Making your own percussion caps

[mannyCA]

Been thinking about this for a while and have finally had a chance to move on it. I fabricated a cap maker which uses aluminum soda cans and roll caps, similar in design to the tap-o-cap. It produces a stouter cap, especially if you double them up, and seems, for now, to work with the caps made in Germany you find at Wal-Mart.

Phase one, which was just described is completed. Phase two, field testing with BP and various amounts placed on the cap (or not) begins this week.

If everything works out I wanted to gauge interest from members about using these. Hopefully we can speak to the powers that be and start making them available.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words I thought I'd put some up close photos here so you guys can take a look and offer suggestion, comments, concerns, etc...:p

I also did a video going into some more detail on what I've done and how.

Like I said, the next week or so we will be testing these out to see just how reliable the caps are, and if its even still worth perusing.
I am not a machinist, and I don't pretend to be, just a hobbyist wanting to help out fellow shooters in a time of drought.:-D

And yes, that is a brass punch, we hope to prevent damage to the serrated punch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMs3HeAo9EI


104836104837

[Fyodor]

Looks like a nice device, and I'd love to try it. Unfortunately making percussion caps is illegal in Germany.

[Keith Sacane]

I have a tap-o-cap, and it works pretty well on cap and ball revolvers. I tried it on a Lyman GPR, and it didn't have enough spark to set it off. If the price was right, and it worked on traditional rifles, I'd be interested.

[Ghost101]

Hey Manny, I enjoyed your video. Nice work on your tool an am looking forward to the next one on firing. Hope it works, and have enjoyed watching some of your other videos.

Ghost101

[bandmiller2]

Suppose it can be done but its a lot of tedious work like casting air rifle pellets, and the caps are cheap. Might be a good skill to know though. Frank C.

[Bigslug]

I guess I don't shoot enough BP. Considering that roll caps for toy guns might warp the impressionable young minds of our future nanny-state subjects, I would have figured that it would be easier to get real percussion caps for real guns these days.

[44man]

My thoughts too! Can't give a kid a cap gun and if they find we use them to shoot real guns, they will be gone.
I am surprised they are still sold.
Big nanny doesn't want a kid to even see a gun but will send them into battle to save their butts. Chew a piece of bread to look like a gun and you will be suspended but you can die for the liberals.

[blackthorn]

Yes! If you want to stop war, make the politicians from both sides lead the first charge into battle! Hmmmm----solve a lot of our other problems as well eh?

[smoked turkey]

manny I also enjoyed your video and would like to give this a try myself. I believe your device will work to keep us shooting our blackpowder guns. It looks very well made. You did a good job on it and the video. Thanks for sharing.

[mdi]

I would be interested. I was recently thinkin'/looking into BP rifles and then saw the availability (and cost) of caps. Kinda put that fire out. Don't really want to go with a Flinter, but If I could make my own caps, that would make a huge difference in my decision...

[bedbugbilly]

I've shot BP for 50+ years and can well remember in the 1960s when Turner Kirkland carried the "Tap A Cap" in his offerings of his Dixie Gun Works catalog. I often thought of buying one - "just to have in case caps got short" but never did. (I'm talking about a time when I used to buy Remington caps at 25 cents a tine and BP at 75 cents a pound LOL ).

As long as caps are available, I would be using those on my revolvers & rifles - BUT - if they aren't - this certainly offers an "option".

I enjoyed the video and I think they would sell if priced reasonably. I'd be interested in one.

Originally, on the "Tap A Cap" - they recommended using a "paste" (or glue stick) to secure the punched "toy cap" in the punched tin cap. What you are doing certainly looks like they would 'stay put" without a problem. When they came out, a hand "hole punch" (as you would use in an office) was used to punch the caps out. Your method of using a hole punch is just as quick and allows a person to center it by eye over the toy cap.

When you are experimenting with them - what would happen if you lightly dipped a Q-tip (or similar) in something like lacquer or shellac and just lightly coating the paper cap in the tin cap to make it "waterproof"? I really don't know if it would "kill" the paper cap or not but it would be interesting to see.

