Percussion Caps #10

As most black powder enthusiasts know, percussion caps aren't exactly new technology. They're simply small metallic cups with a tiny amount of mercury fulminate inside that's used to ignite the main powder charge in a cap-lock gun or muzzleloader. They have to be tight-fitting, reliable, and pack enough punch to reliably fire every single time.

That's why CCI offers a wide variety of sizes and types of percussion caps. Whether you use a simple, flintlock-style pistol or a high-tech muzzleloader with a computerized reloading system, you can count on CCI to have the percussion caps you need to keep your gun in top firing condition.

In a muzzleloader, the caps are used to ignite a powder charge of either black gunpowder or modern smokeless powder that contains nitrocellulose. The percussion ignition system allows the shooter to make fine adjustments to the load, which is critical for achieving consistent shot-to-shot accuracy #10 percussion caps.

The percussion system works like this: The hammer of the caplock firearm is struck smartly against a nipple that's inserted into the rearmost part of the barrel. This causes the nipple to crush and detonate the mercury fulminate, which in turn ignites the main powder charge. The percussion caps are designed in different sizes to fit the various calibers of pistols and rifles that use them.

Percussion Caps #10

In recent years, the popularity of percussion caps has soared among muzzleloaders and other black-powder firearms. As a result, many manufacturers have been working around the clock to manufacture as many primers as they possibly can. Unfortunately, that's led to some shortages in the various components needed to make a percussion-fired cartridge, and some traditional muzzleloaders are finding it difficult to acquire the caps they need.

The good news is, you can make your own percussion caps in the comfort of your home with an inexpensive percussion cap maker that's available from most ammunition suppliers. The kit consists of a machined-steel die and punch that you slide into an aluminum can. Once you cut off the bottom of the can, flatten it and thoroughly wipe away any remnant liquids, you can start making your own percussion caps.

One of the more challenging aspects of making your own percussion caps is priming them. Luckily, you can get a pre-proportioned priming kit from the same manufacturer that makes the percussion caps themselves. It comes with all of the individually inert chemical components and measuring scoops you'll need to properly prepare your percussion caps for priming. Each kit is said to prime roughly 2,000 shots. That's a lot of shooting for a few bucks!