Sizing CCI #11 Percussion Caps

[BC17A]

Thought this might be of interest to some of you DIYers who can't find other brands of caps or just want to make your CCI's as good as any other. I'm relatively new to BP and had to resort to making DIY caps since no others were available. Recently found a good stock of CCI #11 and didn't want to buy different nipples, or squeeze these with pliers to make them fit better.

I made a simple push-thru sizer which does the trick and makes CCI #11's fit nicely with only a firm push. A tapered hole(3 degrees)through a scrap bolt head with the small ID finished to .171" works perfectly. The punch is held into a block of Delrin plastic which is attached to my small bench press so I can keep one hand on the press and the other feeding caps into the die. Took me about ten minutes to size 100 caps.

The only concern I had was if the priming compound would crack and fall out of the caps which didn't happen to a any.



268987 268988 268989 268990 268991

[scattershot]

Clever, but wouldn’t it be easier to just squeeze the cap as you put it on the nipple?

[Geezer in NH]

Uh, OK?

[Battis]

From an old Colt Industries pamphlet:
"Percussion caps are now made in sizes from nine to thirteen. Ten and eleven are the best numbers for the small and medium-sized arms, and twelve for the larger sizes, although, as different-sized nipples are sometimes met in specimens of the same model, no hard and fast rule can be given. It is better to have caps slightly too large than too small, as large caps can be pinched together at the bottom enough so they will stay on the nipples, but small ones must be driven down on the nipple by the blow of the hammer, and this process frequently cushions the blow to the extent of producing a misfire."

[BC17A]

Clever, but wouldn’t it be easier to just squeeze the cap as you put it on the nipple?

I'd be easier to just not be in the hobby, but that's not the point.

[indian joe]

I'd be easier to just not be in the hobby, but that's not the point.

good comeback!!!!!!!!

[elmacgyver0]

Looks like a great idea.

[TheOutlawKid]

Mr.BC17A ....that is one awesome idea. One of the best i have seen on resizing caps which is way better than pinching caps....your method causes the cap to make a tight seal..which a pinched cap does not which can cause moisture to enter and damage the cap such as high humidity etc. Good job sir!

[Battis]

It might work with a clean nipple, but once a few shots are fired, the caps won't fit as well, and we're back to pinching. Pinching works, and works well.

[indian joe]

It might work with a clean nipple, but once a few shots are fired, the caps won't fit as well, and we're back to pinching. Pinching works, and works well.

yeah works great if ill fitting caps are too big for the nipple - if they right size dont need to pinch em

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello BC17A,

Very nice job. I did about the same thing for 209 Primers.
A friend had given me a large container full of primers,
I had purchased a Mag Spark system for my long guns,
but the primers pressed in hard and I was afraid they wouldn't want to come out after shooting.
So I built a little push through die & sized them to fit, but I have never used them as of yet.
I did it just as an alternative method of firing without percussion caps and don't know how hard they will be to remove.
I should add, on my Lyman Great Plains Hunter, I needed to cut about 0.150" off the hammer.
Otherwise one could not set it at 1/2 cock without resting on the firing pin.
I simply ordered a replacement hammer & reworked it.
The Thompson Center Hawken worked without any modification.
I can't find them now so no pictures, sorry.

AntiqueSledMan.

[Battis]

Again, caps might fit when the nipples are clean and bright and shiny, but after a few shots, as most BP shooters know, the nipples get fouled and those once "right size" caps don't fit. And that's if the nipples are all uniform in size to begin with.
I didn't write the above posted Colt Industries pamphlet.
But, hey, if sizing the caps work, then go with it.

[sharps4590]

Well done!

I bet no one else has ever done something A) just to see if they could or B) just because they wanted to....whether either worked or not.

[Markopolo]

really good job... and nice innovation... :drinks:

[derek45]

great idea

:drinks:

[toot]

Clever, but wouldn’t it be easier to just squeeze the cap as you put it on the nipple?

I agree with you! that is what most of us do. and push it onto the nipple with a 4 inch piece of wooden dowel.

[toot]

some times' people OVER INGINEER an item, that is already made . JMHO.

[derek45]

i like the idea

I’m 6’4” and my paws have a difficult time squeezing the caps on my 1860

i just bought 400 ccl because remington are OOS everywhere

[elk hunter]

BC17A;

Thanks for the post. I've been contemplating doing the same thing as I have four Colt percussion revolvers and all came with nipples for #9 caps which apparently haven't been made for decades, at least I haven't been able find any. I bought new nipples for them and I'm not all that pleased as some are made for #11's and some apparently for #10's. Some I can hardly press #11's on and have problems with recoil shield/frame clearance and some the #11's fall off. All together a royal pain. I'm going to try to size some #10's down to fit the original nipples so I can spend more time shooting and less time fiddling.

