Forster Tap 'O Cap

[P.K.]

Hey all, I was thumbing through a catalog last night and came across it. Does anyone have any experiance with this item and how does the cap it produces perform in your smoke pole?

[Lead Fred]

We used them 20 or so years ago. The cap gun caps are all made in China, and are not of the quality they were years ago.

I know several folks that still use them. They have to hunt the net for good caps to use. Pop cans are never in short order.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I found out real quick how sensitive those paper caps are. If you didn`t set it off by punching them off the roll, you had to be careful seating them in the formed cap cup. I had tooo many go off while I was seating the punched out cap. Made me decide to NOT try them on a firearm due to being so touchy. I tried at least 3 different makes of paper caps, all gave me the same surprise BANG! Robert

[mooman76]

I have one. I bought it years ago and did not know at the time that I had to use real black until I read the instructions(yes I actually read the instructions). I could not get real black at the time because I was in AK and it's hard to come by there. I did get it to go off using Pyrodex, mostly because I forgot but it was not consistant. I have yet to try it with real black but I plan too but keep forgetting. Quality caps are need if you can find them. I never had any caps go off pressing them in but I did have a learning experience with them.
I could only find one type of cheap caps so I got what I could. They were not nice and round like they should be and I was sitting in the livingroom watching Tv with my kids just merrily punching them out with a paper punch into a box. One went off and started a chain reaction in my lap. the kids eyes were almost as big as mine and the couch cushion go singed pretty bad. Lucky for me I could flip it over and the wife didn't find out until a year later when the wife was cleaning. The kids ratted me out. I now use the caps to dry fire a few before I load to make sure my barrel is dry.

[Lead Fred]

I tried Pyrodex this weekend for the first time in my flintlock.

After 10 shots I dumped the horn out, fill it with real black, and will never use it again. It worked ok in my 45-70 but sucked in the muzzle loader

[DwarvenChef]

Almost got that set up till I read a few reviews about finding the pop caps. Even 20 years ago the good caps where not easy to find.

Same feeling about pyrodex... bought a few Lbs of each to try out... never made it past the first tub of each, ended up blowing it all out the 50-70

[Captain*Kirk]

Has anyone actually TRIED it with Pyrodex to see if it misfires?
I was seriously considering buying a Tap-O-Cap due to the shortage of caps, but I shoot only Pyrodex (at present)

[DwarvenChef]

The shortage of caps is what driving me tword rock locks While I still have a couple rolls of RWS caps I just don't like running low... Flint and such is still scroungeable

[mooman76]

I have used it with Pyrodex. Actually I did it on accident. It warns that it does not work well with Pyrodex because it is too hard to ignite. Anyway I tried it forgetting about the warning and it did go off but not every time. It might work with American Pioneer. Someone that shoots allot told me it would work in a flinter, so if it works in a flintlock, it should work with a cap.

[PatMarlin]

I'm making a set of dies to form my #11 muzzle loader caps, and will be using a paste mixture of strike anywhere match heads for the propellant. Hopefully, it will be more reliable than the toy gun caps. It certainly should be. I sold my tap o cap. I think we can do much better.

I pretty much am only using T777 now.

[n.h.schmidt]

Hi
I have been making caps for some years using a Tap O cap set. I have one of the ones that mounts on a reloading press. All the complaints are accurate. The quality of the available toy caps are not good at all. I have also tried the match tip idea. Maybe its a problem with what strike anywhere matches I can get,but they suck worse. They do pop a little but it's weak. I can't see it setting off anything with match tips. Pat ,I would try this out first before sinking a lot of precious time in remaking the Tap O cap.
Best results should be in guns with a direct flame path into the powder. Two types come to mind. Underhammer and Mule Ear guns would work best I think. I am fixing to try this out myself soon. I am converting a CVA Hawken to a Mule Ear setup.
For caps to use ,Super Bang seems to be the best I can find here. I have tried the German caps from wally world .They look good but are very weak.
n.h.schmidt

[waksupi]

Somewhere, is a primer formula with potassium chlorate, charcoal, and gum arabic for a binder. The chlorate is available from fireworks suppliers. This may be the way to go in making your own caps. The chlorate is corrosive, but cleans up in the same way as black powder does, so would be usable.

