Percussion caps coming back?

[TheMadYankee]

Might be a dumb newbie question, but is there any downside to using magnum no. 11s with regular BP? Like all of us, I can't find the normal ones, but one store near me seems to consistently have magnums in stock.

 

[Sparkplug]

I need to know more.

Simple process.
1. Cut top and botton from can and make a slit down the side to open it up.
2. Slide it on a flat corner to flatten it out.
3. Slide the edge into the die and start stamping out the caps, inspecting for uniformity on the edge and splits on the tops. Any off side or split caps will be discarded.
4. Work the aluminum sheet across the die stamping out a row of caps.
5. Repeat 1-5 as needed to produce the needed quantity of blank caps.
6. Lay out caps on a sheet of paper.
7. Mix compound per instructions.
8. Fill each cap to just below full with loose compound. (Not compacted)
9. Gently compress compound to pack it tight.
10. Move compacted caps to a tray and pour spilled compound back into a container to be reused.
11. Place 1 drop of 90% rubbing alcohol on each cap to set the compound.
12. Allow to sit til completely dry.

This process allows me to make them quickly, cheaply, and without any extras such as hairspray to glue the compound in.

 

[Whughett]

I’m guessing there are millions of caps stashed away all across this country in peoples homes. Stashes that go unused for decades.
Twice now I’ve bought two different one thousand cartons of CCI 11’s and Remington F.C. from a fellow who buys up estates. $30 a thousand. Old stock probably the 80’s or older. Work fine.

 

[Whughett]

Might be a dumb newbie question, but is there any downside to using magnum no. 11s with regular BP? Like all of us, I can't find the normal ones, but one store near me seems to consistently have magnums in stock.

Nope none that I’ve ever be able to come up with. These days shoot what you got.

 

[ernbar]

Might be a dumb newbie question, but is there any downside to using magnum no. 11s with regular BP? Like all of us, I can't find the normal ones, but one store near me seems to consistently have magnums in stock.

I have several magnum tins and they work fine with my BP guns. They give an extra hot spark to ignite paper cartridges IMO.

 

[Jimbob]

The "reporter" said he knows many guys who want to purchase 10-20k caps!!! THIS, is the problem. If everyone bought a few hundred caps the shortage wouldn't be as severe.
Hoarders and Preppers are a huge problem, IMHO.

I use “a few hundred caps” in one match and I shoot at least one match a month and sometimes two. What do you recommend I do?

 

[n.h.schmidt]

ernbar The use of a high energy pistol powder as a binder works really well. I use a pinch of 700X in a tablespoon of acetone .Cover and let sit a hour and stir. I use pipe cleaners as a dip stick to get a generous drop into the cups. The pistol powder might just up the power a little too. I have done hundreds this way .No crumbling and no fall outs. I also can put the caps loose in a bottle to rattle around till use.

 

[Ed C.]

Might be a dumb newbie question, but is there any downside to using magnum no. 11s with regular BP? Like all of us, I can't find the normal ones, but one store near me seems to consistently have magnums in stock.

They are fine. I shoot whatever I can get in #11's.....Remingtons, 1075's, Winchesters, CCI's and honestly don't notice a difference. Using them on slix springs and track of the wolf nipples. They all go bang with very, very few failures.

 

[springfield art]

Anything with a high demand factor always jacks up the price; good ol' capitalism! (But I'll take it over any sort of 'collective' or 'commune' financial system ever invented!)

 

[Ed C.]

Haven’t really see anybody belly aching too badly on this thread so far, but I would remind folks that they need to take personal responsibility for insuring they have caps. The idea that some might expect others to not buy the caps they want so that they can drop by when convenient to buy some just astounds me. I’ve always done what @Comfortably_Numb said. For over 40 years if I happened to be in a sporting goods store and they had caps, I bought a tin or 2. Didn’t matter whether I needed them or not, and never bought more than one or two at a time. If you do that several times a year running out should not be a problem. I do the same with all supplies and I stay well stocked. Really irks me when people blame others for their lack of taking care of their own needs.

Ditto. I've bought $2-500 worth of supplies (BP and modern) when prices were right and stuff was available over time and now have what I believe is a supply that will last about as long as me. So, by "hording" I will be out of the market for a long time. Where is the line between hording and simply keeping yourself supplied?

