Shooting Pietta Navies with red toy caps

[J dirt]

I have these nipples on my Pietta London navy. I use the toy caps that come in 96 count packs. The brand escapes me, but they fit and work pretty well.

The only issue is the caps leave some residue in the flash channel sometimes. I keep a nipple pick handy if needed.

 

[Stantheman86]

I have these nipples on my Pietta London navy. I use the toy caps that come in 96 count packs. The brand escapes me, but they fit and work pretty well.

The only issue is the caps leave some residue in the flash channel sometimes. I keep a nipple pick handy if needed.

They're the Star brand I think

They seem promising, for range popping.

 

[Capt. Kirk]

Where do you find these red toy gun caps?

Paris Toys website has a good selection of these caps. I got some from them but forgot to try them out this weekend.

 

[Eutycus]

I think the best that can be said is that they are available.

 

[Bob K]

Walmart was and may still be a source of red caps.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

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 .

Excellent Post. Thanks. Semper Fi.

 

[Bob K]

Walmart

 

[Sean E Bug]

Is there any contact information to get a set of nipples?

 

[SlidePicker]

I wonder if they are corrosive..?

Yes, they are. Toy caps are loaded with some variant of Armstrong's Mixture. Classically potassium chlorate and red phosphorus, sometimes with sulfur, sometimes with perchlorate instead of chlorate.

 

[dylan84]

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.

That's why the flash hole is bigger to blow the plastic back out of the hole!

 

[GREENSWLDE]

We used to have Red Caps in UK. I haven't tried for them recently as I changed to Fiocchi a time ago & still have a stack. The brass ones are very hot and miss-fire proof.
We used the Red ones often if guns miss-fired as they were so hot. Never had miss-fires with them. and no problems with plastic residue.. I've just looked on the NET and can't see any in UK. OLD DOG..

 

[Eutycus]

How and how much was the flash hole enlarged? Very small drill bit?

 

[beardedhorse]

Any problem with chain fire with enlarged flash hole in nipple and topping balls with Crisco?

 

[Eutycus]

We all know "regular" caps can last a few decades (or more). I wonder what the shelf life of your typical red plastic cap is?

 

[Stantheman86]

Is there any contact information to get a set of nipples?

He's
Tapntool
On Ebay

 

[Stantheman86]

Any problem with chain fire with enlarged flash hole in nipple and topping balls with Crisco?

I had a chain fire using CCI caps on these nipples because they do not fit well, at all

I didn't even notice

The red caps fit tightly and are waterproof , and should be flash proof

 

[Stantheman86]

We all know "regular" caps can last a few decades (or more). I wonder what the shelf life of your typical red plastic cap is?

I'd bet probably forever as long as they're not stored in damp conditions

 

[Stantheman86]

How and how much was the flash hole enlarged? Very small drill bit?

It's not a whole lot bigger than the stock Pietta nipples

 

[Stantheman86]

I think the best that can be said is that they are available.

It's a way to make revolvers go bang, to either conserve the "good" caps so you don't waste them range blasting, or in the event you run out.

I sometimes feel like I'm wastefully dipping into my "stash" just to go to the range to pop off 50 shots. Getting BP or subs is no problem and I have tons of lead balls. It's caps that seem to be the weak links in the supply chain for most of us.

 

[Eutycus]

How about the ones made in China? Are they about equal to Italy's, Germany"s, etc.?