Percussion Cap "Shortage"

[Notchy Bob]

Last week the local WalMart here has, or had, CCI caps for $5.60 per tin.

That’s lucky for you! It’s good to hear they are becoming available anywhere.

The “associates” in the local Walmart, including the designated sporting goods specialist, don’t know what percussion caps are. He did look them up in my presence, though, and said, “If we had them, they would be right there,” pointing to an empty, tagless space on a shelf.

Notchy Bob

 

[stikshooter]

Anyone have opinions regarding RWS #11 caps? I always used CCI #11’s and the old #10 Italian caps years ago.

RWS 1075 + not only work great in all my rifles ,cap guns and Pedersoli shot gun like them .( Bonus )work in my ROA too!/Ed

 

[Cajun72]

Found a few tins of Winchester Magnum's but way pricey.

 

[Buckskinquin]

Anyone have opinions regarding RWS #11 caps? I always used CCI #11’s and the old #10 Italian caps years ago.

I have found RWS to be dependable and hotter than CCI. Winchester caps were also very good, but I haven't seen those since I sold my 72 Nova. I contacted CCI, Winchester and Remington regarding the shortage of caps last year, never got a reply from anyone. The southeast has no store carrying caps. Walmart has told me their warehouse for the SE doesn’t have them, so we are out of luck. If a friend travels into BP friendly areas, I ask they visit Walmart. Through this I have acquired enough for the next couple of years. And No, I don’t ask them to leave any hanging on the rack. If Walmarts computer says they’re out, it reorders. If companies don’t get new orders, they don’t produce. It’s not hoarders, there is a shortage, why they’re picking on BP shooters is beyond me.

 

[Buckskinquin]

Found a few tins of Winchester Magnum's but way pricey.

Used to pay 5.00 a few years ago for Winchester Magnums.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Ah just keep blamin the boomers....

 

[maillemaker]

I have found RWS to be dependable and hotter than CCI. Winchester caps were also very good, but I haven't seen those since I sold my 72 Nova. I contacted CCI, Winchester and Remington regarding the shortage of caps last year, never got a reply from anyone. The southeast has no store carrying caps. Walmart has told me their warehouse for the SE doesn’t have them, so we are out of luck. If a friend travels into BP friendly areas, I ask they visit Walmart. Through this I have acquired enough for the next couple of years. And No, I don’t ask them to leave any hanging on the rack. If Walmarts computer says they’re out, it reorders. If companies don’t get new orders, they don’t produce. It’s not hoarders, there is a shortage, why they’re picking on BP shooters is beyond me.

I have also contacted the cap makers, including RWS in Germany. Like you - no response.

I agree it's not hoarders, it's a shortage. A captalistic system should fix this - we have had 3-4 years now of people waving cash in the air and no caps to be found. I don't understand it.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I visited the local Bass Pro superstore yesterday, February first. I have enough caps for my immediate needs, but over the past quarter century (remember the Y2K bug?), shortages have become increasingly frequent and longer in duration, so if I see caps or hard-to-find ammo, I get some. The “salesman” was surprisingly disinterested, and said, “if we have any, they’ll be down that aisle,” pointing to the reloading section. Well, they didn’t have any. I did find a sack of #5 shot and brought it to the counter, which improved the salesman’s disposition. They must either have a lot of tire-kickers or disappointed shoppers passing through. I also asked about large magnum rifle primers for my BP cartridges, and since I was actually buying something he checked his stock. No luck there, either. At least I got some shot. All I had left was #8, and I was dreading having to place an order and pay shipping.

I bought a Mag-Spark a while back and found some Winchester 209 primers that seem to fit it pretty well. I think I got the 209’s from Midway, or possibly from Midsouth… one or the other. I haven’t taken time to try it yet, though. As noted above, I have percussion caps right now, but I wanted to have the Mag-Spark for back-up. There are lots of ideas and opinions on why we have a cap shortage, but the bottom line is that caps are scarce.

Notchy Bob

 

[ronaldrothb49]

Was at the muzzleloading fair In Elizabethtown, Ky today and they had a vendor with a bunch of percussion caps

 

[springfield art]

Found a few tins of Winchester Magnum's but way pricey.

Twenty three cents each! A round of 9mm would cost about the same! The guys making their own may be on to something!

 

[Gary Romich]

Posts that say that somehow the government is going to take away your guns and ammo is what fuels these shortages in the first place. Panic buying during Covid drove prices even higher than the supply chains shortages and transportation issues. Truth is that if you combine democratic and independent households together, they outnumber the number of republican households who own firearms. Second most legislation proposed is about stopping producing more AR 15s or requiring background checks and closing loopholes. I will worry about my muzzleloaders and supplies when there is a mass shooting with someone using a flintlock or percussion weapon. Until then I am not worrying about it in the least.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Don’t assume Democrats and independents don’t own firearms or are anti 2nd amendment.

 

[springfield art]

I don’t think there is a shortage, I do think they are more expensive.

No shortage? Have you been trying to find them?

 

[Hiverano]

Cabela's and Graf & Sons have a selection of different percussion cap manufacturers available.

https://www.cabelas.com/SearchDisplay#q=percussion caps
https://www.grafs.com/powders-primers-primers-percussion-caps-musket-caps