 

[TDM]

Ditto. I've bought $2-500 worth of supplies (BP and modern) when prices were right and stuff was available over time and now have what I believe is a supply that will last about as long as me. So, by "hording" I will be out of the market for a long time. Where is the line between hording and simply keeping yourself supplied?

Exactly, I have plenty of caps and plenty of the supplies to make them should I need too. So I’m not in the cap market at all now. Folks need to buy a decent supply when they get a chance. Then they can shoot and enjoy.

 

[Rebel jim]

Agree. Nothing wrong with someone who is active in the hobby to buy a couple of thousand caps. Then there are the knuckleheads that suck up the stocks to turn around and rape people online with super high stupid prices. Ruins it for everyone. 

I know when I find them at the store I leave Some for the next guy, then I post the location on this forum.

 

[rick1964]

I have a couple things to say on this. More on the supplies on hand than on caps. Like comfortably numb. I’ve been in to BP since 80s. Bought stuff always along the way. So I have a really good stock of all things needed to load and shoot. The remark on hoarders/ preppers. There is a difference. Being prepared for a possible situation is not the same as last minute buy up al you can. Being prepared , stocked up well has help out a lot of my friends. And new shooters alike. I have given lead for balls or some I’ve casted to club members. Caps I don’t need any more to youth shooting groups. Flints to new shooters that thought 3 would be good for years to hunt with. This is how I think and approach most everything. Beer, bacon, dark rum, 22 shells , fishing stuff

 

[Eterry]

I use “a few hundred caps” in one match and I shoot at least one match a month and sometimes two. What do you recommend I do?

If you don't think there is a problem with people hoarding shooting components and supplies then my advice is pointless.

There is Absolutely nothing wrong with having a supply of components. But 20k caps, (or flints, or balls, of whatever) seems a bit much for the average shooter.

When I shot IPSC and PPC I went thru 500 rounds a month=6000 a year. I couldn't afford to buy 20k Anything.

 

[SPQR70AD]

It's a conundrum. Buy them all so you never run short, and then everyone does this and so there are constant shortages.

Ultimately it is the manufacturer's fault. If demand is this high, with people waving cash in their faces, they should be meeting that demand. This is the first time in my life I have ever seen a failure of capitalism at this scale. The only thing I can figure is that people see war with China coming over Taiwan just as it did with Russia/Crimea and they are pulling out their supply chains from China. Lots of companies saw themselves shut out of Russia (my employer did) and so are taking steps to protect themselves when the same thing goes down with China.

Anyway, I shoot competitively. I go through about 500 musket caps a month, supporting 3 shooters in my family. I buy these things 5,000 at a go. Not trying to hoard, just keep up!

first time in my life I have seen a major failure of people in the US being greedy selfish insatiable slobs that includes the makers and buyers of caps and they are mostly the me generation boomers. then throw in the flag wavers who went along and fueled the govt obsession with hating China and Russia to where they banned all their ammo and components. China would have flooded the country with billions of primers caps and whatever else was needed. there is NO capitalism in the US but monopolies protected by the govt and enforced with violence if need be like blowing up pipelines

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

I have Plenty. No Apologies.....

 

[ernbar]

I have Plenty. No Apologies.....

Apologies? No need to. You were practical to stock up for your hobby. I too have enough to keep me busy for a spell.

 

[Sgt. Hulka]

I'm so proud of you.

That’s good! You’re coming along fine! I’ll change you yet.

 

[Tenring]

I don’t like to use the word hoarding I like to think of it as no one will be there to hand me a tin of caps or a pound of powder when you need it. Between CCI and Remington and don’t get me wrong I travel a lot to different sporting good stores to get a lot of other unmentionable items so the tally would be a considerable amount between caps and powder but to some on this site it would be a drop in the bucket because they take there BP shooting a lot more serious than I do. But yes buy stuff every time it’s available if you can.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

That’s good! You’re coming along fine! I’ll change you yet.

Not likely. I recounted my caps and found a few left over in a tin
Brings the count up to 8013. I am SOOO superior to you.