#11 Cap maker ~ 22LRreloader

Received my #11 cap maker from 22lrreloader about 2 weeks ago and have been busy destroying tin cans since then. My experience with this product is mixed, I achieve about a 40% success ratio when it comes to stamping out decent looking caps, most of my attempts results in mangled split caps that are unusable. I have used various types of soda/beer cans with the same results as well as changing the way I hit the die ram, I have also tried paint side up and down with no affect. I have found that just smacking it with my hand on a solid surface gives the best results (about 4 out of 10). I tried contacting the manufacturer about the dismal cap making results and received no answer. I would normally rate this product pretty low, but in a climate where no caps can be found, this cap maker does produce some decent caps every so often, so I guess some caps are better than none, it just takes me longer to produce them and I use more FREE cans from the recycle bins. I will continue to experiment with different cans and metals to see if quality changes. If anyone has some tips or wants to share their experience, I would be interested in hearing.

I had the same thing 40years ago only it was made by Forster and called a "Tap-O-Cap." The success rate was a lot higher than 40%, close to 100% IIRC. They're still a PITA to fool with BUT, as you described, in this climate they can be a life saver.

Wonder if the aluminum cans have changed in 40 years? They make everything else cheaper.

Just a guess... but try annealing a small section of can. Maybe large enough for 5-10 to get a good try at it.

sounds like the machine tolerances are off and its a sloppy fit. my tapacap does really well with aluminum and so does the mannyca cap maker I got.

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Originally Posted by missionary5155

Just a guess... but try annealing a small section of can. Maybe large enough for 5-10 to get a good try at it.

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This sounds like good advice, the beverage can aluminum is rather stiff.

I get better results using the soft aluminum from disposable pie pans, but then the caps are likely to flay out when they fire.

People have reported good results using .005" sheet brass from Hobby Lobby.

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Originally Posted by Bnt55

Received my #11 cap maker from 22lrreloader about 2 weeks ago and have been busy destroying tin cans since then. My experience with this product is mixed, I achieve about a 40% success ratio when it comes to stamping out decent looking caps, most of my attempts results in mangled split caps that are unusable. I have used various types of soda/beer cans with the same results as well as changing the way I hit the die ram, I have also tried paint side up and down with no affect. I have found that just smacking it with my hand on a solid surface gives the best results (about 4 out of 10). I tried contacting the manufacturer about the dismal cap making results and received no answer. I would normally rate this product pretty low, but in a climate where no caps can be found, this cap maker does produce some decent caps every so often, so I guess some caps are better than none, it just takes me longer to produce them and I use more FREE cans from the recycle bins. I will continue to experiment with different cans and metals to see if quality changes. If anyone has some tips or wants to share their experience, I would be interested in hearing.

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I got the #10 cap maker same 22lrreloader, started with a al. Pie plate .010 thickness. Punched out about 35 perfectly.

Had some brass shim stock roll of .010, for shimming and aligning water pumps, worked better. After about a 100 started having trouble getting strip out after punching, seems to be nicking on side and disforming so hard to get out.

Will try some copper next from hobby store, maybe that will work better.

My attempt at filling with primer mix after making a board with little holes drilled to hold about 50 worked well. But and there is always a but, the powder didn’t always stay inside where it is so posed to. Used acetone alone and some stuck well but most just went back to dry powder and poured out. The ones that settled and stuck fired perfectly. Have some (Duco) cement ordered to try and mix at 1-6 ratio with acetone, might improve.

Very happy so far, at least I can now shoot the new cap and ball, as caps are unattainable in my area.

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Originally Posted by Hossfly

Have some (Duco) cement ordered to try and mix at 1-6 ratio with acetone, might improve.

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If your wife has any clear nail polish (dissolved nitrocellulose), you might try mixing that with acetone.

See post #35 in this thread -

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...ne+nail+polish

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Originally Posted by ofitg

If your wife has any clear nail polish (dissolved nitrocellulose), you might try mixing that with acetone.

See post #35 in this thread -

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...ne+nail+polish

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Thanks, I thought I read about using fingernail polish but couldn’t remember where, I guess that was it. As a funny, that compound you mix the 4 bags up with is potent. I pushed 1 on i guess a little fast and hard, no powder or lead just as a test and pop it came right back out a lot faster than it went in so be careful. Guys and Galls

I just received an email back from 22lrreloader today and he is sending a new die out in the mail, seems like good customer service. I will give the new one a try as well as different metals to see if I can fine tune this stamp

While waiting for the new die, I stamped out a bunch using a thin aluminum pie plate and it punched perfectly. I imagine that those caps will explode and end up in the cylinder mechanism causing a blockage, but I will give them a chance.

As far as the primer mixture, I have had the same results with acetone, mixture dries then falls out of cap. I am going to try some of the methods posted. Will update when new cap maker shows up.

I have never had any experience with making my own caps, but what if you take some cigarette paper, place it over the caps, wet it with acetone to make it cut to the rim of the cap and tap it down with a dowel. As I said, I don't know if this would hold the compound or not. Just a suggestion.

I have a version of this, which we made at work (tool & die shop). I've had the best luck punching the cups from aluminum caffeine drink cans. They were ever so slightly thicker. I wouldn't have thought it would matter, but it did...ymmv

2 piece cans go thru a multiple step forming process. cut disc and cup cup thrn get drawn down smaller and longer then he final form and burnish then trime to length and flanged for the end. When finished hey are a lot harder than they start out. As mentioned above an anneal step will probably help forming and ignition. The easy way would be to start a charcoal fire lay the sheets on it and a layer of briquettes on top and let burn down and slowly cool.

As to the compound not always sticking Here you might try a 20-30 min polish in fine corn cobs or walnut hulls to prep the surface. A short soak in white vinegar may give a lightly etched surface it can bond to better.

you might try .005 brass sheets on flea-bay. it makes perfect caps with tthe #11 die set.

I use the cup from a fired shot gun primer to make caps for my muzzle loaders. They are a little loose for a #11 but by driving them through the proper size hole in a piece of 1/4" steel plate you can downsize them to whatever size you want. They are about as thick as normal primer cups and don't shatter when fired so they don't tend to jam a revolver cylinder.

Any old fired shotgun shell primer will work and the punches ( can be hand made) and a short piece of steel plate cost little.