Some caps don't fire the first time...

red96ta · September 25, 2012, 02:02 AM

I've noticed on my Pietta 1860 that between 2-3 caps don't fire the first time around and only go off after the second strike...what's going on? I'm currently using CCI#10 caps as Remington caps aren't available.

I'm thinking that one of two things are going on. Either I need to move over to #11 caps or I need to fill the hammer notch to give it more surface area to strike the caps.

brushhippie · September 25, 2012, 02:35 AM

Number 10s can be too small for some, you might try 11s or use a dowel rod to make sure they are all the way down on the nipple. Number 10s are too small and 11s need a slight pinch for most of mine.

Doc Hoy · September 25, 2012, 04:12 AM

I mark my targets with a "Sharpie" Sharpie's have a small indentation at the very end of the marker tube.

It fits nearly perfectly into the cap recess in the cylinder. It makes a real good tool to press the caps onto the nipples. It is plastic and therefore soft enough to be safe. The indentation helps to keep it is place as the cap is pressed home.

arcticap · September 25, 2012, 04:20 AM

CCI #10's are basically the smallest caps on the market.
I also found that the CCI #11's have thicker walls which makes them somewhat harder to squeeze to fit factory nipples verses Remington #11's.
Nipples can be dressed with emery cloth to help them fit the CCI #10's better but then the nipples may become too small to fit other brands of caps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by red96ta

I'm thinking that one of two things are going on. Either I need to move over to #11 caps or I need to fill the hammer notch to give it more surface area to strike the caps.

It could also have a weak mainspring but that's doubtful. If it were weak then that could be addressed by inserting a wedge between it and the frame.
But the hammer notch does not usually need to be filled in unless the caps are getting blasted back into its recess, then getting stuck and/or repeatedly falling into the action.
Any #11 caps would probably work better by squeezing them to fit if necessary.

Sure Shot Mc Gee · September 25, 2012, 06:44 AM

Oops. Sorry.

Noz · September 25, 2012, 08:11 AM

You are not getting the caps seated. The ignition material must be in contact with the nipple for them to fire reliably. Give them a push.

Wild Bill Bucks · September 25, 2012, 09:04 AM

I used to find several caps in a tin, that would have the combustible material knocked out from the inside, from being shipped and rattled around, and mis-handled at the store. Never found more than 2 or 3 in a tin, and it is easy enough to find them by looking at each one, but that may be your problem.

Never was a big deal at the range, but it will make you say all kinds of things on a hunt if you have sat and waited for hours in the cold weather, for that one good shot, just to hear the hammer go snap.

robhof · September 25, 2012, 02:45 PM

Wild Bill, I feel your pain; a few years ago I decided to take a deer with my flinter; spent days at the range perfecting the load and primer and adjusting flint for best spark. Finally see a deer , waited for best angle, cocked and fired; Pffsssst...., deer still there, reprimed, cocked and suddenly the deer hears and is of at a dead run. I don't hunt with a flinter for deer anymore.

Hawg · September 25, 2012, 06:38 PM

Quote:

I used to find several caps in a tin, that would have the combustible material knocked out from the inside, from being shipped and rattled around, and mis-handled at the store.

I find several in every tin of Remingtons but not CCI

Hellgate · September 25, 2012, 11:20 PM

Articap said: "CCI #10's are basically the smallest caps on the market." Unless you can find RWS#55. They are even smaller. I would recommend what has already been said: push them on harder to fully seat or get the CCI#11s. If you can find Remington #10 they are actually more forgiving of nipple shapes. As was said, the CCIs are harder caps and don't flare as readily as the Remingtons which have more "give" and expand the walls more easily to fit the shape of the nipple cone.

Of my 15 or so C&Bs, the CCI#11s fit about half and the RWS #1075 (#11) fit the other half but the Remington #10s fit all of them or I swap out the nipples so they do fit.

duelist1954 · September 26, 2012, 02:51 AM

Ditto what Hellgate said. Remington #10 caps work best for me as well.

Fingers McGee · September 26, 2012, 10:38 AM

What Hellgate and Duelist said

Strafer Gott · September 28, 2012, 04:33 PM

I just press them on with the capper. #11's work good with Uberti's. I thought #10's and even bought them, but then tried the 11's first, and they worked great.

Hardy · September 28, 2012, 07:30 PM

#10's never worked for me. Try Remington #11's higher ignition caps and--- if serious replace w/ amco nipples.

#10s are good for pocket revolvers. I never found them to work on larger models but some say they do.

WBH

Hawg · September 28, 2012, 07:58 PM

Most of my guns have liked #10's with a couple requiring #11. #10's won't work on those. #11's on the other ones have to be pinch fit to stay on.

