#11 or Muscat caps for a sidelock??

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2thepoint

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My sidelocks need to be dusted off and haven't been to the range for quite some time. Since ML season is winding down I'll have some time to clean out the cob webs.

They are currently fitted with # 11 nipples. Knowing that musket caps are hotter, are there any pro's/con's to converting the nipple from a #11 to a 1/4 x 28 musket cap??

Thanks,
Phil
 
Phil no cons that I can think of. Pro’s you can load musket caps with your fingers and are easier to remove. Plus like you said they are hotter to help insure ignition.
 
Also might depend on the powder you choose to shoot..
I shoot pure Black and have no issues with #11, have even made musket nipples (thread - 5/16-18) with the top for a #11.
Get those ML back out and have some fun!
 
2thepoint said:
My sidelocks need to be dusted off and haven't been to the range for quite some time. Since ML season is winding down I'll have some time to clean out the cob webs.

They are currently fitted with # 11 nipples. Knowing that musket caps are hotter, are there any pro's/con's to converting the nipple from a #11 to a 1/4 x 28 musket cap??

Thanks,
Phil

CONS- Possible problem is hammer face to nipple fit, Sidelocks are notorious for not hitting dead square on the nipple, they will be off slightly one way or the other, in most cases you will get by just fine using No. 11s but if you switch to the much larger Musket cap and your hammer face is not dead square or very close to it you might have problems? I have personally witnessed this. But If you really feel the need to shoot Musket caps and your hammer is not dead on the solution would be to remove your hammer, heat it with an acetylene torch HOT, and make the appropriate bend to get it Square with the Musket nipple for reliable ignition.

The only benefit i see to a Musket Cap is easier handling than the smaller No. 11s, I can tell you the RWS 1075 plus (German caps) and CCi Magnum No. 11s are PLENTY hot enough, Matter of fact i don’t think there is any noticeable difference in them? If so it is VERY litte, and definitely would NOT be worth the hassle for me, unless i had a stock pile of Musket caps.
 
Gents, thanks for the replies...I guess extended range time is on the agenda. I'll test both caps!

Ed- I do have big hands, old eyes and with this weather a larger cap with wings might make life a little easier. btw, I got that .50 LH New Englander

52Bore - Powder is another story. I have ff & fff in triple seven, Pyrodex RS & P, and some real old Goex black ffg thru ffffg that is probably 20 years old. If I recall I used to use one of the Pyrodex's in my .54 Renegade.
BTW, your UL barrel job(s) made me want to raid my retirement money!! lol really nice work!

Idaholewis - I have both the #11 & musket nipples in hand so I can try both types. I know I have a can of cci magnum #11's and probably have a can or two of the RWS stashed somewhere. I'll check the alignment of the hammer face. I'm pretty sure I didn't have an issue in the past with the Renegade. The hammers on both have a fair amount face area.....
 
2thepoint said:
Gents, thanks for the replies...I guess extended range time is on the agenda. I'll test both caps!

Ed- I do have big hands, old eyes and with this weather a larger cap with wings might make life a little easier. btw, I got that .50 LH New Englander

52Bore - Powder is another story. I have ff & fff in triple seven, Pyrodex RS & P, and some real old Goex black ffg thru ffffg that is probably 20 years old. If I recall I used to use one of the Pyrodex's in my .54 Renegade.
BTW, your UL barrel job(s) made me want to raid my retirement money!! lol really nice work!

Idaholewis - I have both the #11 & musket nipples in hand so I can try both types. I know I have a can of cci magnum #11's and probably have a can or two of the RWS stashed somewhere. I'll check the alignment of the hammer face. I'm pretty sure I didn't have an issue in the past with the Renegade. The hammers on both have a fair amount face area.....


This is what I was talking about, as you can see this particular hammer is off to the right (looking down the gun) this hammer catches a No. 11 Cap perfectly fine and has proven reliable therefore I haven’t bothered heating and bending it, but this particular Hammer probably wouldn’t catch the larger Musket cap square with the hammer face, it would likely hit with just the outside rim of the hammer, it might stil go off, but it also might not? It wouldn’t be worth chancing. If i were gonna shoot musket caps in this particular rifle i would instal the Musket nipple, remove the hammer, heat it with an Acetylene torch and bend it, reinstall and test fit until i had the Hammer face centered over the Musket nipple.
I really think you will find that the Hotter Magnum No. 11s like the RWS 1075 ‘plus’ (notice plus) and the CCi Magnums will be so close to a Musket Cap that i highly Doubt you will notice a difference? The only real benefit i see to the Musket caps are ease of handling, which would no doubt be nice! The little No. 11s are not as easy to handle, especially with cold fingers.

Sorry about the blurry pic, I couldn’t get it to focus, but you can stil see what i am talking about.
 
Idaholewis,
a picture's worth a thousand words. I see exactly how the hammer in the pic could miss the sweet spot on a musket cap and glance off the side.

Any concern regarding heating the hammer to bend into alignment? Loss of hardening, tempering??

thx,
 
2thepoint said:
Idaholewis,
a picture's worth a thousand words. I see exactly how the hammer in the pic could miss the sweet spot on a musket cap and glance off the side.

Any concern regarding heating the hammer to bend into alignment? Loss of hardening, tempering??

thx,

Not at all in my experience, i have heated a hammer to glowing orange in the spot i needed to make the necessary bends, not even the case coloring was affected, i would imagine it would have to mess with the tempering, but i have seen ZERO ill effects and i shoot a BUNCH
 

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