Reloading primers with toy caps - results

[AndyC]

I decided to quantify the results of "reloading" a Large Pistol primer with toy paper caps obtained from Amazon.

I levered out the anvil with a small nail, flatted the firing-pin dent as much as possible by using a flat punch inside the cup. 2 caps were used per primer, cut out with a leather punch.



I then dropped the cap-primed cup into my priming tool, raised it up a bit and dropped the anvil into the cup - and gently pressed the primer up in place in the brass to let the anvil find its own center in the cup.

Case primed:



I shot regular Win LPP versus these toy caps a few weekends ago - load was 4.1gr Clays under a 230gr RN cast. Here are the chronograph numbers:




No failures to cycle or fire - but other than the obvious smell difference (caps are very distinctive), I did notice a very tiny delay between the click and actual bang, which I guesstimated at 1/20th second:



So, I saved the audio from that video as an MP3 and opened it in an audio editor, Audacity - using that I was able to zoom in on the timeline and clearly saw the sound of the hammer-fall followed by a delay then the gunshot:



0.04 sec delay = 1/25th of a sec, so I was close with my earlier 1/20th guesstimate.

In conclusion, this can be done if needed - not a quick method but it's doable.

[wwboolitmaker]

Man that velocity spread isn't much considering... Good work.

Sent from my LM-G710VM using Tapatalk

[Iwsbull]

Thanks again and that is a real surprise. Wonder how it works with other powders.

[RyanJames170]

Still would like to know if the priming compound made for reloading 22LR cases by 22lrreloader.com is corrosive or non corrosive. Kinda wanted to try this out with that stuff if it is non corrosive.

[AndyC]

I'd treat all of it as corrosive - the caps I used definitely are. Not a big deal; scrub with Hoppes #9 as normal (same day if possible) and carry on.

[gwpercle]

That is a most interesting test . The results were surprisingly good and if this shortage continues might offer an answer . Several different types of caps are out there and more testing might reveal something we can easily use .

Awesome Job AndyC
Gary

[Darth Jäger]

Very impressive, especially the chrono results.

[AndyC]

Thank you - I'm hoping the info and numbers will be useful to someone.

[scattershot]

Great info, thanks for posting.

[tomme boy]

Use WATER first then clean as regular. Water is what neutralizes a corrosive compound.

[Rightbrained]

That was very interesting .
Back when I was a kid caps and cap guns were “ cool”.

[MUSTANG]

Love the detail Data and Analysis. May have to lay in a few cases of "Cap Pistol" caps in the future. Grandkids are beyond Cap Pistols; they are now into Pellet and 22LR when they come visit.

[rancher1913]

very good write up. one thing that you might try is to put a little black powder between the caps, will give it just a little more ummmph.

[lar45]

Very interesting test for sure. Thanks for posting the results.
I had an idea about the delayed ignition. What if you cut the caps out with a slightly smaller punch, so the spark could go around the paper faster. I don't know how large the spot on the caps are, or if they is feasible, but it might be worth trying to see if the delayed ignition would shorten up, or go away.

[Texas by God]

I love it when I learn something first thing in the morning. Good knowledge to have.

[Uncle Grinch]

Very inventive there. I like your ingenuity. I’m surprised caps are available on Amazon. Do they ship ORM-D?

We used to take several and lay them on a flat surface and hit them with a hammer. Not exactly safe, but back them it sure was fun!

[cstrickland]

well looks like I need to buy and stock caps before the great 2021 run on caps !! Hey maybe I can sell them for like $500 a roll !!!

Nice work on this. I have seriously been contemplating getting some caps and trying this. I have also be looking at the primeall compound that is available. Now I have seen a version of this where two caps are used with a gun powder kicker in-between, it seem to remove the delay ( or at least the guy did not report any) , but If I recall the ES was like 150 for so FPS

[Hanzy4200]

Very cool. I posted a thread on this several years ago. I was a bit more sloppy and rushed, but even then achieved decent success.

[bedbugbilly]

Very interesting!

[ofitg]

One of our members named "Traffer" has done a lot of work with the paper roll caps - he prefers to separate the powder from the paper, so more powerful charges will fit into the same space - see post #10 in this thread -

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...highlight=caps