Brian in Montana
Well-known member
Always fall off fhe nipple when I turn my rifle muzzle-up. Any cleaved solutions for this or products I'm not aware of?
Stupid Percussion Caps
- Thread starter Brian in Montana
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AvidIndoorsman
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To be honest, I don't put a cap on until I'm pretty much ready to go... like kinda when you would knock an arrow on a bow so haven't dealt with that issue. Are you walking around all day with a cap on?
MThuntr
Well-known member
Looks like you need to change sizes of either percussion cap or nipple. I've found that RWS percussion caps fit tighter and are also a higher quality but they cost about $12 per 100. I get them at Sportsmans Warehouse or order them by the 1000 count case (way too many) via Grafs.
I switched my 54 traditional sidelock rifle and my 50cal double rifle to musket caps and I've stopped having big delayed fires. Stay away from the CCI 4 wing musket caps that say "for reenactment" and if possible get RWS, Dynamite Nobel, or CCI 8 wing
I switched my 54 traditional sidelock rifle and my 50cal double rifle to musket caps and I've stopped having big delayed fires. Stay away from the CCI 4 wing musket caps that say "for reenactment" and if possible get RWS, Dynamite Nobel, or CCI 8 wing
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JColony
Active member
Give it a slight pinch to get it out of round, then once on, push the tabs down onto the nipple on all sides you can reach. I hunted with a muzzy for years in WA and that was my go to. Never had one fall off.
Brian in Montana
Well-known member
I'm gonna try that, JColony. 
GlockZ
Well-known member
Sounds to me like you need to replace the nipple.
JColony
Active member
I'd be surprised if it didn't work for you.I'm gonna try that, JColony.
sbhooper
Well-known member
There should not be a cap on it, if you are turning it muzzle up. That is toward your head! If you are no ready to shoot, leave the hammer down on it and @#)(# it, when you are ready to shoot. Also, you can flatten the top of the nipple a bit, with a hammer, so that the cap fits tighter. I always liked musket caps on my hammer guns and now use shotgun primers on my in-lines.
Greyman
Well-known member
I finally got tired of fighting with hang fires, misfires and the like with my sidelock with #11 mag caps and finding good musket caps is hard without buying them by the 1000 with a hefty hazmat fee. I gave in and installed a Mag-Spark 209 adapter. Holey moley, what a difference. Not only did I get more reliable ignition, my groups got way tighter.
Brian in Montana
Well-known member
I just decided to unload my sidelock altogether. I bought a CVA Wolf for next season and I'm selling the Traditions Hawken. I shot a couple of deer with it in years past, but you're right, the hangfires and misfires just got a little old.
sbhooper
Well-known member
Hit the top of the nipple with a hammer, to flare it a bit. Problem solved. Did it many times, back in my percussion cap-REAL-muzzleloader days. Then, get a nipple that takes musket caps.
BrentD
Well-known member
Just squeeze the nipple slightly between your thumb and fingers and make it slightly oval. It will stay on. I do this with an underhammer and it stays on just fine
OleRedbeard
Well-known member
Ill second this. RWS is the way to go. Hotter fire and seems to be a little more water resistant than others.
BrentD
Well-known member
I used to subscribe to the RWS are Hotter hypothesis, but I am no longer very sure of that . CCI magnums are doing at least as well in my rifles. One thing for certain, the RWS will fragment much more and may end up stuck in your hands, wrist, or eyeball. Where protection!
Also, I will add that if you have to use musket for a regular percussion sidelock gun, you are not managing your rifle properly. You are also probably sacrificing accuracy.
Also, I will add that if you have to use musket for a regular percussion sidelock gun, you are not managing your rifle properly. You are also probably sacrificing accuracy.
AmericanLongrifle
Member
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- Feb 10, 2020
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- 90
This is what I do. Seems to work. The other thing I do is when I put the cap on the nipple, I let the hammer down slowly and let it rest on the cap and a give the hammer a little push to help seat the cap on the nipple. I haven't had one go off like that but I always make sure the muzzle is pointed in safe direction.
Brian obviously solved his problem already but here's an old fashioned deal we used to do in the 70's/80's with our old kentucky and Hawkens. Dad never wanted us to carry with the hammer down on the nipple cuz he feared we'd drop it and it would go off if the hammer got hit. (Doubtful, but whatever) so we would break off about a 4" stick that was about double the diameter of a pencil. We'd lower the hammer down onto the stick pinching it between the hammer and the cap/nipple. We would leave 3/4 of the stick hanging out the right side. When you pull the hammer back to shoot a deer the stick falls out the right side. - simple and it worked to keep the cap on.
BrentD
Well-known member
BRaska,
I too use an H&A style of muzzleloader. I've managed to keep the caps on quite easily without tape. Like others have suggested, I squeeze them oval and then push them on an carefully seat them by lowering the hammer and seating them with a nice snug push with my thumb.
Muskeez, another similar trick is to use a 9 mm or cutdown 38 special or similar shell over the capped nipple and lower the hammer on that.
I too use an H&A style of muzzleloader. I've managed to keep the caps on quite easily without tape. Like others have suggested, I squeeze them oval and then push them on an carefully seat them by lowering the hammer and seating them with a nice snug push with my thumb.
Muskeez, another similar trick is to use a 9 mm or cutdown 38 special or similar shell over the capped nipple and lower the hammer on that.
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