magnum caps with BP, good/bad/no matter?

[BullRunBear]

I came across a bunch of CCI #11 magnum percussion caps in my supplies. Not sure why I got them. Would using them with real black powder make a difference in my C&B revolvers and rifles? I've only used regular caps in the past which have done the job.

Thanks for any help.

Jeff

 

[Bassdog1]

They really do not seem any more powerful to me and I cant tell any difference as far as accuracy in my rifles. If you got a bunch shoot em just the same as regular CCIs.

 

[Ames]

I prefer them when I'm buying caps.

 

[Grenadier1758]

There is a little bit more priming material in the magnum cap than in the standard cap. There is likely a benefit when shooting a substitute powder that requires a higher ignition temperature. In most rifles, there will be no difference other than if you have a drum and nipple gun with a long flash channel and a chambered (patent) breech that may keep powder from the base of the nipple.

Revolvers and some single shot pistols are often designed with a slight gap between the hammer nose and the top of the nipple. The extra priming compound in the magnum cap will move the top of the cap into position for the hammer to strike the cap and ignite the charge. I have one pistol that will not fire standard #11 caps, but will reliably fire a #11 Magnum cap.

Know your gun.

 

[renegadehunter]

I find they are definitely hotter than a regular cci #11 cap, they frag apart much worse than a regular cap. I do not care for them for the sole reason they frag apart so bad they get stuck in the hammer cup about 90% of the time, causing me to have to use a nipple pick to dig them out. When I use regular cci #11's they tend to stay on top of the nipple after being fired and are easily removed, and I have no ignition problems with them using "real" BP. The mags will work fine for you, but make sure they don't lodge in the hammer cup and cause the next shot to not go off.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I never have issues with normal caps (CCI) so why fix something that ain't broke?

 

[Dr5x]

I came across a bunch of CCI #11 magnum percussion caps in my supplies. Not sure why I got them. Would using them with real black powder make a difference in my C&B revolvers and rifles? I've only used regular caps in the past which have done the job.

Thanks for any help.

Jeff

I think the Magnum caps would make the same difference as an additional 5 or 10 grains of whatever powder you are using/
People who don't shoot well will try to correct by increasing the bang of the rifle.You're not doing well so you up the amount of powder, Then you'll try the magnum caps and maybe go on to putting modern smokeless powder down first as a quicker kicker outer which can led to disaster.
I know the feeling. I was terrorizing one target after another and, of course, knew it couldn't be my fault so I bought a Sharon barrel which looked better on my TC Hawken kitle which didn't change a thing. Some additional years taught me it wasn't the barrel it was the NE in the mix that didn't know what the problem was.
I would keep the Magnums as back up in case you run out of the regular No. 11 caps.

Dutch Schoultz/

 

[Eterry]

My experience with magnum caps is very positive. I had bought a 20 ga sxs, took it out 1st time. Cleaned it up good, popped several standard caps and loaded her up.

Went to pattern board and pop, pop. New fresh caps... pop, pop. Started back to truck to pull thr loads a fellow shooter stopped me. Handed me 2 magnum caps. Try these, he said.
Boom, boom went my 20 ga. The only thing that changed was regular vs magnum caps.

Also, a good friend has had an over/ under 12ga for years. He swears by magnum caps to keep her running smooth, as the bottom barrel has extra long flash hole.

The magnum caps aren't No Where near as bad as Musket caps for shrapnel.
My .02

 

[appalichian hunter]

Do not know with the muzzle loaders but when re-loading center fire ammunition the magnum primers will change chamber pressure. So it would seem the magnum caps may raise the chamber pressure a bit in the muzzle loaders but probably not enough to worry about, As stated the magnum caps were developed to use when shooting the sub type powder. Such as pyrodex which takes a hotter flame to ignite, never shot the fake powders always used real black powder.

 

[longcruise]

I never have issues with normal caps (CCI) so why fix something that ain't broke?

He's not fixing. He has them and wondered how they would work.

I've shot both in the same session and saw no difference.

 

[BullRunBear]

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like I should be able to use them with no problem. I never go for the heaviest loads since they aren't the most accurate in my BP guns. Might have to experiment a bit to see if the point of impact changes but that's part of the fun of shooting when a possible variable comes up like changing to a different powder.

Again, thanks for the benefit of your experiences. This forum is great!

Jeff

 

[hanshi]

I always bought what was available. Sometimes regular caps were in stock, other times they carried only magnums. Never, ever noticed a difference.

 

[Mark Herman]

Jeff
Never saw much difference in magnum or standard. Remember, revolvers us #10 caps so these won't work.

 

[FishDFly]

Revolvers us #10 caps???? Seems I have a bunch of revolvers and they are "nipple" specific as what caps they want.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Most factory revolvers seem to come with nipples sized for #10 caps. Replacement nipples are likely sized for #11 caps.

When you look at the size charts for caps, there isn't much difference.

 

[Billy Boy]

There is a little bit more priming material in the magnum cap than in the standard cap. There is likely a benefit when shooting a substitute powder that requires a higher ignition temperature. In most rifles, there will be no difference other than if you have a drum and nipple gun with a long flash channel and a chambered (patent) breech that may keep powder from the base of the nipple.

Revolvers and some single shot pistols are often designed with a slight gap between the hammer nose and the top of the nipple. The extra priming compound in the magnum cap will move the top of the cap into position for the hammer to strike the cap and ignite the charge. I have one pistol that will not fire standard #11 caps, but will reliably fire a #11 Magnum cap.

Know your gun.

Grenadier has it. I use mag caps in the summer, July, Aug when the humidity is so darn high here. They make a noticeable difference when using replica powders

 

[GWarden226]

I find better results with the mag primers, but I'm shooting a sealed ignition bench rifle, plainly a noticeable difference in my rifle at 100yd targets.
bob

 

[Enfield58]

I was getting a lot of misfires on my Pedersoli 20 gauge shotgun with standard caps, regardless of the brand. This happened despite the cap that I put hot-shot nipples on the shotgun. The caps would detonate but failed to ignite the powder.

After I switched to magnum percussion caps I said goodbye to the misfires.

 

[M. De Land]

At the close ranges most muzzle loading ball guns are shot at one would probably be hard pressed to tell the difference but in the days of muzzle loading, long range rifle used for mid to long range bullet shooting, the best accuracy was always had by using the caps with the least amount of brisance (flash) possible, according to Ned Roberts very good book on cap lock percussion rifles.

 

[ohio ramrod]

When the magnum caps first came out some,people claimed they had problems with their groups expanding using magnum caps, but I never noticed any difference. I use what ever I can get and noticed no difference.