#11 Magnum Percussion Caps

[PatMarlin]

Any benefit to the "Magnum" caps?

[waksupi]

Not that I have seen. Ned Roberts said the coolest cap you could get, and still fire consistantly, would make for the most accurate shooting. It is more important to be sure you have all the oil out of the gun, and to load it properly.

[piwo]

Not that I've seen. The theory sounds good, but haven't heard anyone say they fixed any problems...

I've never used anything but the standard Remington #11's, and my double barrel shotgun goes boom just fine with them. Having said that, an acquaintance tried them in a rifle he was having problems with ignition, but they didn't do any better. In the rifles or shotguns that already worked fine, they worked fine, with one exception: a guy who used to post on another forum I do bought a modern muzzleloader and had erratic ignition. I asked what caps he was using and he said the "magnum" caps. I told him to just use the regular and see if they helped, and he said he had 5 for 5 ignitions (first time ever), and that was the last we discussed it. He's moved on so I don't know if that was a fluke or if there was something there....

[PatMarlin]

That's kinda what I thought.

I replaced my "Plastic insert" nipple thingy that holds a shotgun primer in my Knight 12ga turkey gun with an #11 cap nipple, and the thing shot just as good if not better. I hate a plastic insert.

I just wondered cause I was going to buy some CCI's and I noticed the mag style primer.

I think the shotgun primer deal was sales hokey. Maybe they work better for guys who use pellets. No way I'm ever gonna buy a pellet neither..

[waksupi]

That's Ok, Pat, I think inlines are sales hokey! Look at all the extra crap they sell you! P.T. Barnum was right!

[mooman76]

I didn't even know they made them until I seen your post. I would have to say no (just an educated guess)but like stated here you would have to try to see. If you are getting good consistancy why change what isn't broke. I have see where some report that switching to the 209 primers get less consistancy and thus less accurate but It probubly might work better under hunting conditions where you are hunting in less than desireable weather conditions. it might work better though with some of these newer BP substitute powders that are less sensitive than BP.

[big boar]

For years I had ignnition problems with a TC caplock using Pyrodex RS. Mostly it would work but misfires were frequent. Don't know how much time I spent trying to get consistency so the mag primers improved things a bit. Just this year I decided to finally try real Black (Goex) and using any primer gives 100% Boom. I don't like keeping black around for the safety reasons but in 2 different guns I've never had a misfire and accuracy is better. Now I just use whatever is in the box at the time.

[jhrosier]

FWIW, when I was heavily into BP rifle shooting, I found that the Hotshot nipples solved all of my ignition problems. Pyrodex was notoriously hard to ignite consistently with any other nipple.
I used both Remington and RWS caps with no problem.

Jack

[PatMarlin]

Inlines don't rock my boat. The only reason I bought the Knight is it was the only BP shotgun I could afford, and get my hands on at the time. Couldn't afford a nice SXS.

The knight really is a nice well balanced BP 12ga when you strip off the crap like I did.

Of course now I've got the sxs, and no you cannot have a long term loan Ric...

[home in oz]

Since I quit using Pyrodex, and went to FFg in my TC .54, cannot remember a misfire.....OBTW, use Remington # 11 caps.

[PatMarlin]

I wonder why Powder Valley doesn't have other caps but CCI?

Here in California, I can't get holy black with a congressional declaration, so I've settled for Hogden T-7 and have had good luck with it so far. No missfires as yet.

No crude ring neither, but I also use Ballistol to clean and keep my firearms and that may have something to do with it.

[nvbirdman]

If you're using real black the standard caps would work fine, after all, look at what sets off the main charge when you're shooting a flintlock.

[Evil Dog]

The CCI standard primers have worked quite well for me over the past 20 years. Tried the "magnums" once but really couldn't see any difference. I've always used GOEX blackpowder, pyrodex or the like might react differently.

