Cap question.

[norSSeman]

Just received my first Black Powder Rifle in the mail,
Kentucky from Traditions, made in Spain of course, sharp
looking, and good grain. Will have to find some public
land to shoot on now..

Wondering if it is OK to shoot the rifle with an empty
barrel using a Cap only? How loud would the sound be?

Have the Muzzleloading fever so bad I ordered another
Traditions Muzzleloader last night on the net. Chose
to use[url] Eders.com[/url] again, they seem to have the best prices on the net. This time I bought a Traditions Trapper Pistol,
not exactly sure what it is going to look like?? I suppose
I could finish it myself if need be or change the current finish. It is a 9 3/4" barrel, white finished hardwood grip. Traditions also makes the same Pistol in a Blued finished hardwood grip?? Maybe I will have to blue the
barrel?

 

[roundball]

Yes, and actually, as you begin reading some introductory books & articles on muzzleloading, you'll see common references to shooting a few caps off before loading to ensure the nipple fire channel is clear and dry of any residual oil.
Always hold the muzzle in a safe direction of course...and if you hold it down at a blade of grass or tiny scrap of light paper, etc, you'll actually see the blade of grass move indicating you have a good clear unobstructed path all the way out the muzzle.
#11 percussion caps make about the same noise as a kid's cap gun, maybe 10% more...if you pop one in your garage, nobody else should even hear it

 

[musketman]

if you pop one in your garage, nobody else should even hear it

Unless you're by the 5 gallon can of gas... :winking:

Wait, gas cost too much to have sitting around in cans...

 

[norSSeman]

Any differences I should know about in firing a Pistol vs
Rifle BP? I finally got my new Pistol ordered, almost everyone on the net is out of them, but found a bow hunting
store online that also sells BP rifles that had two left.
It's the Traditions Trapper, with brass furniture, walnut,
and a releasable barrel for easier cleaning.

Why does it have two triggers? Would rather hear from friends at Muzzleloading Forum than from that little
pamphlet that will come with the rifle.

 

[Ohio Joe]

They both load the same, the pistol gets a lighter charge however... The triggers you refer to are double set triggers... The front trigger should work set or unset... To set the front trigger you pull the rear trigger until it sets the front trigger. This will give the front trigger a lite pull... Test it first before loading up because once set, the trigger becomes a hair'trigger... There should also be an adjusting screw between the two triggers where you can adjust - just how hairy a trigger you want... Personally, I don't like them and never use them though some of my rifles have them... I would add one last thing; don't set the trigger until your ready to fire. I've seen some folks set the trigger before cocking and one actually failed and went off mid'waist to shoulder as the hammer was bought to full cock. He never did it that way again!

 

The old TC Patriot had the front trigger as the "set" trigger and the rear trigger was the firing trigger. Is the Traditions the same? I thought it was....If so, the procedure is opposite. Front trigger sets the rear and rear is "hair". I'm not trying to add confusion......just trying to make sure and perhaps clarify a confusion on my part.

I always preferred "set" triggers. But who can account for taste?

Vic

 

[Ohio Joe]

Vic, I didn't know that about the T/C Patriot... It could be this Tradition's pistol works the same? It'll be easy enough to find out once in hand... I never caught on to using the set trigger myself. It stands to reason a person who uses the set trigger should have better accuracy... I'm just a one trigger man myself...

 

[Stumpkiller]

The caps have enough blast to eject residue out of the barrel. It's still a gun and still capable of damage. And It's not the best habit to get into because one day it will have slipped your mind it was left loaded, or you'll leave it loaded and junior will be showing his buddies how dad practices in the garage. Substitute the top of a used up glue bottle or a piece of innertube to cushion the nipple & hammer. Be sure to clean out the nipple afterwards with a pick no matter what system you use.

And you'll need to clean it after firing caps. The residue still attracts moisture and forms acids.

I had a bad experience with a set trigger and mittens which caused me to miss a deer and about give myself a heart attack. I prefer a single trigger with a crisp, 1-1/2 lb pull or so. When I do use a double set trigger in the winter I now wear fingerless gloves.

 

[Zonie]

The T/C Patriot pistol was bass ackwards from a rifle.

When you get your pistol leave the hammer down and give a pull on one of the triggers. If nothing happens, give a pull on the other. One or the other will feel like it is bending a big spring (which is exactly what it is doing).
After it has bent the spring far enough you will hear a little "click" and notice the other trigger moved forward just a little.

The triggers are now "set" and as the others pointed out, the REAL trigger takes only enough force to move a fat fly an inch before you will here a "snap!".
As long as the hammer is down, setting and snapping the triggers will do no harm to them or the gun. In fact, this trigger only snapping is one of the practices some do to prefect their eye/hand coordination for target shooting.

Do NOT be tempted to set the hammer in the "half cock" position and do this trigger snapping. It can break the nose off of the sear, making the gun unshootable.

Your pistol will use a patched ball just like your rifle if they are the same caliber.
The powder LOAD will be greatly REDUCED.
For a .50 cal pistol the powder load should IMO be 40 grains OR LESS. Actually around 25 to 30 grains will give you about all the power you will want or need.
For a powder measure you might want to try using a .357 mag or .38 special cartridge case full to the top.
I think that will give you about as much fun as a grown man can stand.

 

[roundball]

FYI...TC makes a nice little adjustable pistol powder measure...20-40grns in 5 grn increments