Looking for opinions/suggestions on prime-all formulation and use

[HappyTexan]

I recently ran through my supply of percussion caps...and of course nobody has any #10's for sale for my pistols. So I purchased some "prime-all" and a pair of dies from some outfit on the web. Aside from hoping I don't get pulled over with the L2 bag in my car, I'm fixin' to make me some percussion caps. I saw a Youtube video where someone suggested leaving' one of the ingredients out (don't quite remember which one). Do y'all have some suggestions on the best way to use this stuff? All tips and tricks welcome!

Thanks!!

 

[64Springer]

What is L2?

 

[stikshooter]

What is L2?

The bag labeled L2 and it's white and uses 2x what the 2 small (marked small) use and it works fine
(ugly looking) but fine/Ed

 

[AlexB]

I don't use the tan bag I mix acetone and duco cement at 10:.I double the can layers dry tamp and give one drop.
I also use tweezers to use the caps as a scoop to load them over a pill bottle and a plastic rod to tamp.

 

[azmntman]

Gonna have to try this, have had mine a month + and no time to play with it. I need some 10's but was told by another member the 11's work just fine on his revolvers. I only have 11 maker so far.

 

[HappyTexan]

I still got a bunch o' those #11's - they don't work for my pistols...fall right off the nipples.

 

[AlexB]

The #10 fits a Pietta 1858 perfect.

 

[HappyTexan]

I have a couple of Pietta's. #10's are perfect for them.

(top, Remington (Pietta) 1858 .36 Cal, bottom Colt (Pietta) 1860 Army Snub-nose .44 Cal)

 

[hatman]

So far I've made just about a thousand using the #11 die. They've been working with 95% success on my Uberti 51, 58, 60 and Dragoon. The Dragoon has the factory nipples; the others are all Slix shots.
My technique:
Skip the tan binder bag and mix the others per the instructions. Spend the time to ensure there are no 'chunks' left.
I fill the caps a little bit more than the instructions - more seems to be better than less.
After filling use an eye dropper with one (or two) drops of acetone/duco cement and wait 5-7 minutes to set up then tamp down with a wood match.
Set them aside overnight and they're good to go the next day.

 

[AlexB]

The composite star capper from polish cappers works with them.
The composite unit that holds 80 works after two small cuts.
Total shipped for six stars and the pcc was under $29 US.

 

[HappyTexan]

Their brass capper looks very nice too...thanks for the intro.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I recently made my first batch of caps using Prime-All, after doing A LOT of reading on this and other forums.

I left out the tan/off-white components, which is either dextrin or gelatin intended to be a binder. Instead of using that, I took a 2 oz. plastic bottle with a needle oiler tip, put a few millimeters of Duco cement in the bottom, then filled the rest with acetone to make a saturated solution.

Using a CCI Large pistol primer tray as a loading block I filled about 20 caps at a time with the mixed Prime-All compound and then put a drop or two of the Duco/acetone solution in it. Using a small piece of bamboo cut from a chop stick I gently tamped down the wet mixture.

After the caps were visibly dry I put another drop or two of the solution in the caps and let them dry in the open air overnight. I wanted to ensure that enough Duco cement was deposited in them to keep the priming compound in place. Duco is a nitrocellulose based glue so it's flammable even when dry.

The caps worked well when I tried them a couple days later.

For safety's sake make sure that you crush any lumps in the components before mixing them. Crushing lumps after the components are mixed can cause detonation.

 

[x_count]

I use the same duco/acetone method mentioned above. I have used .005" copper foil and double thickness drink cans with equal success. The copper foil does make a nicer looking cap.

 

[HappyTexan]

Thank y'all for the tips! I've gotten me some copper sheet, acetone, and duco cement. I'm going try to make me up some #10s this weekend. The only part of what I heard that's a little worrisome is mixing the acetone in plastic...but heck, I'll burn that bridge when I get to it...

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

I have the No 11 and No 10 dies. I use copper foil sheet (Hobby Lobby). I mix the ingredients as directed. I use a small funnel (from the Doctor's Office; that thing they put in your ears and up your nose) to fill the caps. I use a primer tray to hold them while filling. I found that two drops of acetone, applied twice, ten minutes apart, gave me good adhesion (retention) of the mixture in the caps. I only make about what I need for a shooting session; I have found that if they sit around more than a week, they become "fragile" and the mixture can easily be knocked out of the caps.

They Work. They are a pain in the ass to make. But they work.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I make gas checks so I have a 50ft roll of copper sheeting.
A bit fancy for caps, I also used pop cans for trial and a lot of error.

The glass is the filler which some say to leave out.

Duco & Acetone here also.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

The composite star capper from polish cappers works with them.
The composite unit that holds 80 works after two small cuts.
Total shipped for six stars and the pcc was under $29 US.

@AlexB

Thank you for posting this information. I tested out one of the star cappers from Polish Cappers and also a similar capper that I bought on eBay. They work.

I also have the Polish Cappers printed unit that holds 60 caps. Can you describe how you modified yours to work with the homemade caps?

 

[AlexB]

@AlexB

Thank you for posting this information. I tested out one of the star cappers from Polish Cappers and also a similar capper that I bought on eBay. They work.

View attachment 226928

I also have the Polish Cappers printed unit that holds 60 caps. Can you describe how you modified yours to work with the homemade caps?

I made two cuts one on the right side going from the compartment to the loading channel and the other along the bottom of the channel.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Great, thanks!