Hardy · September 28, 2012, 08:12 PM

hawg--I never fired our pockets. I just thought #10's would fit them only. Everytime I put 10's on on my guns they did not seat well and would not fire unless they were seated hard. I thought a 49 pocket would suit them great. I did not know. I do know that the tresso/amco nipples are better. Maybe they seat #10's better. But they are expensive!

WBH

Hawg · September 28, 2012, 08:32 PM

I've never used CCI #10 or Remington #11. Remington #10 have fit all but one of my Pietta Remingtons and the one that takes #11 has what looks to be stainless nipples in it. Now my Pietta 60 took #11 CCI right out of the box. That's the only gun I bought new that I can say for sure takes #11 but I have heard other people say their 60's took #11. I've also heard that Italian nipples are hit or miss as to size. I dunno.

You can get Ampco nipples for either size caps.

North East Redneck · September 28, 2012, 09:38 PM

I don't know much, but I know that #10 Rems are what works when other caps won't. Make sure you check them to make sure they haven't lost their ignition source. Seems they do come up 'empty' more than CCI caps. Usually a few in a tin. CCI, almost never. Ampco nips are great also. Just what I've seen.

red96ta · September 29, 2012, 02:02 AM

Just an update, I went into town and found a tin of RWS 1075+ and will see if this doesn't remedy my problems with unfired caps...

Hawg · September 29, 2012, 05:18 AM

RWS 1075 caps are #11.

Noz · September 29, 2012, 08:03 AM

Again, TRESO nipples and #10 Remingtons solve 90% of all cap problems. Go there first.

mykeal · September 30, 2012, 06:48 AM

Quote:

RWS 1075 caps are #11.

??
Which No. 11, CCI or Remington?

It's neither; it's just an RWS 1075.

Hawg · September 30, 2012, 08:18 AM

That I dunno. All the #10's I've used have been Remington and RWS is bigger than those. All the #11's I've used have been CCI and they "seem" to be about the same size. Your chart has Remington 10's bigger than CCI 11's and that is not the case.

red96ta · September 30, 2012, 11:54 AM

Tried out the RWS caps yesterday and it was a complete bust...way too big. I suppose I'm not going to take stop-gap measures and just replace my nipples.

I got the gun sighted in pretty well as well...5 of 6 shots on a tin can at 45'. Not bad for only having 60 rounds through this Pietta 1860. In fact, I'm having so much fun with this whole black powder thing that I just went ahead and bought a Cimarron 2nd model Dragoon a couple days ago!

And a parting shot coming up the ridge near my shooting location...

Hawg · September 30, 2012, 12:59 PM

Nice view.

Not bad shootin at all.

September 25, 2012, 04:12 AM	#3
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Brushippie + 1 I mark my targets with a "Sharpie" Sharpie's have a small indentation at the very end of the marker tube. It fits nearly perfectly into the cap recess in the cylinder. It makes a real good tool to press the caps onto the nipples. It is plastic and therefore soft enough to be safe. The indentation helps to keep it is place as the cap is pressed home. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

September 25, 2012, 02:45 PM	#8
robhof Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2007 Posts: 712	robhof Wild Bill, I feel your pain; a few years ago I decided to take a deer with my flinter; spent days at the range perfecting the load and primer and adjusting flint for best spark. Finally see a deer , waited for best angle, cocked and fired; Pffsssst...., deer still there, reprimed, cocked and suddenly the deer hears and is of at a dead run. I don't hunt with a flinter for deer anymore.

September 26, 2012, 10:38 AM	#12
Fingers McGee Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2008 Location: High & Dry in Missouri Ozarks Posts: 2,113	What Hellgate and Duelist said __________________ 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

September 28, 2012, 09:38 PM	#18
North East Redneck Senior Member Join Date: June 6, 2012 Location: Berkshire Hills Posts: 741	I don't know much, but I know that #10 Rems are what works when other caps won't. Make sure you check them to make sure they haven't lost their ignition source. Seems they do come up 'empty' more than CCI caps. Usually a few in a tin. CCI, almost never. Ampco nips are great also. Just what I've seen. __________________ NRA Patron Member SAF Life Member GOAL Member

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September 25, 2012, 02:02 AM	#1
red96ta Member Join Date: July 6, 2012 Posts: 50	Some caps don't fire the first time... I've noticed on my Pietta 1860 that between 2-3 caps don't fire the first time around and only go off after the second strike...what's going on? I'm currently using CCI#10 caps as Remington caps aren't available. I'm thinking that one of two things are going on. Either I need to move over to #11 caps or I need to fill the hammer notch to give it more surface area to strike the caps.

