Shooting only caps

McPhee · December 18, 2010, 11:47 AM

I saw in one thread that sometimes bp shooters run some CCI caps alone without a bp load or ball.

I have need to make a small bang now and then to shut up my dogs (they stop barking at the cats and head for the dog house) or to chase off a stray animal without actually shooting them.

If I shoot caps now and then in my bp, does it cause enough corrosive residue that I would have wash down and clean like I was shooting regular loads? Or is it minimal?

I guess I could buy a starter pistol and blanks, but that costs money I could use on bp guns.

Pahoo · December 18, 2010, 11:56 AM

You have stumbled onto a weakness that dogs have toward loud popping noises. I first found out that this works, when I would pop a paper bag. Some really have a time of it during the 4th. of July. Yes, they will respond to your caps but better than this, try popping a pellet gun without inserting a pellet. I have a Rotweiler for as a neighbor and they love to bark. I wait and when the barking goes on for too long, I just pop my pellet gun. He charges into his garage and sometimes will not come out for a couple of hours. I like the dog but sometimes it gets to be too much as he really can't help this barking.

I would think that just about any loud pop will give you the results you want and you can save you caps as well as eliminating any of souce of corrosion. ....

Be Safe !!!

zippy13 · December 18, 2010, 12:22 PM

Quote:

I saw in one thread that sometimes bp shooters run some CCI caps alone without a bp load or ball.

Where they popping caps to make noise or to clear the nipples of crud and oil? Some folks recommend at least two caps per nipple before first loading.

mykeal · December 18, 2010, 12:26 PM

Pahoo's right on target. Try something else first, like a paper bag, balloon or a pellet gun. Dog's ears are very sensitive to loud pops and a percussion cap could damage them if too close.

However, if that's what it takes, yes, the residue from caps can be corrosive. It should only require rinsing out the nipple, the chamber and the nipple recess in the cylinder, however. A bit of a good bp solvent will work fine.

Fingers McGee · December 18, 2010, 12:37 PM

Popping an occasional cap to chase off critters or silence a barking dog will not cause your nipples or pistol to disolve into a pile of rust and corrosion for a long time. As long as you clean the gun a couple times a year you should be ok. Back in the day when I was shooting muzzleloaders regularly, the nipple and flash cup only got cleaned after three or four matches, not every time I shot it. - One rifle is 20+ years old and has the original nipple that is still serviceable and in excellent shape.

Noz · December 18, 2010, 05:33 PM

Fingers, there you go again trying to induce sanity into a black powder conversation.

I use #11 caps for timer stoppers on my BP revolvers. Start timer, pick up shotgun and load two dummies, click click and shuck them, pick up rifle with a dummy round in mag, lever click, draw first pistol bang, reholster, draw second pistol, bang reholster. check time. Damn that was slow. Never worry about corrosion.

Hellgate · December 18, 2010, 07:16 PM

I believe it says right on the cap package "noncorrosive" but I don't have one in front of me to prove it.

junkman_01 · December 18, 2010, 07:38 PM

I just checked my supplies and CCI caps do say 'non-corrosive' on the top of the tin. My Winchester and CVA cap containers do not say one way or the other.

mykeal · December 18, 2010, 08:17 PM

The reference to 'non-corrosive' is to differentiate modern caps from previous designs that used very corrosive mercury fulminate. While the new caps won't cause the gun to dissolve into a pile of rust (why say something like that? did you really think I even remotely implied such a thing?) they do produce hygroscopic combustion by-products. In the right environment that can be damaging, even if only cosmetic. I personally prefer to keep my nipple environment clean. 'nuff said.

Hardy · December 19, 2010, 08:24 PM

McKeal is right. Clean your nipples out w/ a nichol wrapped guitar string though if you do pop um.

HisSoldier · January 2, 2011, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Some folks recommend at least two caps per nipple before first loading.

Those folks have stock in the primer manufacturers.

kadima · January 4, 2011, 04:57 AM

^^^^^ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!^^^^^^

At my firing range all the targets are activated by compressed air, therefore there is a compressed air pistol for cleaning. A spray of compressed air in the nipples before firing is all I do. I don't waste RWS primers @ 5 Euro-cent each!

K.

