Shooting Pietta Navies with red toy caps

[Stantheman86]

I installed the nipples by TapNTool that he has altered to fit red toy single shot caps. He also enlarged the flash hole to let more flame in. I brought OE 3f , 100 red toy caps and CCI #11's just in case.

Loaded up 6 rounds with 25 grains, .375 balls and topped with Crisco. The toy caps slip on snugly.

They work, the gun fired 6 times. The plastic caps "bounce " the hammer and the hammer landed in between the chambers on some shots.

I did do some "mainspring swapping " a while back and the lightest Pietta springs that happened to be the thinnest, due to manufacturing variance, ended up in these guns back when I tried to make these "Bullseye " revolvers. So....with heavier, thicker mainsprings it might mitigate the "bouncing " effect . Or if I can make them hit a little heavier.

With CCI caps , the enlarged hole blew the caps back into the action. I'd recommend sticking with the red caps if you use these nipples . In a pinch regular caps can be used in case you need to use them. I brought Pyrodex and 777 to see if the toy caps would light off subs but I didn't have time to try them.

A short video of capping off two shots.

I have to get out and spend more time with these. It's not like the corner store has red toy caps and there's a HazMat fee to ship them, so unless you're planning on buying a lot , it's not worth the fee.

They'll work for plinking , if they light off Pyrodex P then all the better. You can pop paper or whatever without touching your stash of Holy Black or real caps, as long as you have round balls. I feel like they won't be reliable with subs but I'll try them .

 

[hrt4me]

interesting

 

[ppg1949]

Good to know info. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Where do you find these red toy gun caps?

 

[mushka]

I bought the old style capgun caps at the local Sportsmans Warehouse. They were in the section where they sold the capguns, but down the aisle aways.

 

[Brazos John]

I wondered if the red caps would work.
When the Texas Army is at a living history event, I exhibit my perc rifle as I clean it, and get lots of interest. When kids are around, I tell them about how the rifle is fired, and use the toy red caps as examples. The caps are something the kids know about.

 

[azmntman]

some dollar type stores have them, some are in 6 shot rings, some strips. I have had them go off in rifles with 777 but didnt play long enough to see if they are real reliable

 

[Eutycus]

Have you found any difference in cap performance depending on place of m

anufacture or different brands? I got some made in Italy but haven't tried them yet. I think some are made in Germany too

 

[Eutycus]

Would you say these are 10s or 11s?

 

[TDM]

Well done @Stantheman86

 

[cynthialee]

hell of a deal, I did similar tests a few years back and posted about it



They work, but I found that they have a higher misfire rate than real caps. Also I found I could mitigate that by putting a tiny pinch of 3f in the nipple before I capped them. They stretch a bit to fit on a cap, but you can easily grind down the nipple cones to be thinner and they fit better.
Work in a rifle also, but I recommend the pinch of powder in the nipple for sure.

Not ideal but if it was the only way to shoot....

One thing I did like about these is they don't get blown apart like the copper caps do and they just stay on the nipple, preventing them from falling into the action.

 

[R Ellis]

I bought some at Bass Pro and tried them on my Pietta 44 work very well

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I'd be a bit nervous about enlarging the flash hole... and also reducing the hammer spring tension... especially if it blows the hammer back far enough to move the cylinder. That said, I have tried these kind of "caps". They work on side hammer guns as well, but as noted, reliability is less than what I would hope for. They do fit on #10 AND #11 nipples. One of the problems I noted in addition to reliability when I was testing them was that the plastic can get driven into the nipple and then it needs to be removed.

My conclusion was that while good enough for plinking and/or emergency supplies when real caps are not available, I would not willingly choose them if I could possibly avoid it.

 

[Old-Duckman]

I wonder if they are corrosive..?

 

[cynthialee]

I wonder if they are corrosive..?

never found out that as I clean immediately after I am done shooting

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I wonder if they are corrosive..?

Almost certainly as I'm pretty sure they are made from black powder.

 

[hrt4me]

Where do you find these red toy gun caps?

my local Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops have lots of those on their shelves

 

[Stantheman86]

hell of a deal, I did similar tests a few years back and posted about it



They work, but I found that they have a higher misfire rate than real caps. Also I found I could mitigate that by putting a tiny pinch of 3f in the nipple before I capped them. They stretch a bit to fit on a cap, but you can easily grind down the nipple cones to be thinner and they fit better.
Work in a rifle also, but I recommend the pinch of powder in the nipple for sure.

Not ideal but if it was the only way to shoot....

One thing I did like about these is they don't get blown apart like the copper caps do and they just stay on the nipple, preventing them from falling into the action.

The larger flash holes let 3f flow into the nipple, a few grains even come out when you load the chambers. I would think this helps with ignition as it kinda primes the nipples

They do make the gun cap jam proof to an extent

 

[Bunk]

I installed the nipples by TapNTool that he has altered to fit red toy single shot caps. He also enlarged the flash hole to let more flame in. I brought OE 3f , 100 red toy caps and CCI #11's just in case.
View attachment 194464

Loaded up 6 rounds with 25 grains, .375 balls and topped with Crisco. The toy caps slip on snugly.
View attachment 194466

They work, the gun fired 6 times. The plastic caps "bounce " the hammer and the hammer landed in between the chambers on some shots.

I did do some "mainspring swapping " a while back and the lightest Pietta springs that happened to be the thinnest, due to manufacturing variance, ended up in these guns back when I tried to make these "Bullseye " revolvers. So....with heavier, thicker mainsprings it might mitigate the "bouncing " effect . Or if I can make them hit a little heavier.

View attachment 194467

With CCI caps , the enlarged hole blew the caps back into the action. I'd recommend sticking with the red caps if you use these nipples . In a pinch regular caps can be used in case you need to use them. I brought Pyrodex and 777 to see if the toy caps would light off subs but I didn't have time to try them.

A short video of capping off two shots.

View attachment 194471

I have to get out and spend more time with these. It's not like the corner store has red toy caps and there's a HazMat fee to ship them, so unless you're planning on buying a lot , it's not worth the fee.

They'll work for plinking , if they light off Pyrodex P then all the better. You can pop paper or whatever without touching your stash of Holy Black or real caps, as long as you have round balls. I feel like they won't be reliable with subs but I'll try them .

I have a hunch you better clean a lot with warm, slightly soapy, water because those caps are most likely leave a corrosive residue as does Pyrodex.
The only hing I know of that will dissolve and remove that corrosive fouling is water and slightly warm is best.
The hammer channel and front of the hammerer again clean with water. I would remove the cones (nipples) wash carefully and wash out the cap recesses. Any place the cap flash hits needs cleaning with water.
I started this hobby with corrosive caps a very very long time (1950) and that was all we had.
Great idea and will keep you shooting but be careful because corrosion and rust never sleeps.
Hold Center
Make smoke
Bunk

 

[Stantheman86]

Have you found any difference in cap performance depending on place of mView attachment 194511anufacture or different brands? I got some made in Italy but haven't tried them yet. I think some are made in Germany too

They apparently have to be the white primer compound to be hot enough