[PatMarlin]

I was talking with Felix about the percholate in match heads, and he knows a way to make it work. I've been busy on finishing up production with my other stuff, but will be done shortly and I'm gonna start to work on these caps.

[delmar]

I'm making a set of dies to form my #11 muzzle loader caps, and will be using a paste mixture of strike anywhere match heads for the propellant. Hopefully, it will be more reliable than the toy gun caps. It certainly should be. I sold my tap o cap. I think we can do much better.

I pretty much am only using T777 now.

Pat, How did your dies come out? I have used strike anywhere matches to reload large pistol primers, but the forester tap o cap cups were to small (not deep enough) to get much of a bang out of. they don't hold as much stuff as a store bought #10 cap.

reloading primers

[Hardcast416taylor]

Update of my Tap-a-cap. I flat out gave it to a friend in Pa. I tried again to make some caps and again I was having tooooo many go BANG in my fingers.Robert

[MT Gianni]

When I could only find Pyrodex I got a hold of an adaptor to use sm primers in my TC. You have to load them then screw the top on but a CCI450 gives a lot more reliable ignition with pyrodex and the primers are cheaper than #11 caps.

[PatMarlin]

I haven't built one yet, but I'm going to make a set of dies that definitely makes a deeper more solid cap so it should be easier to work with, and of course you will be able to choose a variety of metal thicknesses.

Been wanting to get this done for a long time and I will. Don't know how many folks will want to make their own (caps), but a lot of guys have bought the Tap-o-caps as I have. I sold mine as I didn't like the cap it makes. I want the version I build to make a cap close to factory as possible.

One issue is my version will be the same cost as my dies. I can't change that, so who knows but I will be making one and if it's a success, maybe they'll sell... or not ...

[PatMarlin]

On another note-

I've got a few other items I will be offering for muzzloaders that are pretty darn cool. Will be adding those as soon as I get my shop production where I want it and the rest of Checkmaker™ die calibers completed. It's comin'...

[n.h.schmidt]

Hi guys
I'm back with a couple of tips with the guys using the Tap O Cap. Do not hold the cup in your fingers when stuffing the punched out caps in. Drill a shallow hole in a piece of wood to set the cap in. Drill a smaller hole in the center of that hole to use as a punch out . I have discovered that dampening the paper cap strip will greatly help with preventing them fireing when punching them out. If done soon enough the punched out dots will still be slightly damp and will not likely fire when stuffing them into the cups. A well squeezed out wet dish rag quickly rubbed on the cap strip is enough to wet it down.
They do dry and will work the same .
If you can,try to get or make a paper punch that is just over the size needed. Most paper punches are larger than ideal.
There is two practical reasons for the folded over look of the skirt of the cup. It gives someplace for all the aluminum to go for one. The the other is that it will expand easily to allow it to fit on many nipple sizes.
As easy as it is to have the caps fire when punching out or inserting,I have never had one fire when putting them on a nipple. That part seems to be ok.
With a Mule ear rifle and my CVA Hawkens I have had good results. I even shot a BP match this year using my caps and I used Pyrodex . 27 shots no misfires.
I do have to admit real bp is better for most guns using these caps.
n.h.schmidt

[delmar]

I haven't built one yet, but I'm going to make a set of dies that definitely makes a deeper more solid cap so it should be easier to work with, and of course you will be able to choose a variety of metal thicknesses.

Been wanting to get this done for a long time and I will. Don't know how many folks will want to make their own (caps), but a lot of guys have bought the Tap-o-caps as I have. I sold mine as I didn't like the cap it makes. I want the version I build to make a cap close to factory as possible.

One issue is my version will be the same cost as my dies. I can't change that, so who knows but I will be making one and if it's a success, maybe they'll sell... or not ...

Any news?