December 18, 2010, 11:56 AM	#2
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	You have stumbled onto a weakness that dogs have toward loud popping noises. I first found out that this works, when I would pop a paper bag. Some really have a time of it during the 4th. of July. Yes, they will respond to your caps but better than this, try popping a pellet gun without inserting a pellet. I have a Rotweiler for as a neighbor and they love to bark. I wait and when the barking goes on for too long, I just pop my pellet gun. He charges into his garage and sometimes will not come out for a couple of hours. I like the dog but sometimes it gets to be too much as he really can't help this barking. I would think that just about any loud pop will give you the results you want and you can save you caps as well as eliminating any of souce of corrosion. .... Be Safe !!! Last edited by Pahoo; December 19, 2010 at 11:05 AM.

December 18, 2010, 12:37 PM	#5
Fingers McGee Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2008 Location: High & Dry in Missouri Ozarks Posts: 2,113	Popping an occasional cap to chase off critters or silence a barking dog will not cause your nipples or pistol to disolve into a pile of rust and corrosion for a long time. As long as you clean the gun a couple times a year you should be ok. Back in the day when I was shooting muzzleloaders regularly, the nipple and flash cup only got cleaned after three or four matches, not every time I shot it. - One rifle is 20+ years old and has the original nipple that is still serviceable and in excellent shape. __________________ Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee - AKA Man of Many Colts - Alter ego of Diabolical Ken; SASS Regulator 28564-L-TG; Rangemaster and stage writer extraordinaire; Frontiersman, Pistoleer, NRA Endowment Life, NMLRA, SAF, CCRKBA, STORM 327, SV115; Charter member, Central Ozarks Western Shooters Cynic: A blackguard whose faulty vision see things as they are, not as they should be. Ambrose Bierce

December 18, 2010, 07:16 PM	#7
Hellgate Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Location: Orygun Posts: 869	I believe it says right on the cap package "noncorrosive" but I don't have one in front of me to prove it. __________________ With over 15 perCUSSIN' revolvers, I've been called the Imelda Marcos of cap & ball. SASS#3302 (Life), SASS Regulator, NRA (Life), Dirty Gamey Bastards #129 Wolverton Mtn. Peacekeepers (WA), former Orygun Cowboy (Ranger, Posse from Hell)

December 18, 2010, 11:47 AM	#1
McPhee Member Join Date: October 12, 2010 Location: Cortez, CO Posts: 33	Shooting only caps I saw in one thread that sometimes bp shooters run some CCI caps alone without a bp load or ball. I have need to make a small bang now and then to shut up my dogs (they stop barking at the cats and head for the dog house) or to chase off a stray animal without actually shooting them. If I shoot caps now and then in my bp, does it cause enough corrosive residue that I would have wash down and clean like I was shooting regular loads? Or is it minimal? I guess I could buy a starter pistol and blanks, but that costs money I could use on bp guns.

December 18, 2010, 12:26 PM	#4
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	Pahoo's right on target. Try something else first, like a paper bag, balloon or a pellet gun. Dog's ears are very sensitive to loud pops and a percussion cap could damage them if too close. However, if that's what it takes, yes, the residue from caps can be corrosive. It should only require rinsing out the nipple, the chamber and the nipple recess in the cylinder, however. A bit of a good bp solvent will work fine.

December 18, 2010, 05:33 PM	#6
Noz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 643	Fingers, there you go again trying to induce sanity into a black powder conversation. I use #11 caps for timer stoppers on my BP revolvers. Start timer, pick up shotgun and load two dummies, click click and shuck them, pick up rifle with a dummy round in mag, lever click, draw first pistol bang, reholster, draw second pistol, bang reholster. check time. Damn that was slow. Never worry about corrosion.

December 18, 2010, 07:38 PM	#8
junkman_01 Junior member Join Date: November 9, 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 260	I just checked my supplies and CCI caps do say 'non-corrosive' on the top of the tin. My Winchester and CVA cap containers do not say one way or the other.

December 18, 2010, 08:17 PM	#9
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	The reference to 'non-corrosive' is to differentiate modern caps from previous designs that used very corrosive mercury fulminate. While the new caps won't cause the gun to dissolve into a pile of rust (why say something like that? did you really think I even remotely implied such a thing?) they do produce hygroscopic combustion by-products. In the right environment that can be damaging, even if only cosmetic. I personally prefer to keep my nipple environment clean. 'nuff said.

December 19, 2010, 08:24 PM	#10
Hardy Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 709	McKeal is right. Clean your nipples out w/ a nichol wrapped guitar string though if you do pop um.

January 4, 2011, 04:57 AM	#12
kadima Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2010 Posts: 190	^^^^^ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!^^^^^^ At my firing range all the targets are activated by compressed air, therefore there is a compressed air pistol for cleaning. A spray of compressed air in the nipples before firing is all I do. I don't waste RWS primers @ 5 Euro-cent each! K.