[moto357]

I normally use RWS caps, but bought some cci magnum caps when they were all I could find. Not sure it they were a bad batch, but using them with pyrodex I got hangfires every time I tried em. Threw those away and that's my 2 cents.

[northmn]

Seems to me they cost more, which makes manufacturers happy. Ignition problems are usually a mechanical problem in the terms of getting the flash to the powder given normal cleaning and swabbing. Some patent breeches can be touchy that way. Commonly a better way to handle ignition problems in a hunting gun is to remove the nipple and put a little 4f under it or pistol grade phoney powder. I usually worked on the mechanics. I experimented this year with cleaning my hunting guns and not firing a small charge off to remove oil as I used to commonly hear recommended. Some claim that using a small 10 gr charger or so draws moisture and can cause misfires. Had very good luck doing so and recommend that method. Use pipe cleaners to clean channels.

Northmn

[PatMarlin]

Pipe cleaners good. I remove nipples and clean all channels everytime.

[big boar]

I started to clean b-tween every shot and found things did work out a bit better but using Pyrodex was suppose to eliminate the need to do so. And while it did improve the misfires, it didn't completly eliminate them. Perhaps I should have also removed, cleaned, dried and replaced the nipple but it just seemed like to much effort. I've noticed that everyone using inlines also uses Pyrodex and a lot, but not all, using caplocks use Black. I like the ease of use and accuracy of inlines but for some stupid reason I really enjoy the old caplock. Have not yet devolved into using a FLINCHLOCK though.

[northmn]

I did not mean cleaning between shots, I was talking about preparing the gun for a hunting situation. At a shooting range, you may want to take shortcuts. I have a caplock with a drum and nipple system that hates phoney powders but works fine with BP. I have been told that drums and nipple systems do not work as well with the phoney powders. It could be that the drum sticks into the bore. I notice it when I clean. While priming the drum does help, it is a PITA that I do not need as I just use BP. Patent breeches are supposed to work better. Some find the alternate powders OK in their more traditional rifles. As I shoot mostly flint and the phoney powder costs about double of what BP does, I shoot black. I think the magnum caps were supposed to assist in ignition with PDX, 777 and others. I still think any problems are mechanical as my caplock revolvers work OK with 777 and PDXp.

Northmn

[Sven]

I started my muzzleloading with a Lyman Great Plains .54 using Goex and CCI #11. Had trouble with inconsistant ignition. Tried a Hot Shot nipple, which worked good, except the nipple was taller and I lost my half-cock position. Someone told me Remington caps were a bit hotter than CCI, so switched back to stock nipple and Remington #11s and things have been good since. I'm currently using 777.

[piwo]

My first BP gun was my double barrel percussion fowler. I used if for years and experimented a bit with everything. I like 3f and not 2F... blasphemy I know, but it's what I get best velocities and results with. As for ignition, I pay jealous attention to a couple points, and never had so much as a delay fire. I've already established that I use only standard #11 caps. Following that:

First, before loading after storage (meaning before I load it after it's been sitting a while), I swab the barrel with several dry, tight patches, then I put my shooting ear muffs on and bust at least 3 caps in each unloaded barrel. I do this to remove any possible solvent/oil residue that might have creeped into the nipple area. I swear this as God as my whiteness: I hunted in a driving rain for two days, stored the shotgun in my garage for 5 week days, then hunted the following weekend. When not seeing any game at 0 dark thirty on Sunday, I shot each barrel one at a time. Both went off with a full charge BOOM with no delay. When not hunting, I removed the caps and covered the nipples with the corner of a plastic sandwich bag (rubber banned in place) to keep moisture out. I guess you could hunt with that that setup if it was raining as it keeps moisture out and doesn't interfere with ignition, but I haven't done so yet. I also cover the locks with a piece of well waxed deer hide to keep rain off the nipples.

This setup has been fool proof with ignitions (and I use only real BP). If it ain't broke, WHY TRY TO FIX IT!!!

Good luck, and good shooting!!!!