This certainly gives a good option to a percussion shooter if caps get scarce. A abundance supply of cans around for sure. I'd like one just to "tuck away" along with a supply of cut tin and a quantity of the roll caps - store in an airtight container as a "back up".

Of course if you don't have caps - you can always use a flintlock and get by - but no caps means no shooting if all a person has is a side lock rifle or shotgun or revolver.

Keep us posted please - you design is simple and looks to work well. To mr, iy'd no different than hand loading cartridges with the old Lee Classic Loader. Might not be the fastest, but at least they go "bang". If the caps work well and provide enough spark - a person could make a good supply with just a few evening's worth of work. Good luck - look forward to hearing more and seeing there next test videos!

[Toymaker]

I bought a Tap-A-Cap a number of years ago and it worked very well. I had to make a little wooden "poker" to push the cap in, but I could make a lot while watching TV. They were stored in an air tight 35mm film plastic canister and I never had one go bad. The were used on a CVA Hawken Hunter with which I competed in muzzleloader matches for a number of years. However, when I made my own rifle they proved to be unreliable and I went back to commercial percussion caps. I putzed around a while trying to figure out why they worked on one and not the other rifle but never came up with an answer. It's still sitting in my field box but finding good toy pistol caps is more effort than worth while now.

[aspangler]

About 1/2 gr 3f or 4f powder under the cap makes it more reliable.

[cpileri]

Soooooo....
when are you ofering the die/punch for sale as a kit?
Seriously!
:)
C-

[psychicrhino]

Nice looking tool

[bandmiller2]

Manny, have you tried strike anywhere match heads, the whole head or make a paste from the head chemical.?? Frank C.

[mannyCA]

Haven't tried any of the strike anywhere matches, haven't thought about it. I want to make sure the caps don't fly off as shrapnel when/if a round goes off in the chamber.
I forgot where I read it, but I remember someone posted how the blowback was strong enough to re-cock the hammer on their BP revolver after making homemade caps.
At the moment I'm lining up materials and time to make these things and will report back.
Thanks for all the suggestions and encouragement, the more independent we can get from conventional sources the better IMHO.
And Like I say in the videos, take a kid shooting, any kid, we wouldn't want our sport dying out. ;)

[mannyCA]

Well, got a chance to test this out and it seems to work fine. Using the roll caps by themselves do not have the gusto to ignite the powder, so, just sprinkle a bit onto the cap, enough to cover the bottom in a layer, and shoot. Worked great that way, caps were destroyed and out of the 6 shots loaded one cap fell off. Not bad when you consider I got to fire rounds WITHOUT commercial caps! I see this as a victory in self-reliance. Let them have their cap drought, we will keep shooting.

heres the video I did this morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNpZLswXxC0

Going solo with the camera so it was a bit challenging to say the least.

[Ghost101]

Hi manny, watched your video on YouTube before coming on here tonite. They seemed to work out pretty good. Seems I read somewhere that a bit of candle wax was used in the day to keep the caps on for carry so they didn't fall off. Anyway good job an enjoyed your videos.

Ghost101

[hickfu]

I have a cap and ball pistol that belongs to my mother in law (she is just old and doesnt shoot) and I wanted to shoot it but I cant find caps any where. I like your way of making them....


Doc

[MT Gianni]

I almost gave up on finding roll caps to make them from. In the 90's when primers were 1.19 cent each, and caps were 2.9 c each I bought a device that converted my rifle to a sr primer. It takes longer to cap but lights the charge true.

[jonk]

I know I would buy one in a heartbeat!

[siamese4570]

I just bought three boxes of remington caps for $7.00 a piece. I would be interested in one of these if you go into production.
siamese4570

[jonk]

I almost gave up on finding roll caps to make them from. In the 90's when primers were 1.19 cent each, and caps were 2.9 c each I bought a device that converted my rifle to a sr primer. It takes longer to cap but lights the charge true.You can get them online easy, but most toy stores won't carry them anymore. :(

[SSGOldfart]

manny I also enjoyed your video and would like to give this a try myself. I believe your device will work to keep us shooting our blackpowder guns. It looks very well made. You did a good job on it and the video. Thanks for sharing.

