Making homemade percussion caps

just convert back to flintlock, problem solved. ten minutes walking down a gravel road will supply you with plenty of spares

I've been looking for a Tap-o-Cap for over 10 years.
Haven't found one yet.
Wouldn't be interested a $60 either.

I think the lure of owning one is the knowledge that you COULD produce your own caps if necessary.

^^^ what he said, plus there's just the fun of doing it.

You can make a Tap-a-Cap clone in about ten minutes on a lathe, BTW.



Willie

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just convert back to flintlock, problem solved. ten minutes walking down a gravel road will supply you with plenty of spares

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Hmm, can you tell me where I can find a good flintlock revolver? I kinda like my '58 and my ROA. Besides, to shoot a flinter you need black powder which is as scarce around here as .22LR and I ain't paying 40 bucks for the privilege of ordering it online.

I don't make ball or caps ..just can't get my head around someone having that much spare time...when you could be out shooting ..just a thought

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Well, I'm retired and I shoot right out my back door on my own range. I have the time and the gumption. I have handloaded my cartridge ammo and cast bullets for said ammo for 40 years plus, though, and handloaded rifle ammo for 50 years (started with my grandpa at age 10). Sure, it's time consuming, but I save money and get MUCH better ammo in the deal.

I don't spend a lot of time making caps as I have store bought. I just use 'em for clearing the nipples on the first load after cleaning. They do work in my ROA, though, if I get to the point that I cannot get caps for shooting. I've been backordered on ball lately, so I bought a mold. I had a conical mold for my ROA (shoots great), actually 2, a round nose and a hollow point, and I have a .454 conical, but my '58 prefers round ball. It doesn't take long at all to turn out 100 RB from a double cavity mold and a 6 cavity mold would be even faster. Cap making is time consuming, but something to do when I'm sitting around wondering what I wanna do, and I can do it inside in the AC.

A question to YOU. Why do you bother shooting cap and ball? Takes a lot of time to load the things, then clean 'em up after. You should just go buy 9mm ammo and shoot your autopistols. It's a lot quicker and you could be shooting, not reloading that cap and ball gun. Just a thought.

I would do the things mentioned so when I can't purchase these items I can continue to shoot while those that don't are whining cause they can't.

I have a do for myself attitude and won't rely on others .

I have a do for myself attitude and won't rely on others .

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Amen. This is one of the aspects of BP shooting I like, the self sufficiency. I really need to get off my duff and order the chemicals to get into making my own black powder. THEN, once I learn to make good BP, I'll play with finding some willow to make my own charcoal. This is part of the fun of BP, the do it yourself aspect of it, IMHO. I'm surprised more folks don't feel this way. You don't shoot BP because it is faster or less time consuming.

Something to do on those rainy days or blistering hot maybe freezing cold days. Don't know anyone who shoots 365. In one non shooting day you can make up a supply of balls,conicals,caps or load up some cartridges for your other shooters or conversions.

Can't tell me it is perfect weather for shooting everyday

Willie Sutton said:

You can make a Tap-a-Cap clone in about ten minutes on a lathe, BTW.



Willie

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Perhaps you'd care to share your technique. I'm particularly interested in how you'd machine the double rows of offset teeth on the lathe, the spacing and the angle, both of which are critical in "pulling" the aluminum over the mandrel. Thanks in advance.

Can't tell me it is perfect weather for shooting everyday

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Yeah, and I tried to shoot my ROA in an indoor range, once....was summarily asked to leave the facilities.

MCgunner ,

I have heard stories of BP igniting unburnt powder on the floor of an indoor range and causing extensive damage

I think it's very time consuming to make the percussion caps that I've learned to make.I make about 50 to 100 at a time and make them just because I like the Idea of making things.I make good black powder,my own "Hot" percussion caps and have not payed a nickel for lead to cast my bullets/round ball ammo.I guess you could say that I really like bp shooting.I buy em too,but if I cant get any caps,powder,ammo, or even a bp gun then, I have the ability to make everything myself.I think it's good to be self sufficient

MCgunner said:

Yeah, and I tried to shoot my ROA in an indoor range, once....was summarily asked to leave the facilities.

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I think there should be a bp revolver/rifle range in every county across the US !