[John McCorkle]

Question would be now....using #10 on #11 nipple is a tough fit. Is there a way to evenly reduce the size of a nipple to make #10 fit better on #11 nipple. (I have an over supply of #10 and under supply of #11 none on the shelves to restock

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[Texas Gun]

I need 10 and all I can find are 11

[indian joe]

Question would be now....using #10 on #11 nipple is a tough fit. Is there a way to evenly reduce the size of a nipple to make #10 fit better on #11 nipple. (I have an over supply of #10 and under supply of #11 none on the shelves to restock

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I spin them in a small drill chuck and use a small fine file or an emery stick - seems to work ok at my place

[BC17A]

It might work with a clean nipple, but once a few shots are fired, the caps won't fit as well, and we're back to pinching. Pinching works, and works well.

Why not just make cleaning the nipples part of reloading? I do, and why I made this tool. It not only cleans the nipple so a properly sized cap always fits well, it ensures a clear flash hole at the same time. Takes less time to clean six nipples than it does to load just one cylinder.

269055

[John McCorkle]

I spin them in a small drill chuck and use a small fine file or an emery stick - seems to work ok at my placeBrilliant thanks

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[John McCorkle]

Why not just make cleaning the nipples part of reloading? I do, and why I made this tool. It not only cleans the nipple so a properly sized cap always fits well, it ensures a clear flash hole at the same time. Takes less time to clean six nipples than it does to load just one cylinder.

269055That looks handy, what is it made out of?

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[BC17A]

That looks handy, what is it made out of?

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It's made from aluminum round stock with a replaceable .035" reamer blank for the flash hole. The end is slotted to keep a ball of steel wool from slipping as it's spun around the nipple.

[megasupermagnum]

I really like this tool. The beauty I see is that you can now use any cap you want. The best thing would be for the manufacturers to settle on standard #10 and #11 sizing, so that it isn't up to the user to just figure it out. Every other primer type in the US is standardized. Why not at percussion cap?

I like well fitting caps myself. I've pinched many, and it works just fine. The problem is you need to either use a loose tin of caps (a disaster when you have lobster claws for fingers), or use a capper, pull it off, pinch, and put back on. The only thing is there is a fine line between well fitting, and too tight. You can force them on, but I like mine to be able to pull back off again with minimal fuss. As for dirty nipples, I've never had that problem. Every few shots I just use my same spit patch I swabbed the bore with, and wipe off the nipple. This might not be an ideal competition approach, but it is my hunting approach. I appreciate a well fitting cap that will not fall off under the roughest of conditions, and provide a good seal from the rain. All of my guns have nipples from TOTW specifically for CCI #11 caps, and I only shoot CCI caps.

[indian joe]

I was coming to the conclusion I dont shoot enough or was doing it different - never had a problem with nipples getting too dirty to take a cap once they fitted up properly. I dont shoot pipsqueak loads in anything maybe they blow emselves clean?

[elmacgyver0]

Dirty nipples, how disgusting.

[longcruise]

Question would be now....using #10 on #11 nipple is a tough fit. Is there a way to evenly reduce the size of a nipple to make #10 fit better on #11 nipple. (I have an over supply of #10 and under supply of #11 none on the shelves to restock

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Put the threaded end in a drill being careful not to damage the threads and spin it as a lathe while taking it down with a file. When it's almost a fit switch to a stick with 320 or 400 paper glued on.

[NoZombies]

Anytime someone makes a tool to make their life easier or simplify or streamline a task, there are always folks who feel the need to poo-poo their idea or work.

This seems like an excellent and very simple solution to an availability problem.

[longcruise]

Anytime someone makes a tool to make their life easier or simplify or streamline a task, there are always folks who feel the need to poo-poo their idea or work.

This seems like an excellent and very simple solution to an availability problem.

I agree. I'm a pincher myself but it's risky with a revolver. Potential for a chain fire!

[LAGS]

I make my own primer caps with a tool I bought.
To increase the uniformity , and make them fit better , either ,( Tighter or looser) I made a die and mandrals to press them in my drill press.
I don't see why the same thing won't work to Swedge Down factory primer caps.
But factory caps are pretty consistant.
But nipples are not as standard so you might want to Uniform the Nipples.
I do that by threading my nipples into a Threaded Rod Coupling or Nut of the proper thread.
Then I chuck it up in my Drill Press Or Poor Man's Lathe , (since I sold off my lathe)
I then just polish them to uniform dimensions with fine files or Wet and Dry Sandpaper.

