. No damage to either shooter or gun, but an exciting and memorable event none the less.

Many Klatch

 

[Atlast357]

I always like to experience new things for myself, and be able to put it in my memory bank for future recollection and story telling
to the young ones, but I don't want to experience this : :nono:

 

[pargent]

I have been a range officer on the line when this has occured , twice same family. It sounds like a burst from a b/p uzi, scares the manure out of every one around, but only harm done is lots of fine razer cuts to the shooters hand lots of blood and a need for new underwear all around.Causes shooter knows best , homemade felt wads that shrunk under size when the melted lube was added, under size balls, loose caps. Till the day he died he couldn't be told any different then his boys gave up shooting ,

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I've posted this shot a couple times, but in the interest of safety I reckon it's worthy of another.
Myself I have never experienced a chainfire (nor my nephew - pictured) but I'm a beleiver in snug fitting caps. I carefully lower the hammer onto them with muzzle pointed downwards and gently but snugly press the caps onto the nipples. this also protects from the elements - important if you have your revolver along camping/woodsbumming.
I've seen fotos of burst chambers due to chainfires and heard of injurys due to.
don't take BP revolvers litely as a hot loaded .44 is roughly equivalent to a .357
a max loaded .36 is equivalent of a .380acp

 

[Atlast357]

Pictures are worth a thousand words.
First off my revolver is a brass framed Navy and I'll use a light 22 grain load of Pyrodex. Can't find Remington 10 caps so will buy on line.
After seeing this photo, don't want to trust the CCI 11.caps.

 

[Atlast357]

I just noticed in the photo the hammer is back. :hmm:

 

[Billnpatti]

If I were you, the first thing I would do is replace those nipples. Track of The Wolf has much better revolver nipples and they are #11 nipples so you won't have to search for special caps for your revolver any more. A complete set of 6 will run you around $30 but will be worth it if you shoot your revolver very much. They are much better quality than the originals and will last much longer, as well. Your cap problems will be solved.

 

[cynthialee]

yep,
the companies who make BP revolvers do not seem to know how to make a proper percusion nipple

 

[Zonie]

The picture is a time exposure.

The hammer was back when the shutter was opened so the gun looks like it is still cocked.

 

[ChrisPer]

But be sure to never get any part of your body ahead of the cylinder just on the one in a million chance of a chainfire.

Even for an ordinary shot. I rested my 1860 in the bag of my benchrest and the gas from the cylinder-barrel gap carbonised and cut the fabric front of the sandbag to rubbish.

 

[Maven]

You should see what a .357- or .44Mag. will do to a sandbag!