What's the best brand of percussion cap?

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John C

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I see three main brands of percussion cap; RWS, CCI, and Remington. Which one is the "best"? Are there other brands I'm missing?

Normally, I just buy the ones I can find locally. Luckily I was able to find brand new Remington #11 caps today, for the princely sum of $9.95 plus tax. At that price, it makes sense to order online, and pay the hazmat fee.

I looked in Gary's Blackpowder essentials thread, but the link to a comparison between cap brands was dead.

Thanks,

-John
 
I agree with "ones that fit". In my case, that means Remington #10s.
When I find them I buy as many as I can afford.
 
Whichever ones you can find. CCI used to make magnum caps which were probably useful with some guns that lag-fire with bp substitutes. When Available, CCI caps, like their primers and rimfire cartridges require a heavier strike to set them off. At one time, they were the only caps available here but nobody locally has stocked them for several years. Some of the uberti springs work fine with remington but are too light for 100 percent ignition with CCI. RWs worked fine the one time I got some from Dixie.
 
What is the best car? Questions like this are not really meaningful as everyone has their favorite. Find which one works for you and is available locally and then stock up when they are plentiful. I personally prefer CCI caps but I am sure any that fit your nipples will work fine as long as you keep your piece properly prepared.
 
Obviously the fit issue trumps many considerations.

From most to least hot it's RWS, followed closely by Remington and CCI Magnum caps (those are about the same), followed by CCI regular caps. This only makes a difference if you're running substitutes and have a somewhat roundabout ignition path. I have a rifle that isn't very reliable with CCI regular caps and 777 powder as an example but it runs with everything else.

Remington caps are definitely easier to set off than CCI. I had a 1860 and a 1851 with weak springs that would set off Remington almost always and CCI rarely. I ended up replacing the springs and they run everything now.

My go-to cap is Remington but if there's a good price on anything I'll consider it.
 
I prefer rws and cci over remington. Over the years I've a distressing number of failures with remington... not that they all don't have issues from time to time.
 
I like the Remington #10 because it is more forgiving of the different nipple sizes and shank shapes because it more readily flares as it is seated. The RWS and CCI caps have harder walls that requires hard pushing to seat them whereas the Remingtons are pre-split and spread with little effort as they are seated so you can better sense when it is seated fully. If you don't have a perfect fit with the RWS & CCI then you have to ram them pretty hard and you often can't tell if they are all the way onto the nipple or not and you get misfires. If the RWS & CCIs had the same pre-split walls as the Remingtons I would use them since they seem to have more priming compound. The RWSs spark more than the Remingtons.

If my pistol's nipples won't take the Remington #10s I replace them with nipples that do. Half of my 15 or so revolvers take the RWS 1075, the other half take the CCI#11 but ALL take the Remington #10s and a few (3 or 4) will accept all 3 of the above sizes. None of my guns take the CCI#10 or the RWS#55 which are way too small.
 
I'm a kinda self-taught BP shooter. I started with Rem #10s on my Uberti 1858 Rem and then my Uberti 1860 Army when I added it. For more than 700 rounds, I have no misfires nor hang fires with either....so I'll stay with Remington. My local Cabela's had CCI #10s yesterday so I may try a tin tomorrow to see if I have a useful second option. I have two spare sets of nipples (from Taylor's) for my three Uberti revolvers so I'll continue to follow my current approach.

BTW, I have had no misfires or hang fires with either Pyrodex P loose powder or pellets in 30 gr charges and great consistency with both Rem and Colt replicas. When I stop at Cabela's tomorrow, I'll pick up a bottle of Triple 7 and try 20 and 24gr. charges to add to my possible loads.I use both T/C no. 13 and Ballistol for cleaning, and so far, no rusting or problems with either. I clean completely within 3 hours of shooting.

Cheers,

Harry
 
Thanks, fellas, for the great replies.

I always heard that #10 caps fit the Euro revolvers, and #11 caps fit the Ruger Old Army and most modern rifle replicas (T/C, Lyman, CVA, etc). Musket caps are needed for repro muskets. It sounds like this isn't true? Is there that much dimensional variation in the cones of a single brand like Pietta?

Thanks,

-John
 
You cannot equate different brands of caps with the same size number since they are not the same sizes regardless of the same number. A#10 CCI is way smaller than a #10 Remington. The RWS#55 (their "#10") is too small for any revolver that I've ever owned and that means zero of 38 guns. The Remington #10 is closest in size to the CCI#11 and the RWS#1075. Go figure, but they are not standardized. Any time you state the number (size) of cap you must also state the brand to indicate what nipple it might fit.
 
For my Pietta Remington 1858 NMA, the Remington #10 caps have worked flawlessly. I've tried CCI and Winchester of both 10 and 11 size and experienced problems with all. I figure Remington for Remington is the ticket. But that's just my gun.
 
In 2014 any caps you can find in stock. I used to like Remington caps because they fit better. About three years ago they started to come in packages the said they were 40% hotter. They blew apart and jammed my guns up bad. Ever since i have been shooting CCI caps. I made a cap sizer for CCI caps it works great but it is another step.

IMG_3935.jpg
 
Mike;

Can you tell us more about your sizer? Do you size the caps before or after you seat them on the cone? How did you develop the sizer?

Thanks,

-John
 
clever idea to use a tool most of the way to what you need already.

I've got a pair of dykes that look almost just like that since I cut a pair of "Hot" wires and burned out a hole in the blades. Of course I couldn't throw them away so I still have them around somewhere. Probably wont ever come up with a better use for them then you have there.
 
I have been unable to find a single package of percussion caps in any store for the past 6 months.

I don't know if the manufacturers have ceased producing them in order to focus on cartridge ammo or what, but it's the one and only things that's holding me back from getting into the percussion revolver game.

It stinks!
 
Many years ago, I purchased rolls of a thousand caps whenever I found them cheap. I still have Navy arms, CVA, Fiocci, Alcan and Hicks (Winchester) caps

The hard brass caps from Italy work very well in a FEW of my guns. (those with more slender cones.) If I use them on my Ruger I have to scrape them off with a knife. But for instance my Zoli Zouave with the no. 11 nipple fires the brass Italian caps just fine.

I have other brands around, CCI, Remington, even a tin of really old UMC caps. Some Ely too.

I don;t shoot the antiques.
 
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