[bedbugbilly]

John - you can carefully polish the OD of a nipple down by "carefully" putting the nipple in the chuck of a cordless drill, etc. and keeping the rpms down, polishing it down with fine grit paper. I have done it many times in drill press or hand drill. I now prefer to use a cordless drill I have now that I can keep the rpms down on - when chucking the nipple in the jaws, just don't reef on it so that you damage the nipple threads.

[John McCorkle]

John - you can carefully polish the OD of a nipple down by "carefully" putting the nipple in the chuck of a cordless drill, etc. and keeping the rpms down, polishing it down with fine grit paper. I have done it many times in drill press or hand drill. I now prefer to use a cordless drill I have now that I can keep the rpms down on - when chucking the nipple in the jaws, just don't reef on it so that you damage the nipple threads.Thank you, I will prob try a single (and even) wrap of blue painters tape to see if I can get a grip on those tiny little threads without damaging them, then use fine files/emory cloth of fine grit to get it polished down just a hint. It doesn't seem like it will take much to get these working.

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[megasupermagnum]

Another option for polishing the nipples is to find a nut. A lot of foreign guns use metric threads, which might be tough to find in a store. TC uses 1/4-28, which you can find in any hardware store. chuck the nut in the drill, and thread the nipple into that.

[John McCorkle]

Another option for polishing the nipples is to find a nut. A lot of foreign guns use metric threads, which might be tough to find in a store. TC uses 1/4-28, which you can find in any hardware store. chuck the nut in the drill, and thread the nipple into that.That's brilliant. Mine are 1/4-28 and I bet I have some in the fastener drawer right now.

Thanks!

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[mooman76]

I really like this tool. The beauty I see is that you can now use any cap you want. The best thing would be for the manufacturers to settle on standard #10 and #11 sizing, so that it isn't up to the user to just figure it out. Every other primer type in the US is standardized. Why not at percussion cap?


Actually no. CCI primers are a bit thicker and fit a little tighter than federal and Winchester is somewhere in between. We just don't notice it so much because we press them in. I believe the Russian Primers are also a little ticker/tighter. It is fairly known if you have loose primer pockets and you don't use CCI, you can switch to CCI for a better fit.

[megasupermagnum]

Actually no. CCI primers are a bit thicker and fit a little tighter than federal and Winchester is somewhere in between. We just don't notice it so much because we press them in. I believe the Russian Primers are also a little ticker/tighter. It is fairly known if you have loose primer pockets and you don't use CCI, you can switch to CCI for a better fit.

Which type are you referring to? I know it is not true for 209 primers. I've not noticed it to be true in either small pistol or small rifle. I've never measured a CCI large pistol. I don't think I've ever used a CCI large rifle. I'm sure there are manufacturing tolerances that may have had a batch of primers a little larger, but there are tolerances listed for every primer type in the USA, and it applies to every brand as far as I know. Foreign primers do not have this standardization, and is another reason I like to stay away from them. I've been at the reloading bench a while, and this is the very first time anyone has suggested a CCI primer may work in a loose primer pocket. I would not call it fairly well known.

[Woodnbow]

Chuck it into the drill press and touch the spinning cone was a fine file. Test, file, test, file... like that.

[Woodnbow]

My cones are setup for 10 Remington caps. I have never had a problem fitting the caps onto the cones, even when the fouling has built up. I’m using a straight line capper most of the time, maybe that’s the secret.

[TheOutlawKid]

I own piettas and all my pietta nipples take remington 10s..although all i can get and prefer are remington 11s...so i have upgraded my nipples to slix shots and uncle mikes. They both fit remington 10s and 11s along with winchester and cci 11s. I tried the stainless RMC oxyoke nipples and they are sooo small..dont fit any caps except cci 10s. I also make homemade caps and they dont fit aftermarket nipples so i use the stock pietta nipples and the RMC oxyoke nipples with my homemade caps. This set up works great for me. I do have a large stash of cci 11s and am getting a cap sizer so i can use them on my stock nipples as well. Now my cap setup is complete and universal and all is well in my gun universe...kinda Sorta. But the cap sizer idea is a great one for those who dont want to invest into aftermarket nipples and/or can only get CCI 11s. Im a firm believer in a tight nipple to cap seal and fitment so i dont pinch my caps...wont lie and say that i havent...but i want a tight seal from the elements and hot gasses from other caps going off.