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Thread: Make Percussion Caps From .22 LR?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

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    Make Percussion Caps From .22 LR?

    Last edited by centershot; 09-02-2022 at 04:33 PM.
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  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    That sounds like it would be something to try.
    But the 22's are hard to find too.
    You might be better off buying a Cap Maker from 22 reloader and some Prime All mix or toy caps for priming compound.
    I use the prime All to re prime 22 casings for reloading.
    So I don't see why you can't pick up fired 22 casings them Re prime them for use as primer caps too.

  3. #3
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    Look at 5 th post. He does not refer to using 22 cases as caps but to a company called 22lrreloader

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...ercussion-Caps!!!!

    This will get you to their web site

    https://22lrreloader.com

    You can get the cap makers here and the priming compound too.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Man
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    May I suggest and I have been using them for years, with real black powder mind you. Just get the plastic toy cap gun caps. They work on all my percussion guns but if you want a little more Oomph sprinkle some black powder into the caps and seal in with some hair spray/ let dry.
    Carry a pin with you to dig out the plastic wad that can get stuck in the top of the Nipple.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tasbay View Post
    May I suggest and I have been using them for years, with real black powder mind you. Just get the plastic toy cap gun caps. They work on all my percussion guns but if you want a little more Oomph sprinkle some black powder into the caps and seal in with some hair spray/ let dry.
    Carry a pin with you to dig out the plastic wad that can get stuck in the top of the Nipple.
    those things come with a paper looking wad over the compound - does that need to be there? - I reckon I fired a couple without the paper and they went off - but not sure.
    I used my flint primer and filled the nipple as I loaded - seemed to work - they all went kaboom = lit the powder and it keeps that plastic crud from blocking the hole

    Picked up a mob of RWS caps today, pistol, rifle and musket dont know the breakup but AU19.5 cents per left my pocket - can proly bet the next lot will be dearer (and/or scarcer)

  6. #6
    Boolit Master

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    Found it! It was a You-Tube link I saw somewhere on the web. He shows how to modify unfired .22 LR ammo to function as percussion caps. Most places, .22 ammo is cheaper than caps. If you have a brick or two of ammo, you've got caps, and cheaper than the $15.00 per hundred some places are charging. Check it out, it couldn't be simpler!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0bn3DrmvKY
    "We take a thousand moments for granted thinking there will be a thousand more to come. Each day, each breath, each beat of your heart is a gift. Live with love & joy, tomorrow is not promised to anyone......"

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  7. #7
    Boolit Man
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    Quote Originally Posted by indian joe View Post
    those things come with a paper looking wad over the compound - does that need to be there? - I reckon I fired a couple without the paper and they went off - but not sure.
    I used my flint primer and filled the nipple as I loaded - seemed to work - they all went kaboom = lit the powder and it keeps that plastic crud from blocking the hole

    Picked up a mob of RWS caps today, pistol, rifle and musket dont know the breakup but AU19.5 cents per left my pocket - can proly bet the next lot will be dearer (and/or scarcer)
    If I`m just using the caps, I don`t bother removing the paper insert and they work perfectly. If adding some black powder, I remove the incert. Only issue is even Toy caps are getting hard to find here in NZ. There have not been percussion caps for sale in about a year.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tasbay View Post
    If I`m just using the caps, I don`t bother removing the paper insert and they work perfectly. If adding some black powder, I remove the incert. Only issue is even Toy caps are getting hard to find here in NZ. There have not been percussion caps for sale in about a year.
    Shot a match today at our local club using the plastic caps - got a hangfire then a mis with the first two - but from there on in I primed the nipple with FFFFg and got 100% results - looks like a plan!

  9. #9
    Boolit Bub
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    wow!! i gotta try this! thanks for posting as i never thought of this before pretty cool!

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tasbay View Post
    If I`m just using the caps, I don`t bother removing the paper insert and they work perfectly. If adding some black powder, I remove the incert. Only issue is even Toy caps are getting hard to find here in NZ. There have not been percussion caps for sale in about a year.
    I have not tried this, but I have seen a YouTube video on making pistol primers using regular matches. Not the strike anywhere style. They scrape off the tip of the match and then scrape of the substance from the striker surface and mix them together. You will need to do a little searching to find the right video, but the source of matches should be fairly easy.
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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sasquatch-1 View Post
    I have not tried this, but I have seen a YouTube video on making pistol primers using regular matches. Not the strike anywhere style. They scrape off the tip of the match and then scrape of the substance from the striker surface and mix them together. You will need to do a little searching to find the right video, but the source of matches should be fairly easy.
    Bought another card of toy caps today $2.50 for 144 caps
    contents listed on the back
    Less than 0.20 grains per cap of pyrotechnic
    Composition = Potassium Chlorate, Red Phosphorus, Manganese Dioxide, Magnesium oxide, sand, glue

    Testing this in an old CVA that has seen better days (still shoots well but you could not sell it to anybody that owns a bore light) - looking for excess corrosion or issues not normally encountered after shooting and cleaning.

  12. #12
    Boolit Man
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sasquatch-1 View Post
    I have not tried this, but I have seen a YouTube video on making pistol primers using regular matches. Not the strike anywhere style. They scrape off the tip of the match and then scrape of the substance from the striker surface and mix them together. You will need to do a little searching to find the right video, but the source of matches should be fairly easy.
    That is called armstrongs mixture if you want to search it.

  13. #13
    Boolit Man
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    Quote Originally Posted by indian joe View Post
    Bought another card of toy caps today $2.50 for 144 caps
    contents listed on the back
    Less than 0.20 grains per cap of pyrotechnic
    Composition = Potassium Chlorate, Red Phosphorus, Manganese Dioxide, Magnesium oxide, sand, glue

    Testing this in an old CVA that has seen better days (still shoots well but you could not sell it to anybody that owns a bore light) - looking for excess corrosion or issues not normally encountered after shooting and cleaning.
    As I mentioned I have been using the toy caps for years, at least over ten years in the same guns. No corrosion at all.
    When you load the powder and before placing the ball give the side of the lock a couple of good slaps to get powder down the flash channel, You should find that will help. I just do it as part of the load procedure. I probably get about 95% ignition. If using toy caps be gentle putting them on the nipple and don`t push them down firmly, they will go off with considerably less pressure that percussion caps.
    Last edited by Tasbay; 09-07-2022 at 03:38 AM.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by centershot View Post
    Found it! It was a You-Tube link I saw somewhere on the web. He shows how to modify unfired .22 LR ammo to function as percussion caps. Most places, .22 ammo is cheaper than caps. If you have a brick or two of ammo, you've got caps, and cheaper than the $15.00 per hundred some places are charging. Check it out, it couldn't be simpler!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0bn3DrmvKY
    you can also order 22 ammo with no hazmat fee.
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  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    I think the guy has hit it out of the park!! a rely great idea that no one else has thought of. I tried it and it works as shown in the video.

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    That is an interesting solution. Necessity does it again.
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