Hang fire using musket caps?

Picked up a musket cap nipple for my .54 Lyman GPR. Figured I'd get better ignition.

But actually every shot was a hangfire. Put in the number 11 nipple and back to normal.

Anyone else have troubles with musket caps?

188mule..Well yes and no if I use 70 of 3f 777 then no if I use 80 of the same thing then yes, I’m not sure exactly why, I can use 120 of 2f 777 and no problems, black 2f is no problem pyrodex rs is no problem. The only other time I have any issues is if my gun is fouled out and needs to be cleaned with wet patches including pulling the nipple out and running a pipe cleaner in it. I have a 54 tc new englander. I use the subs to conserve on my real black powder hope this helps you. I get hang fires more so with #11 though and more often

I was using 120 grains of 2f goex. The #11 caps work great. But the muskets did not.
My thought was I'd get better ignition using muskets with the heavier charge in really cold weather.
I purchased a bunch last year. Figured I'd conserve my #11 caps.
I am puzzled. Will need to do some more testing.

Keep me posted

Is the hammer hitting it squarely?

EdMehlig wrote:Is the hammer hitting it squarely?

That’s a very good point EdMehlig I’ve got a cva side lock that the drum would roll after a few shots but was the opposite I had to switch to the musket caps to keep the nipple from mushing lol

188mule wrote:I was using 120 grains of 2f goex. The #11 caps work great. But the muskets did not.
My thought was I'd get better ignition using muskets with the heavier charge in really cold weather.
I purchased a bunch last year. Figured I'd conserve my #11 caps.
I am puzzled. Will need to do some more testing.

Can you check the depth on the threads between the #11 nipple and the musket Nipple to see if the threads may be longer by chance and the portion that up put the caps on may actually be longer/taller and not allowing the hammer to strike squarely

Compared the #11 to the musket.

Took a look at alignment.

Pretty sure it will be an alignment issue. Hadn't thought of that. Thanks guys!

So my plan would be to shorten the musket nipple. Then drill file it to accept a cap. Then heat and bend the hammer to fix the side to side alignment. Although before that happens I need to look in to the side to side slop/play in my hammer.

If you just remove the hammer and squarely file that piece with the threads, you might not have to do anything else because it will move the hammer in

If there’s enough room anyways, but just the end and not the sides, keep us up to date

I had the same problem with my t/c with musket caps.i read somewhere that you need to put a stiffer spring in so it hits them harder.i can't remember where I read it because it was 7 or 8 years ago.

My t/c new englander only has an issue with any cap if I’m using subs and pore it too fast and it compacts in the patented powder chamber not allowing it to flow in to the flash channel keep us posted

I should ask, is there a benefit to using a musket cap? I just assumed its bigger so way more POWER!

188mule wrote:I should ask, is there a benefit to using a musket cap? I just assumed its bigger so way more POWER!

I was always under the impression that there’s a bigger and hotter flame to help ignite the powder charges and as an added bonus they’re easier to pick up and handle with your fingers if I drop the #11’s (I don’t have much feeling in my fingers)

That's what I thought. But was just assuming they were hotter. I'm hoping for better ignition on those extremely cold days we sometimes have during muzzleloader season. Also I think they'd be easier to handle when it is really cold. Oh yea, I bought 500 because #11s and #10s are a rare sight these days. Hopeing they work out

188mule wrote:That's what I thought. But was just assuming they were hotter. I'm hoping for better ignition on those extremely cold days we sometimes have during muzzleloader season. Also I think they'd be easier to handle when it is really cold. Oh yea, I bought 500 because #11s and #10s are a rare sight these days. Hopeing they work out

I can usually get the #11’s easily at Walmart around hunting season by the 1000’s but the musket caps I have to travel a bit so any time I’m in that direction I pick up 4-6 Tins. But from my experience the I haven’t had any issues in extreme cold with the musket. I have had a few click’s with the 11’s though but I was using pyrodex as black powder is rare and expensive like double the price of pyrodex and like 10-15 over 777. As much as I like the 777 3F I can’t use more than 70gr with out getting hang fires or no fire. I think it’s how it flows in to the flash channel. I have to pour it very slow or it compacts at the bottom of the barrel if I just dump it in. And slapping the barrel don’t help when that happens. I may just bite the bullet and get some real black when I get the chance

188mule wrote:I should ask, is there a benefit to using a musket cap? I just assumed its bigger so way more POWER!

As for Hotter, more Power with Musket Caps, I don’t buy that at all, I have both and Prefer My #11 Magnum Caps, the ONLY thing i can give Musket Caps an advantage in is Ease of Handling, they are really nice to Handle since they are so much larger

If you do Shoot Musket Caps you should AVOID the CCi Re-enactor Caps, You want the German RWS 1081 Musket Caps

188mule, The correct way to fix your Hammer is to Remove it from the Rifle, Heat & Bend it. This Requires an Acetylene Torch, If you don’t have one and understand them, you should take it to a Machine Shop, Welding Shop Etc. And have them do it. It is literally a 1 minute Job, I have done a BUNCH of these over the Years

If it hang fires, it's not a hammer alignment issue.

Idaholewis wrote:

188mule wrote:I should ask, is there a benefit to using a musket cap? I just assumed its bigger so way more POWER!

As for Hotter, more Power with Musket Caps, I don’t buy that at all, I have both and Prefer My #11 Magnum Caps, the ONLY thing i can give Musket Caps an advantage in is Ease of Handling, they are really nice to Handle since they are so much larger

If you do Shoot Musket Caps you should AVOID the CCi Re-enactor Caps, You want the German RWS 1081 Musket Caps

Thanks for the correction Lewis. My stepdad was the one who told me that 30 years ago and I’ve just never questioned it or given it a second thought.

Modern musket caps are reduced in power due to legal concerns about reenactors not wearing ear and eye protection while shooting in closed rank formations.

I've not had a hangfire using the CCI standard #11 caps with this Lyman GPR. If I do my part.

Am I looking for a fix to a problem that never really existed? I am for sure creating more problems for my self with a possibility of never seeing any gains.