I'll second this statement nice job

[ncmn]

Manny great job, I just saw the post and its a great idea for sure. I would be interested if the price was right. I just got interested in cap & ball revolvers but the price and being able to find caps sure makes it hard to collect and enjoy the guns.

[mannyCA]

We're now selling these if anyone's interested.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?244276-Cap-makers-now-ready-for-sale&p=2811314#post2811314

have a few options available, heck, I'll even thread them so they can be used in a die!

[cpileri]

I managed to acquire two, one from Manny here and one from ken at the brushhippie reference (see: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=9508104#post9508104 )
Manny's is bigger and makes a larger cap. Both fit the same size paper inside (5/32" punch) and are otherwise qualitatively similar.
Ill try to post a pic:


108327let you all know when i get out w the BP to try them out.
C-

[Reg]

Just as a FYI to those who think that commercial caps are too cheap to try to make your own, was in Cabela's last Sat. in Sidney. They had quite a few caps for sale at the princley sum of 7.50 per tin of 100.
Let someone pass a law to control them or let the horders figure out a way to make a buck and making your own looks better all the time.

MT Gianni

Could you give out a little more info on that conversion to SR ? Have been thinking about this for some time and anything you could add would help. What does it look like, how does it work, how does it attach ?
Thanks

[John Boy]

I'm in need of Remington #11 caps ... called Remington 3 times to ask if they have been sent to the distributors. Three time, the lady told me: "We have no production schedule for percussion caps."

[butch2570]

I'm in need of Remington #11 caps ... called Remington 3 times to ask if they have been sent to the distributors. Three time, the lady told me: "We have no production schedule for percussion caps."The same exact words they told me about 8-10 month's ago , when I asked about them and the Accu-tip 22 Mag shells. No scheduled production.

[Dragonscout]

Manny, just saw your video and was blown away once again by American ingenuity and hopefully prosperity comes as well. Will be getting one shortly, waiting to see if I can afford them as Christmas presents...Blessings and best wishes to a group of friends...Jerry

[rupe01]

I just bought one of these cap-makers from Manny and it looks like it will work very well indeed. Thanks to Manny for assisting me in staying independent from the cap manufacturers. Once i get my house move completed, i am going to enjoy testing this out thoroughly. Luckily i have snagged & stockpiled some decent toy caps already.

[MT Gianni]

Just as a FYI to those who think that commercial caps are too cheap to try to make your own, was in Cabela's last Sat. in Sidney. They had quite a few caps for sale at the princley sum of 7.50 per tin of 100.
Let someone pass a law to control them or let the horders figure out a way to make a buck and making your own looks better all the time.

MT Gianni

Could you give out a little more info on that conversion to SR ? Have been thinking about this for some time and anything you could add would help. What does it look like, how does it work, how does it attach ?
Thanks
http://www.warrencustomoutdoor.com/mag-spark.html
This seems to be the current mfg.

[krussel]

Mannyca how do I get in touch with you on getting one of the punch I keep going to the one spot put I can't find where you can order one krussel

[trapper9260]

I find on the side hammer that the homemade caps dose not work right.I am trying to find away to make the flash to set the powder off better.The powder is not where it is like on a handgun.The way that was stated to make it work better is the way I do it for reload handgun and shotgun primers but for side hammer BP dose not work well.Still working on that to make them work the way they should be like the factory ones do.Also for reload rifle primers.You need to add something to hold the powder over the flash hole to have it go off the way it should other wise most of the time it sound like almost like a ML.You have your delay action.

