percussion caps

[hrt4me]

Does anyone still use #9 percussion caps on their pocket pistols (e.g. 1849)?

Does anyone still use #12 percussion caps on their large revolvers (e.g. Walker)?

If so, then what is a good source for either size of these percussion caps, #9 and #12 ?

 

[rafterob]

New to me. I have shot since the late '70s and have never seen #9 or #12 caps. Interesting to hear others' feedback.

 

[hrt4me]

a cursory Google query yielded a few results, such as this which I copied and pasted from another board:

This is from an old COLT INDUSTRIES - FIREARMS DIVISION pamphlet:
"Percussion caps are now made in sizes from nine to thirteen. Ten and eleven are the best numbers for the small and medium-sized arms, and twelve for the larger sizes, although as different sized nipples are sometimes met in specimens of the same model, no hard and fast rule can be given. It is better to have caps slightly too large than too small, as large caps can be pinched together at the bottom so they will stay on the nipples..."

Also from the pamphlet:
"FFG black powder is best for the large and medium-sized revolvers, and FFFG for the small pocket models, but any grade that is available will work reasonably well. DON'T USE SMOKELESS POWDER."

 

[hrt4me]

discussion of #12 percussion caps

 

[desi23]

I have a few tins of the #9 and #12 caps, think I still have a tin of #13 caps as well. Haven't used them on anything in years, they are mainly just part of my collection of old ammo and gun items. I had used the #9 caps on an original Colt 1849 but it eventually left the collection. My replica Walker and Dragoons work fine with #11 caps, the only gun I used the #12 caps on was an original Ohio made .36 cal. squirrel rifle (which now has a new nipple that accepts #11 caps). Don't think I ever had a gun that used the #13 size, think I just bought them for my collection. As far as I know none of the US makers have made any of these sizes for years.

 

[hrt4me]

I have a few tins of the #9 and #12 caps, think I still have a tin of #13 caps as well. Haven't used them on anything in years, they are mainly just part of my collection of old ammo and gun items. I had used the #9 caps on an original Colt 1849 but it eventually left the collection. My replica Walker and Dragoons work fine with #11 caps, the only gun I used the #12 caps on was an original Ohio made .36 cal. squirrel rifle (which now has a new nipple that accepts #11 caps). Don't think I ever had a gun that used the #13 size, think I just bought them for my collection. As far as I know none of the US makers have made any of these sizes for years.

If you happen to be anywhere close to north Texas, then I would love to buy some #9 percussion caps from you so I could fire both my own original Colt 1849 Pocket pistols...

 

[rafterob]

Wow, thanks for the information. Always good to be enlightened.

 

[hrt4me]

I am still looking for a source of #9 percussion caps, if anyone happens to have any or know some place...

 

[Bighorserider]

I was given an underhammer pistol that I found needed number 12 caps. I found some at the Mountain Man shop in Manitou Springs, Co. I had never heard of them before.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

I am still looking for a source of #9 percussion caps, if anyone happens to have any or know some place...

I make some that are smaller than Remington 10's and even cci 10's....
Could possibly be called 9's.

 

[hrt4me]

I make some that are smaller than Remington 10's and even cci 10's....
Could possibly be called 9's.

How do you make those?
Tap-O-Cap tool?

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

How do you make those?
Tap-O-Cap tool?

Yes.
#11 cap maker.....

Its far from a 11 and smaller then a cci 10.
Theres no percussion cap standard.
A cci 11 and a Remington 10 are roughly equal in size.
A cci 10 is smaller then Remington 10 .

The #11 cap maker tool punches them out a bit smaller then cci 10... Go figure

 

[hrt4me]

I need the smallest possible caps for my original Colt 1849 Pocket .31 and my original Colt 1862 Police .36 and the Hopkins & Allen 3rd Model Bacon .31

I have not been able to remove the cones from the cylinders to use contemporary replacements, so I gotta work with what I've got...

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

I'm sorry brother. They are beautiful ....The fixes I have for stuck nipples probably arent conducive to the health of a 160 year old gun.

 

[n.h.schmidt]

I make my own too. I can send you a few of the cups to see if they will fit and not fall off. I use the cap maker and a home made die that makes a tighter size . Much like the Tap O Cap. Even if they are still too large it would be easy to size them down smaller.

 

[hrt4me]

I would indeed be interested in a few of your homemade caps to see whether they better fit my smaller pocket pistols...

 

[Bunk]

I With a lot of work testing the riddle of RWS1075 caps on Slixshot cones is solved, sort of.
They were ordered "same as remington#10" they are not. The RWS cap is slightly smaller, but with an original OEM mainspring and clean, very clean Slixshot cones they will work for a while. Then the cones must be removed and polished.
Which is not a worry since the fix is easy and there are a lot of them in my stock
Oh Happy me.
Anyone in central Texas, I do have some CCI #10 caps we can make a deal on. I have nothing they fit.
Bunk (AKA wb78963)

 

[Notchy Bob]

discussion of #12 percussion caps

This is interesting, and brings back some memories. I did not know the #12 caps fit any sort of revolver. These are indeed larger than #11, and up until the 1970's, as far as I know, #12 caps were pretty much "standard" for sporting arms. Those and musket caps were sometimes all you could get. My dad had a bunch of extra nipples, strung like beads on little wire coils, with a tag showing the thread size. These all took #12 caps. I still have the carton and 5 or 6 tins of Alcan #12's from a box of 1,000 (ten tins) that my dad and I bought in about 1968.

My brother has most of our father's gun tools and parts, and the last time I was over at his place, we went through some of the collection and found a trove of percussion caps. I don't remember the sizes, but was enthralled by the labels. Eley, Hicks, and others that are now long gone. I don't specifically remember any #9.

I don't know for sure, but I always thought the #12 caps were a little hotter than the smaller sizes due to a larger amount of priming compound. That may not necessarily be true, as there are a lot of other variables, but I always believed it.

Cap makers in the ammunition industry ought to resurrect the #12, in my opinion. The shooting world gets rocked every now and then by some new cartridge. How many cartridge niches remain to be filled? I wish they would pay more attention to muzzleloaders.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[hrt4me]

Anyone in central Texas, I do have some CCI #10 caps we can make a deal on. I have nothing they fit.
Bunk (AKA wb78963)

where in central Texas?

 

[n.h.schmidt]

I have also seen a side cutter modded to put a cap size notch in the cutting edge. That would crimp inward a 11 size cap to fit better on revolver nipples. This is easy to do with a round chainsaw file or grinder bit. Going a bit smaller should be doable. It could be that wire strippers ( the ones with all the notch sizes) would work as is.I will have to have a look at mine.