September 25, 2012, 02:35 AM	#2
brushhippie Junior member Join Date: June 4, 2012 Posts: 70	Number 10s can be too small for some, you might try 11s or use a dowel rod to make sure they are all the way down on the nipple. Number 10s are too small and 11s need a slight pinch for most of mine.

September 25, 2012, 06:44 AM	#5
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	Oops. Sorry.

September 25, 2012, 08:11 AM	#6
Noz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 643	You are not getting the caps seated. The ignition material must be in contact with the nipple for them to fire reliably. Give them a push.

September 25, 2012, 09:04 AM	#7
Wild Bill Bucks Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2005 Location: Southeastern Oklahoma, Next door to Sasquatch Posts: 1,266	I used to find several caps in a tin, that would have the combustible material knocked out from the inside, from being shipped and rattled around, and mis-handled at the store. Never found more than 2 or 3 in a tin, and it is easy enough to find them by looking at each one, but that may be your problem. Never was a big deal at the range, but it will make you say all kinds of things on a hunt if you have sat and waited for hours in the cold weather, for that one good shot, just to hear the hammer go snap.

September 25, 2012, 11:20 PM	#10
Hellgate Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Location: Orygun Posts: 869	Articap said: "CCI #10's are basically the smallest caps on the market." Unless you can find RWS#55. They are even smaller. I would recommend what has already been said: push them on harder to fully seat or get the CCI#11s. If you can find Remington #10 they are actually more forgiving of nipple shapes. As was said, the CCIs are harder caps and don't flare as readily as the Remingtons which have more "give" and expand the walls more easily to fit the shape of the nipple cone. Of my 15 or so C&Bs, the CCI#11s fit about half and the RWS #1075 (#11) fit the other half but the Remington #10s fit all of them or I swap out the nipples so they do fit. __________________ 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)

September 26, 2012, 02:51 AM	#11
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 567	Ditto what Hellgate said. Remington #10 caps work best for me as well.

September 28, 2012, 04:33 PM	#13
Strafer Gott Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,315	I just press them on with the capper. #11's work good with Uberti's. I thought #10's and even bought them, but then tried the 11's first, and they worked great.

September 28, 2012, 07:30 PM	#14
Hardy Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 709	#10's never worked for me. Try Remington #11's higher ignition caps and--- if serious replace w/ amco nipples. #10s are good for pocket revolvers. I never found them to work on larger models but some say they do. WBH

September 28, 2012, 07:58 PM	#15
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	Most of my guns have liked #10's with a couple requiring #11. #10's won't work on those. #11's on the other ones have to be pinch fit to stay on.

September 28, 2012, 08:12 PM	#16
Hardy Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 709	hawg--I never fired our pockets. I just thought #10's would fit them only. Everytime I put 10's on on my guns they did not seat well and would not fire unless they were seated hard. I thought a 49 pocket would suit them great. I did not know. I do know that the tresso/amco nipples are better. Maybe they seat #10's better. But they are expensive! WBH

September 28, 2012, 08:32 PM	#17
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	I've never used CCI #10 or Remington #11. Remington #10 have fit all but one of my Pietta Remingtons and the one that takes #11 has what looks to be stainless nipples in it. Now my Pietta 60 took #11 CCI right out of the box. That's the only gun I bought new that I can say for sure takes #11 but I have heard other people say their 60's took #11. I've also heard that Italian nipples are hit or miss as to size. I dunno. You can get Ampco nipples for either size caps.

September 29, 2012, 02:02 AM	#19
red96ta Member Join Date: July 6, 2012 Posts: 50	Just an update, I went into town and found a tin of RWS 1075+ and will see if this doesn't remedy my problems with unfired caps...

September 29, 2012, 05:18 AM	#20
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	RWS 1075 caps are #11.

September 29, 2012, 08:03 AM	#21
Noz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 643	Again, TRESO nipples and #10 Remingtons solve 90% of all cap problems. Go there first.

September 30, 2012, 08:18 AM	#23
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	That I dunno. All the #10's I've used have been Remington and RWS is bigger than those. All the #11's I've used have been CCI and they "seem" to be about the same size. Your chart has Remington 10's bigger than CCI 11's and that is not the case.

September 30, 2012, 11:54 AM	#24
red96ta Member Join Date: July 6, 2012 Posts: 50	Tried out the RWS caps yesterday and it was a complete bust...way too big. I suppose I'm not going to take stop-gap measures and just replace my nipples. I got the gun sighted in pretty well as well...5 of 6 shots on a tin can at 45'. Not bad for only having 60 rounds through this Pietta 1860. In fact, I'm having so much fun with this whole black powder thing that I just went ahead and bought a Cimarron 2nd model Dragoon a couple days ago! And a parting shot coming up the ridge near my shooting location...

September 30, 2012, 12:59 PM	#25
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	Nice view. Not bad shootin at all.