[44man]

I think the aluminum is a good idea. Just need some more OOOPH I guess.
I have caps here that scare heck out of me. RWS and some Italian ones. Copper is so brittle they blow pieces into my face, not fun to pick pieces out of my chin. I use the hot shot nipples and small flash holes to prevent the hammers from bouncing. CCI, REM and Fed caps do not do that. I really like Rem the best.
I use the bad caps to clear the flash hole but hold the guns upside down. It really is scary!

[Texantothecore]

MannCA's cap maker is a quality tool. I use one and it produces cap shells which do not fall off and jam up the action. I am quite pleased with it.

[Onis45lc]

Hi Manny I am new here and have watched your videos I enjoy them alot I am very interested in a number 11 and a musket cap maker are you selling them? Thanks

[Hotfxr]

I have more #10 & #11 caps than I will use for the next several years but am in need of 4-eared musket caps. The only ones that seem to work are the RWS caps and they have been in short supply lately. Sportsman's Warehouse was selling them one tin at a time for the princely sum of $10.99 for the caps which is highway robbery in itself. But then with the $5.95 shipping, the $3.40 shipping surcharge, and the $25.00 Hazmat fee, it looks like we have to come up with another alternative. When did they start charging a hazmat fee for caps? So a friend & I made up a cap punch based on the tap-o-cap for the bigger size and we have made up a hundred or so blank caps using some copper foil I had left over from some project and they fit perfect. It's just finding an explosive for the caps that has us stalled. Couldn't find any of the old fashioned roll caps that might actually still work for a reasonable price but did score a roll off a buddy that had a stash. Even with 2 powder dots per cap we had a 50% failure rate. That 3" vent tube needs some oomph to get down to the powder in the foil packets. Now we are experimenting with flash powder that supposedly is the same formulation as the old roll caps but having adhesion issues. The paper punched plugs plugs don't hold very well so after some more fiddling around we are dissolving the powder in acetone and using an eye dropper, dropping a couple drops in each cap and letting them dry out. In theory it should work, but it seems the act of placing the cap on the nipple crumbles the dried powder and there is not enough for contact. Have any of you cap makers have any ideas?

[10x]

Suppose it can be done but its a lot of tedious work like casting air rifle pellets, and the caps are cheap. Might be a good skill to know though. Frank C.

Caps are cheap until you can't get them.
I have lived through times when caps were next to impossible to get for a reasonable price because of hazmat fees on shipping.
Or because the gun store or hardware store simply chose not to stock or order them.

[jimb16]

I wouldn't mind getting one myself....

[Gtek]

The drawings and instructions I have and have not moved past material gathering. .3 grains of FFFF under single roll cap and sealed with Rave hair spray, and cut roll cap to fit nicely. Instruction was to make scoop from small pistol primer and solder on a piece of 14 awg wire for handle.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

One problem is that the sheet metal you use is liable to vary in thickness and ease of creasing. If you have a punch the diameter of the actual nipple you use, you could drive the formed cap through one hole after another in a jeweler's drawplate until you find the first that is tight. Or if you have a set of number drills, you could make your own plate in the sizes required.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRAWPLATE-ROUND-12-91-HOLES-PULLING-WIRE-ROLLING-MILL/300401359346?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%2 6asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3D8dc7844906a5466fa7d d179a7c6d985f%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26 mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D351612019733

[swheeler]

Maybe my rememberer is off but seems tap-o-cap was one of Dick Casull's inventions, seems like he was really into BP guns way back when?

[Duckdog]

I just ordered a 22 LR reloading kit, but that's neither here nor there. The interesting part that would apply to this thread is that they sell a pressure sensitive re-priming mixture that will undoubtedly work for these that will prime 2000 22LR shells for $20 including shipping. I have a tap O cap and the only hitch was the priming of the caps. This compound will undoubtedly fix that from what I can see.

I downright can not find percussion caps in my area, what so ever. I'd have a better chance of seeing Bigfoot than percussion caps on the shelf in ay regular number. If I can make them myself, it takes the uncertainty of supply out of the mix.

Now the 22 LR, well, the kit allows you to cast the bullets, and crimp the bullets, prime the shell etc. I'm doing that because I can..... and also because I have not seen a single box of 22 LR on the shelves in my area in 2 years.

