1858 rem. caps keep jamming revolver

catken · November 4, 2010, 04:37 PM

My Rem. keeps getting jammed with fired caps. After firing a round, I have to pick the fired cap off the nipple or the revolver jams and am unable to cock the hammer. Could this be due to the fact that the no. 11 caps that I am using are to large and need to be pinched to stay on the nipple. Ken

Doc Hoy · November 4, 2010, 08:41 PM

Yes. Try number 10s.

Roaddog · November 5, 2010, 06:20 AM

Yep #10's if your caps are loos you could end up with chain fire.NOT A GOOD THING

mykeal · November 5, 2010, 07:19 AM

Which No. 10's?

You need to understand the fact that cap size numbers are meaningless - generic "No. 10's" are NOT, repeat NOT, necessarily smaller than the generic "No. 11's".

Here's the chart, once again, along with the caveat that cap sizes vary from lot to lot, so what fits today may no longer fit next month or next year:

Doc Hoy · November 5, 2010, 08:13 AM

But I do find that I can fairly consistently use number tens from either Remington or CCI on my revolvers minus the Walker.

Where I see inconsistency in caps is in the reliability. I had a bad batch of Remingtons recently....Started badmouthing Remington caps. Swore off Remingtons in favor of CCI, only to find a less than perfect run of CCIs.

I use these two brands because it is what I can get easily. I don't shoot enough to buy caps or powder in bulk, (Not a terribly intelligent statement since there is little meaning in the term "shelf life") So I use what Bass Proshop sells (25 mile drive) or the gun show hawkers carry.

HisSoldier · November 5, 2010, 02:57 PM

Quote:

I have to pick the FIRED cap off the nipple

Fired caps don't care if they started as #10's or #11's, they are all mangled up!

I have adopted the habit of pointing the gun straight up at the sky in hopes that the wreckage will fall out.

Fiv3 · November 5, 2010, 04:58 PM

That's weird. Most of my caps just explode into a million pieces. Every once in awhile one will get hit off center and not go off causing the cap to sit tilted.

Doc Hoy · November 6, 2010, 06:00 AM

"Fired caps don't care if they started as #10's or #11's, they are all mangled up!"

In my observation, if I shoot elevens on any of my four Remingtons, I take a pistol which is largely immune to cap related operation problems to one in which every other shot is a bust.

As well,

"11 caps that I am using are to large and need to be pinched to stay on the nipple"

My opinion is that pinching caps is asking for trouble. Use the right size caps and if none will fit, change the nipples. It produces a far more satisfying shooting experience.

Just my observations gained from admittedly less shooting experience than most other folks on the forum.

Snowdog · November 6, 2010, 06:27 AM

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person who hasn't had any issues with my 1858. About 10 years ago, I purchased five boxes of Hornady .454 swaged balls along with my 1858 Remington and I have less than 2 boxes remaining.

It amazes me that I've fired over 300 shots from my steel-frame Pietta (#11 CCI caps, about 30gr Pyrodex pistol) and haven't yet had any problems with fired caps binding up the cylinder... though I've heard PLENTY about it.

Of course, now that I just bought some conicals to try and just boasted about my reliable revolver, I suspect I'll start seeing issues.

Hawg · November 6, 2010, 06:36 AM

I never had much of a cap problem even when using #11 caps on #9 nipples.

Model-P · November 7, 2010, 12:44 AM

I haven't had too much trouble with caps falling off and jamming my 1858. I quickly developed the habit of giving a quick twist to the side to throw any loose caps out while cocking the hammer for the next shot. Works fine.

What I DO have a problem with sometimes are stuck caps. What a royal pain in the rear they can be. My cylinder is a bit mangled from using a knife to pry off the really tight ones. Any suggestions for better methods of removing stuck caps?

wogpotter · November 7, 2010, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Any suggestions for better methods of removing stuck caps?

I have a pair of metal tweezers. I think you can find them in drugstores as they were intended for some arcane female purpose.

They are only about 2" long, & have a short pointy curved section right behind the tip & can either be used to replace my chubby fingers & broken fingernails, or used like a 2-sided mini-prybar.

Hawg · November 7, 2010, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Any suggestions for better methods of removing stuck caps?

