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Solved the percussion cap issue.

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So I took a look at my cap maker and compared it to the photos posted. They're very similar. The differences I see are that your cutting edge isn't serrated and it appears your male mandrel part fits tighter in the bore. There is the fact your mandrel is removable, something I'll incorporate in mine.

It's nice knowing a more professional product can be achieved by us DIYers. I thank you for that. :thumb:
 
And it's getting to where you can't even find the red ring caps anymore. I used to use the red paper strip ones for other pyrotechnic purposes and you can't even find them in Dollar general for years now.

Too bad slix shots doesn't offer any aftermarket options for the NAA. A lot of times when any particular piece has that problem those slix shots go a long way towards solving it if not eliminating it all together
I got mine at Tractor Supply Company, TSC.
 
In the museum in Gillette Wyoming there is a late 1800s rifle that originally used a large red strip of roll caps such as the type some of us remember from our toy cap guns,
but this was mounted in a roller on the side of the gun and instead of a flintlock or percussion cap this roll cap was what was used to get things going
 
I'm glad I remembered that that gives me an idea for a new method of getting things going in a muzzleloader.
Screenshot_20240228-155925~2.png
 
Nice job! I like your die! I wish I had a lathe so I could make something similar. I have both of the dies from 22reloader, and I agree the cap skirt is rather ugly, and looking at your end product, the bottom is not nice and flat on the caps I make compared to yours. I set mine up in a drill press to sort of mimic a loading press, but I would definitely be interested in one of yours if you decide to start producing these! I think you would do really well if you decide to do that!
 
I tried some improvements today and it was a bust. The original design works, amd works well but it isn't 100%. Sometimes the cap will come out lopsided and I'm not looking for that. I experimented with different clearance angles and seem to have made it worse. But, I am taking notes and learning and think I know what's going on. The first one I made was from some scrap metal and although the tolerances are tight (and reamed), there's not enough engagement surface of the top part of the die to keep it perfectly aligned and centered. I'll get it though, and once I do I'll be sure to share them with everyone whether it be for sale or plans.
 
Like many others here, I'm tired of being gouged for percussion caps and I've really gotten into the hobby with my new 1858 Remington and the NAA super companion cap and ball. The NAA actually works well with the red ring caps like you'd use on a child's cap gun but I had one go off as I was seating it.

So I started looking into making my own. I quickly found the prime all recipe and decided to go with that, although it's technically the FH42 compound. Then I started looking into what to use for cups. That tap o cap thing doesn't fulfill my ocd desires with the way they look so I decided to go the route of making my own die to punch and form them.

So in comes my three piece die that punches out the circle and then forms them around the die, leaving me with a perfect number 10 cup to be filled with my compound. It's hardened and tempered so it'll last.View attachment 298346View attachment 298347View attachment 298348View attachment 298349
I wish I had your abilities. Looking great
 
I tried some improvements today and it was a bust. The original design works, amd works well but it isn't 100%. Sometimes the cap will come out lopsided and I'm not looking for that. I experimented with different clearance angles and seem to have made it worse. But, I am taking notes and learning and think I know what's going on. The first one I made was from some scrap metal and although the tolerances are tight (and reamed), there's not enough engagement surface of the top part of the die to keep it perfectly aligned and centered. I'll get it though, and once I do I'll be sure to share them with everyone whether it be for sale or plans.
I'm excited to see what you come up with. I would love me some homemade caps that I could use in my cappers.
 
I'm curious how they're made commercially. Do they anneal the brass sheet?

If the caps aren't ending up centered, possibly the mandrel needs to have sharper edges forming the bottom of the cup, to better grab the sheet metal. The CCI caps appear to be dimpled on the underside - was there another ram from the opposite side that sandwiched the cup as it was being made, that held it from squirming off center?

The CCIs also have very closely scored lines on the outside that perhaps had something to do with aligning the metal, or allowing it to compress into the cup shape.
 

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