[JoeH]

I'd be very prompt and thorough in cleaning after shooting those, I believe toy caps are extremely corrosive.

[Duckdog]

One should generally clean black powder gun promptly anyway, as black powder ad pyrodex are both very corrosive. You are right, toy caps are very corrosive also.

[firefly1957]

I could not find history involving Dick Casull however http://www.midwayusa.com/product/842064/forster-tap-o-cap-11-percusion-cap-maker is where to get the tap-o-cap .

[rcbloom2]

I would like to buy a musket cap maker. How much and where do I send payment.

[rcbloom2]

Looks like a nice device, and I'd love to try it. Unfortunately making percussion caps is illegal in Germany.

Another one of our 'freedom loving democratic" allies. This government is so afraid of its citizens, they cannot make percussion caps. Fear a government that fears you. Remember the propagandists in the media who say other are jealous of our freedom and democracy. It is a bunch of ********.

[rcbloom2]

[QUOTE=mannyCA;2778293] How do I order a musket cap maker. The link does not work.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I don't think Manny is offering them anymore.

[Traffer]

I just ordered a 22 LR reloading kit, but that's neither here nor there. The interesting part that would apply to this thread is that they sell a pressure sensitive re-priming mixture that will undoubtedly work for these that will prime 2000 22LR shells for $20 including shipping. I have a tap O cap and the only hitch was the priming of the caps. This compound will undoubtedly fix that from what I can see.

I downright can not find percussion caps in my area, what so ever. I'd have a better chance of seeing Bigfoot than percussion caps on the shelf in ay regular number. If I can make them myself, it takes the uncertainty of supply out of the mix.

Now the 22 LR, well, the kit allows you to cast the bullets, and crimp the bullets, prime the shell etc. I'm doing that because I can..... and also because I have not seen a single box of 22 LR on the shelves in my area in 2 years.
Duckdog, man, You cannot find 22lr in Northern Wisconsin? I live in Stevens Point (Central Wi) and I have no problem getting 22lr ammo anymore. Just gotta go in and check when ever I am going past the places that sell it on occasion. Some places have more people hanging around waiting for it...Walmart has it on occasion but there are so many people checking there that it does not last more than a few hours. Other than that. I have gotten it at Fleet Farm and Dunhams. All three of these places have had it with wild price swings. Fleet Farm has some now that has been sitting on the shelf at $15 for a hundred with a stupid cup holder attached. But I have gotten it there for under $.06 per round. Dunhams has it for anywhere between $.06 and $.09 on occasion. Walmart has the best prices if you get it quick. I have seen it at Walmart for less than anywhere else. And 22 mag is coming back too. Walmart just had some for $.13 per.
I have been reloading 22lr also. But I didn't get the Sharpshooter tool. Made my own tools. Now I am swaging the bullets and powder coating them. Still a painstakingly slow process but getting more efficient as it progresses. I did buy the primer compound from Sharpshooter but haven't used it yet. I still have tons of caps and use them. The process I use is easy and pretty efficient. I am looking forward to not using corrosive primer though. There are many recopies for primer here on CB. Check out a guy named Marshall. He is doing some amazing research and development on the stuff for us.
By the way Walmart, Shopko and other big retailers carry Legends brand roll caps for $3 per 2400 caps. I use 8 caps per 22lr but you don't need that many. Still pretty cheap. I describe my technique on how to work with them on one of these threads. Way easy. My problem is now that I have too many caps horded. And now I have many better alternatives and don't want to ditch the caps. If you want them and can't get them shoot me a PM and I will sell them to you for what I paid.

[Chev. William]

Yes! If you want to stop war, make the politicians from both sides lead the first charge into battle! Hmmmm----solve a lot of our other problems as well eh?

I seem to Recall that the "Founding Fathers" all were Military Service Veterans
BEFORE they were elected to Office.

Would not be a Bad Idea even now but nearly impossible to get approved nowadays.
Chev. William