A pair of curved forceps ought to work nicely.

zullo74 · November 7, 2010, 03:40 PM

I keep one of those cheap Leatherman knockoffs in my BP shooting kit. Many uses for it in BP shooting other than stuck cap removal.

November 4, 2010, 08:41 PM	#2
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Catken Yes. Try number 10s. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

November 5, 2010, 08:13 AM	#5
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	I agree with Mykeal But I do find that I can fairly consistently use number tens from either Remington or CCI on my revolvers minus the Walker. Where I see inconsistency in caps is in the reliability. I had a bad batch of Remingtons recently....Started badmouthing Remington caps. Swore off Remingtons in favor of CCI, only to find a less than perfect run of CCIs. I use these two brands because it is what I can get easily. I don't shoot enough to buy caps or powder in bulk, (Not a terribly intelligent statement since there is little meaning in the term "shelf life") So I use what Bass Proshop sells (25 mile drive) or the gun show hawkers carry. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

November 6, 2010, 06:00 AM	#8
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Yes but.... "Fired caps don't care if they started as #10's or #11's, they are all mangled up!" In my observation, if I shoot elevens on any of my four Remingtons, I take a pistol which is largely immune to cap related operation problems to one in which every other shot is a bust. As well, "11 caps that I am using are to large and need to be pinched to stay on the nipple" My opinion is that pinching caps is asking for trouble. Use the right size caps and if none will fit, change the nipples. It produces a far more satisfying shooting experience. Just my observations gained from admittedly less shooting experience than most other folks on the forum. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

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November 4, 2010, 04:37 PM	#1
catken Member Join Date: April 26, 2010 Posts: 26	1858 rem. caps keep jamming revolver My Rem. keeps getting jammed with fired caps. After firing a round, I have to pick the fired cap off the nipple or the revolver jams and am unable to cock the hammer. Could this be due to the fact that the no. 11 caps that I am using are to large and need to be pinched to stay on the nipple. Ken

November 5, 2010, 06:20 AM	#3
Roaddog Senior Member Join Date: July 16, 2010 Location: East central Minnesota Posts: 202	Yep #10's if your caps are loos you could end up with chain fire.NOT A GOOD THING

November 5, 2010, 07:19 AM	#4
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	Which No. 10's? You need to understand the fact that cap size numbers are meaningless - generic "No. 10's" are NOT, repeat NOT, necessarily smaller than the generic "No. 11's". Here's the chart, once again, along with the caveat that cap sizes vary from lot to lot, so what fits today may no longer fit next month or next year:

November 5, 2010, 04:58 PM	#7
Fiv3 Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2010 Posts: 273	That's weird. Most of my caps just explode into a million pieces. Every once in awhile one will get hit off center and not go off causing the cap to sit tilted.

November 6, 2010, 06:27 AM	#9
Snowdog Senior Member Join Date: October 31, 2001 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 1,074	Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person who hasn't had any issues with my 1858. About 10 years ago, I purchased five boxes of Hornady .454 swaged balls along with my 1858 Remington and I have less than 2 boxes remaining. It amazes me that I've fired over 300 shots from my steel-frame Pietta (#11 CCI caps, about 30gr Pyrodex pistol) and haven't yet had any problems with fired caps binding up the cylinder... though I've heard PLENTY about it. Of course, now that I just bought some conicals to try and just boasted about my reliable revolver, I suspect I'll start seeing issues. __________________ "What We Do In Life, Echoes In Eternity" -Gladiator- ************************* Brevity Is The Soul of Wit. -Shakespeare-

November 6, 2010, 06:36 AM	#10
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	I never had much of a cap problem even when using #11 caps on #9 nipples.

November 7, 2010, 12:44 AM	#11
Model-P Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2009 Posts: 727	I haven't had too much trouble with caps falling off and jamming my 1858. I quickly developed the habit of giving a quick twist to the side to throw any loose caps out while cocking the hammer for the next shot. Works fine. What I DO have a problem with sometimes are stuck caps. What a royal pain in the rear they can be. My cylinder is a bit mangled from using a knife to pry off the really tight ones. Any suggestions for better methods of removing stuck caps?

November 7, 2010, 03:40 PM	#14
zullo74 Junior member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Posts: 374	I keep one of those cheap Leatherman knockoffs in my BP shooting kit. Many uses for it in BP shooting other than stuck cap removal.