Percussion cap making

[bigted]

Well got a cap maker. The one with a pop can formed with a cutter/former barrel. Makes OK caps but this is not my question/idea.

My idea is simple really ... why not use 4F powder ground into powder then mix crushed glass with it for a sharp substance to excite the 4F ground powder into a percussion explosion upon impacting from the hammer on the cap with the ground 4F and crushed glass.

Might use ( borrowing from the cap maker instructions ) a drop of fingernail polish remover or some hair spray to settle the powder andgive them some glue to adhere inside the cap.

I have 40 caps built and now I am ready for some either match heads, powdered 4F or wait for the powders in the kit to give em a try.

I rigged up my small arbor press instead of hammering them out with a hammer. Seems to work very well. Tons easier then hammering them and it gives me a bit more control than the hammer does.

What say ye? Do my thought with 4F powder have merit?

 

[necchi]

why not use 4F powder ground into powder then mix crushed glass with it for a sharp substance to excite the 4F ground powder into a percussion explosion upon impacting from the hammer on the cap with the ground 4F and crushed glass.

Uhm, maybe because in 200yrs that's never worked?
"crushed glass" is sand.
Have ya ever seen a "spark" when hitting crushed glass or sand really hard?
Maybe your on to something nobody has ever thought of,,
I'm a slob, I through broken glass away,, I never did sit down and beat broken glass with a hammer to find out if it sparks or not.

 

[mooman76]

You could try a tiny bit of BP with one cap over it. That has worked for some.

 

[Grimord]

I use about a grain of Null B with one of the old roll cap blisters and alight spray of hair spray for 99% bang.

 

[bigted]

Uhm, maybe because in 200yrs that's never worked?
"crushed glass" is sand.
Have ya ever seen a "spark" when hitting crushed glass or sand really hard?
Maybe your on to something nobody has ever thought of,,
I'm a slob, I through broken glass away,, I never did sit down and beat broken glass with a hammer to find out if it sparks or not.

Well my thinkin was not that the glass would spark but that the impact of the hammer might cause the powdered 4F to explode when the glass is crunched being mixed into the 4F powder ... under the impact from the hammer.

Guess for an experiment I could make a small mix and smack it with a ball peen hammer to see if this idea has merit or if I am on another goose chase.

Anyway thanks for your "kind" reply.

 

[Brokenbear]

3 dots from roll caps punched out with a hole punch sized a skosh bigger than the dot (the pressure sensitive thingy) with the dot facing the cylinder ..one drop over the caps of acetone and a wood dowel the diameter of the inside of you cap to press the caps together

I'm using the above and not with BP but Triple Seven 3F and have had zero misfires on revolvers ..I will get 1 in 10 that is a quarter second delay over the lock time of a factory cap ..the results are surprisingly the same whether the cylinder is loose loaded ..powder, wad, ball ..or with paper cartridges

The paper cartridges (nitrated hair curler paper) I really expected ignition problems but not so

One hint: If you want to enjoy a cap not blowing to pieces just cut your aluminum strips double wide and then carefully fold to make a double thickness ..the double thickness will not grenade on you ..falling into your action if you are shooting revolvers ..double layer caps will in most cases have to be "picked" off your cone/nipple

Bear

 

[n.h.schmidt]

A good way to make 2ply cap cups . Take your cut out and flattened pop can .Fold it in half the long way. Flatten out the crease. Even out the other end with cheap cutters. Start punching out cups. You will get 16 at a time. When done with the first row ,trim off the punched out holes and start again. If I don't make any mistakes ,I can get 48 cups per can. For me double cap cups is the only way I will now make them .I have rigged up my cap maker on a drill press to use like a arbor press and later made to work on a reloading press. Of the two the drill press was easier to hook up.

 

[bigted]

I have the cap maker and use it with a cheap small arbor press. Works great but will try the double thickness.

I have used strike anywhere match's with fair good success but not a very satisfactory system. I have roll caps on the way which I hope will make up a near 100% success.

Tryed the 4F powder with no success at all. Like has been mentioned but had to try it. Absolutely nothing this method.

I have a package coming from the same outfit that made my punch so will give that a try when it arrives

Fun stuff. Keeps me thinkin and next I will do my first attempt at making my own gun powder. Should be a fun endeavor.

Thanks for the reply's. Great stuff

 

[Wolfmanjack]

I have been making my own black powder for a several years now. It is quite energetic but just a tad less dense than store bought. I’ve also been making homemade percussion caps for the last several months using a recipe that was used during ww1 apparently. The ingredients are available online and I don’t think you’ll end up on a govt watch list although who knows. Potassium chlorate, antimony trisulfide, and sulfur mixed in proper ratio will make a very fine functioning cap/primer. It is a corrosive primer mix but so is black powder so clean up is the same.

 

[eggwelder]

tried the stuff out of the red plastic caps mixed with 4F. Worked very well. Wouldn’t do it on a regular basis, too nit picky but i know it works if i have to do it. Putting 4 F in the red caps worked just as good.