Well, I now have the most beautiful handgun I've ever seen: a new .44, 1858 Remington New Army short barrel revolver. Awesome.
However, never done the black powder thingy before, so I've been doin' a lot of research for the past few days on how it all works, and my question is about percussion caps.
People say use over-sized caps; they go on easy. NO WAY: They fall off. Use caps you have to force on; they don't fall off. Force them on with a wooden dowel. WOAH!! What are you tryin' to do, blow yourself up? Don't try to force caps onto the nipples! Don't worry about it; just watch what you're doin'.
On and on the conflicting advice goes. My goodness! What's a Hobbit like me to do?
Well, I have something besides a new weapon: I have two college educations and an industrial engineer brain, so I didn't just fall off the back of the turnip truck. I have always had a knack for improving upon what's already there.
So, I'm sittin' here with the weapon in my hand, and I'm thinkin': Why not put the percussion caps on the nipples before you load the weapon? That way, you can use whatever method you choose to safely seat them.
Bare with me.
As I look at the weapon, it seems to me that as long as the cylinder is in the weapon, and as long as you have it in an upright position where the nipples are not resting against anything---the cylinder is in the weapon; there's no way the nipples can hit anything while loading, and as long as you have a brain and pay attention to what you're doin', it seems to me that this is a working solution to safely seating the caps.
I know this sounds inherently dangerous, but is it as dangerous as trying to force caps to seat with the cylinder loaded with powder and ball?
Have I lost my mind, or what?
Input most welcome.
However, never done the black powder thingy before, so I've been doin' a lot of research for the past few days on how it all works, and my question is about percussion caps.
People say use over-sized caps; they go on easy. NO WAY: They fall off. Use caps you have to force on; they don't fall off. Force them on with a wooden dowel. WOAH!! What are you tryin' to do, blow yourself up? Don't try to force caps onto the nipples! Don't worry about it; just watch what you're doin'.
On and on the conflicting advice goes. My goodness! What's a Hobbit like me to do?
Well, I have something besides a new weapon: I have two college educations and an industrial engineer brain, so I didn't just fall off the back of the turnip truck. I have always had a knack for improving upon what's already there.
So, I'm sittin' here with the weapon in my hand, and I'm thinkin': Why not put the percussion caps on the nipples before you load the weapon? That way, you can use whatever method you choose to safely seat them.
Bare with me.
As I look at the weapon, it seems to me that as long as the cylinder is in the weapon, and as long as you have it in an upright position where the nipples are not resting against anything---the cylinder is in the weapon; there's no way the nipples can hit anything while loading, and as long as you have a brain and pay attention to what you're doin', it seems to me that this is a working solution to safely seating the caps.
I know this sounds inherently dangerous, but is it as dangerous as trying to force caps to seat with the cylinder loaded with powder and ball?
Have I lost my mind, or what?
Input most welcome.