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? for cap and ball shooters...


Lunger Dan

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So, after you acquire your pistol, smooth the hammer face down real nice so caps dont stick, how do you prevent the hammer face from getting the nipple circle when you have to go around again.(i.e.: cock and pull trigger when you ride the hammer down and cap doesnt go off til second strike...so you have to go around 5 times again, invariably hitting the nipple with no cap)
I used my cap and ball successfully (as in no cap jams) for the first time, got it home to clean it and noticed the face of the hammer was marred from the bare nipple...then at the range just shooting, I got cap jams from it.
Is there some type of cover you put on  the empty chamber nipple? 

Hope this question makes sense

 

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Instead of letting the hammer hit the nipples,  just go to half-cock and rotate the cylinder by hand. 

 

BS

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Yes, the bigger concern is mushrooming the nipples by hitting empty nipples with the hammer.

I agree with Barry -- half-cock & rotate the cylinder around to the unfired chamber.

--Dawg

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1 hour ago, Lunger Dan said:

Is there some type of cover you put on  the empty chamber nipple? 

 

Get a little bag of Red Vinyl Flexible End Cap Bolt Screw Rubber Thread Protector Safety Covers from a hardware store or amazon or someplace, use a sharp knife/razor blade to slice off a few plastic rings, and insert one on the nipple of the chamber you do not load.

--Dawg

 

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According to some knowledgeable people, your gun should be set up so the the hammer never actually touches the nipple when no cap is there, or just barely, as the cap will still go off when in place. it should be stopped when the hammer base hits the frame, and not use the nipples as hammer stops. I only shoot mine occasionally so I have never set mine up this way, and live with slightly dimpled hammers..

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I handle misfires when they occur.  If the first shot fires and the second does not, I immediately hold the hammer and run the cylinder around back to #2.  This gives me a half second to stay in the game and keeps the scenario shot as planned. Shooting frontiersman in duelist fashion makes this pretty easy and keeps me away from a P (at least for this issue).

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Springfield Slim is correct,

Ideally the Hammer should be stopped by the frame about .001 or so  short of hitting the nipple.

I've tried to set mine up that way....

I still get a faint mark on the face of the Hammer, but I don't get any mushroomed nipples.

 

Prairie Dogs tip works pretty well too.

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For reliable ignition, the Hammer should just touch the Nipple.  The Cap cushions the Hammer.  If you have to go back around for a fail to fire, Rotate the cylinder by hand.  Do NOT dry fire it.  If you're a Gunfighter, Cycle past the fired chambers by holding on to the hammer.  Do NOT dry fire around.

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Sorry Dan, it does not make sense to me.

 

What guns, what nipples, what caps?

 

 In 18 years of competing with percussion revolvers, 1851s, 1860s, and Ruger Old Armies, I have not had a problem with the “circle” on the hammer face.  I don’t dry fire my percussion revolvers.  If the caps fit the nipples properly, then any cap jams are caused by something else.  I would love to hear more details.

 

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Obviously I am new to cap and ball....I appreciate the idea and images Prairie Dawg...
I did not know you werent supposed to "dry fire around again" like with cartridge pistols-the TO told me it was happening because I was riding the hammer with my thumb-so Ill have to be more mindful of that-and take the time to half cock and spin the cylinder instead. Also get some of those nice red nipple covers like prairie dawg made !

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I agree with @J-BAR #18287

Let me see if I’ve got this right, you had a FTF, you had to run through the cylinder (dry firing as you went) to get back to the unfired chamber, am I correct?  Couple of questions, was it a one time thing or is it reoccurring?  What’s your nipple/cap combination?  

About nipple cover for the unused chamber, if you put anything over the top of the nipple you run the risk of it backing off and jamming up the works. What Dawg showed is a good alternative, another is to “paint” the nipple with nail polish. The advantage to paint is as CC pointed out on the odd stage you have to do an on the clock reload a cap can still be used on that nipple. 

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LD, other things can cause cap caps not to fire.  A poorly seated cap may not fire (just like a partially seated primer in a cartridge).  Carbon buildup on nipples can cushion hammer blows.  Clean carbon off nipples and seat caps firmly with a push stick for reliable ignition.

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Recapping on the clock — unless your going for that elusive clean match award, I’d pass.  You have to index the cylinder to the right spot, decap, find your capper, recap, seat, index back to the firing position, take aim, and, for the love of God, hit the target.  Pretty tall order in five seconds minus margin to make it all worthwhile.

 

As PD posted, use the thread protector to help you keep straight which chamber you don’t use.  Never can tell when a nipple starts not working.  All you do now is move the protector to the bad nipple and use your spare.

 

+1 to the instructions to half cock and rotate to the right spot.  
 

Don’t forget that a percussion pistol must be cleared on the firing line or get permission from TO to move with an uncleared pistol to a safe spot to shoot/clear the pistol.

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Half cock & rotate.  It's been about 20 years of nearly exclusive C&B pistols so this has happened, ahem, a few times.  I take the palm of my off hand to roll the cylinder to the right spot.  Seeing the spot is pretty easy with the open top design of C&B pistols.  It's the cap that is still intact.

I never worry about the uncharged chamber, I've never had a situation where it mattered.

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L. Dan,

 

The tasty little red "Ring Around the Nipple" is a marker.  That marks the chamber you ordinarily leave empty.  If a stage is going to have one of those "fun" single round reloads, you remove the little red ring when you charge your chambers.  Cap on the clock BEFORE you start the stage.  Set up and Capped properly, a Cap Gun is every bit as reliable as any Suppository Shooter.  After capping, I final "seat" every cap with a push stick (mine are brass).  As a Gunfighter, I can't tolerate other than absolute reliability.

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Just a reminder:

          Don’t seat, or try to seat, caps with your thumb.  Use a wood or a piece of antler as a cap seater, every time.  Keep it handy...... maybe wear it around your neck(?).

 

Cat Brules

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22 hours ago, Tequila Shooter said:

I agree with @J-BAR #18287

Let me see if I’ve got this right, you had a FTF, you had to run through the cylinder (dry firing as you went) to get back to the unfired chamber, am I correct?  Couple of questions, was it a one time thing or is it reoccurring?  What’s your nipple/cap combination?  

About nipple cover for the unused chamber, if you put anything over the top of the nipple you run the risk of it backing off and jamming up the works. What Dawg showed is a good alternative, another is to “paint” the nipple with nail polish. The advantage to paint is as CC pointed out on the odd stage you have to do an on the clock reload a cap can still be used on that nipple. 

Correct...happened twice I think during the match... #10 CCI caps, stock Pietta nipples in the 1860 

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You might do well by changing those nipples out.  Here are a few links to look at TOW  Buff Arms  if you need wads, etc.  Ox Yoke  

 

I understand that I’m no expert but I’d think that if you did dry fire (like you did at the match) it would mushroom the nipple before it would dent the hammer. The other thing you could look at is the hammer spring, make sure the adjustment screw didn’t back out a little. 

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If the nipples are sized right they do not touch the hammer face there is a very faint gap between them.  I have 56's that I received in the 1970's that have more balls down range than I could lift with out the hammer being marked.   Had a neighbor that carried a Navy as a young man showed me how a Navy should be set up.  He always said the movies and TV didn't know how it was.

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