percussion caps

[M. De Land]

Is discussion over making ones own percussion caps verboten here?
I know powder making and explosives are but was wondering about ignition systems? MD

 

[Bill Hall]

I don't believe so, since it's been discussed here before. Just doesn't seem worth it though. Lot's of bad reviews on those tap-o-cap contraptions. I suppose if you made your own "green stuff" to put inside, they might work better, but that's sure a lot of intricate work in exchange for plopping down a few bucks for store bought.

But then again, we all do this sport for different reasons. :grin: Bill

 

[M. De Land]

Just curious as living on the far end of the supply line tends to make one think of how to become more self sufficient.
One of the reasons I'm going to learn how to make my own guns flints and arrow heads. MD

 

[Bill Hall]

I hear ya, but it seems to me that if you can obtain the stuff to make caps, you can also obtain caps :idunno:.

But, if you're thinking of using everyday household items, like maybe match heads, I believe it would work, just not very realiable.

When I was a teenager, I sometimes used paper caps in spent caps, and it did work about half the time. And I also had to try to reshape those blown up caps (blah). Plus, the paper tends to clog up the nipple (double blah).

Those cap makin' folks at the fancy cap makin' factories pretty much got cap makin' down to an art.

But aint experimenting fun? :wink: Bill

 

[M. De Land]

The cap pistol fulmate sans the paper is what I had in mind. Making a punch and die to form the cap cups would be simple for me to do and brass sheet could be swaged thin if not accessible.
Make more sense though to switch all percussion guns back to flint if that happens I would think. MD

 

[SmokepoleSam]

Why not use aluminum soda cans, that is what tap-o-cap suggests for making caps. I have a tap-o-cap unit but have never made any caps so I can't tell you how it works.
Domenick

 

[Col. Batguano]

This sounds interesting, but for a nickel each I think I'll buy them instead.

 

[Zonie]

I can only speak for myself but as a moderator I don't object to someone talking about using a Tap-O-Cap or even making their own version of it.

I also can't object to talking about the various cap gun caps and which ones work and which ones don't.

I do draw the line at talking about making fulminates or other explosive compounds that would be needed in place of the commercially available caps though.

 

[George T.]

Yeah another vote for buying them. Bought in bulk they can be quite reasonable. Geo. T.

 

[Mad Professor]

Zonie I can understand your drawing the line with making the ingredients to make caps. :nono:

Chemistry can be quite dangerous, I used to work with phosgene, which if you breathed enough to smell, were soon dead (not me). :grin:

Anyway, does discussing what the caps contain cross the line, not making the stuff?

I am intrigued as to what "modern" caps consist of? I could bring one to work and start a "science/forensic project".......

P.S. an older friend made mercury fulminate, as a high school science project :shocked2: He still has both eyes and all fingers :grin:

P.P.S. An older German Science journal discussed azides (circa 1850). "place a small amount of the product on an anvil (caution not more than 1 gram), hit it with a hammer, a large report should result....") I can't remember if it was from Justigs Liebegs or Berichte. Translating the German was fun.

 

[Eljay]

If you look at the wiki page for percussion caps it mentions an example of both a historic and current chemical. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percussion_cap

 

[hanshi]

Good reason to go flint.

 

[Col. Batguano]

has anyone tried to make a more modern incarnation of the Maynard tape priming system that was the rage of the 1850's?

If so, I've not seen the tapes for sale anywhere.

I'm guessing that, if they're not making them now, it's because they don't work all that well.

 

[cynthialee]

From what I read the Maynard tape worked wonderfuly...in dry environments. In a moist environment the tape is useless in short order.

So if you live in the desert a Maynard Tape Lock would be a viable option. But I wouldn't want too use it in the swamps.

The rolls of cap gun tape we used in our cap guns back in the day were a direct offshoot aplication of the maynard tape ignition.
The Maynard used a larger charge than the cap guns do.

 

[Billnpatti]

A while back you used to be able to buy a device called a "Tap-A-Cap" that would make empty caps from soda and beer cans. Then you would use ordinary cap gun caps in the empty caps to make your own percussion caps. Several years ago, the toy caps that you could buy were hot enough to actually work to make your own percussion caps. Then the manufacturers of toy caps that we all used to enjoy were pressured by the greedy lawyers to make "safer" toy caps. Now, the toy caps that are available on the market have just enough power to just barely make a noise. So, percussion caps that you make using the Tap-A-Cap are not hot enough to guarantee ignition of your powder and if you are using any of the substitutes, forget about it.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I still have part of a roll of Navy Arms caps purchased decades ago from Ft. Chambers for $5.00 a thousand. Then a year ago, I stopped in a gun shop that had some old stock marked down. a Thousand Fiocchi caps for $2.00. Then a few months back I purchased some 1960's vintage cap tins on line for my collection. When the darn things arrived, they were full of caps and they work.

I have tried those little plastic caps on a cap and ball revolver. They worked about 80 percent.

 

[Swede50]

Good reason to go flint.

My thoughts exactly convert to flint dont worry about caps again.
Then of course you could learn how to make flints :hmm:

 

[cynthialee]

I tried out cap gun ring caps on a rifle and if you put a pinch of powder in the nipple you can get that ignition rate up to about 90+%

 

[Matt85]

Good reason to go flint.

another vote for flint.

even a novice can break enough chert to get a couple usuable gun flints. without skill your success rate will be very low but in a tight spot its better then a caplock without caps.

-matt