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DIY Cap rakes for Pietta 1860 Armys - the video


Warden Callaway

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Well, as they say, "Idle hands are the devil's workshop.". 

 

After my first match in early March,  I cleaned the guns and found a lot of cap crap in the actions. Then the ides of March brought a lot of late winter storms with nasty weather.   So with time stuck in the house, I decided to try installing "cap rakes" to maybe alleviate the problem.  I've never done this before or even seen it done so my only instructions were from posts made on forums.    While I was at, I took pictures and edited it into this video.

 

 

 

I've never had a big problem with cap fragments before I started using RWS caps. They tend to really explode into shrapnel.  This is what was in the two guns when I took them apart after the March match.  The big pile from one gun, small from the other.

 

663384625_Pietta1860shrapnelMarch2021.jpg.7402acf8dce0dbea68599b49ae67f82a.jpg

 

Now that the weather has improved,  I am to busy doing spring work outside to give these new cap rakes a good endurance test but so far, they have done good.

 

 

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Did the RWS caps cause any stoppages while you were shooting? In the video it looks like you are using stock nipples. Is this correct?

 

Unfortunately the primer shortage has also made percussion caps impossible to find within driving distance. Even the online merchants don't have any but it looks like RWS may become available sooner than CCI or Remington (if these are ever available again). Primers are first priority for the manufacturers, caps are probably not anywhere on that list at this time.

 

Hogleg

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I was using RWS caps and stock Pietta nipples.  (Bought 2.5k of them)

 

At the match,  I lost two shots to a cap falling between hammer and frame locking up the gun. I had a couple of incidences where I had to "assist" with my left hand to get the gun to cock.  I had one time when trigger wouldn't engage the full cock notch.   I just "slip hammered" it and hit the target. 

 

During my testing of the cap rakes,  I had no caps fall back between the hammer and frame.  I have not found any cap fragments in the actions.  But I've only shot maybe 30 shots from each gun.  So far, so good.  

 

I've put the guns away for now as I have my new "priorities" (grass is growing, you know)

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That's a right nice Vid Warden.  The Cap Rake is probably the simpler of the mechanical methods to keep Cap Fragments out of the hammer change and down into the action.  It is important to keep the lead side of the "pin" on the same plane as the front face of the recoil shield.  There are several methods to make the Pin.  I personally use a Drill shank.

 

I am unaware of anyone having good results with RWS caps on Slix Nipples.  NOT the right size.  the Warden reports some soon results with OEM Pietta Nipples but cap fragments without a mechanical block ARE a problem.

 

Cap Guns can be made as reliable as Suppository Shooters.  It does however, require a Mechanical method of blocking the fired cap from coming back into the hammer channel.

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Coffinmaker,

 

I have cap rakes on all my Colt cap guns.  I have enough Rem 10's to last me about a year but I don't expect to be able to  get any more in the future. This leaves a choice between CCI and RWS.

 

Which would be a better choice? Which nipples would work best? I have had almost no problems with Slixshot & Rem #10's.

 

Hogleg

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Hogleg Hunter :huh:

 

I like being a bunch more optimistic about the future supply of Remington Caps.  However, SlixShot nipples were optimized in design for Remington #10.  Remington #11 will work.  Also in the mix for Slix nipples are CCI #11.  I have no information on Winchester.  I have heard of mix'd results with RWS.  RWS are reputed to work best with OEM Pietta nipples.  I have not personally tried RWS.

 

Thing to remember:  Remington, CCI, Winchester are ALL under the same corporate umbrella.  Current word on the street is RWS has no intention of re-entering the US Market.  Cross Your Fingers.

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My thought is that until the primer shortage is over we will not see any more caps. Hope I'm wrong.

 

I guess that I will try to find a carton or two of CCI's and start experimenting from there. I've heard good and bad about CCI's and Slixshot.  I'd like to stay with the Slixshot nipples. I have them on all my capguns and don't want to change them all out.

 

Hogleg Hunter

 

P.S.  (Hogleg hunter = handgun hunter) was working graveyard shift with too much free time at work when I was thinking of an alias.  One of my favorite past times was hunting with a handgun.

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