Musket caps for Sharps carbine

[Tom]

I searched for a post on the board before asking. It has been several years since I shot my Sharps carbine. I had a good supply of the 6 wing CCI caps but now have less than 200 and need buy some more. Scheutzen and RWS don't work.

What kind of musket caps work best in the Sharps now?

I want to thank everyone in advance for your suggestions.

[P.Altland]

I have one Garrett that's needs RWS Wingless Caps (no longer made) and one Garrett that works fine with Scheutzen.

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[rkel870]

The "new" Brazilian? ones that Back Creek Gun shop is selling are very hot and work well in place of the 6 wing CCI. A friend shoots a Gallagher that won't go off with the others and only worked with the 6 winged ones. He tried them and they set his off and they work without fail on my Shiloh Sharps.

[kowdok]

I have had a totally different experience with the "Brazilian" caps. I have been very disappointed with them. I have a Pedersoli Sharps. I have a supply of the 6 wing cci and use them only to ignite the first round. After that, it will go off nicely with the RWS German caps. It will not work with the Brazilian caps. These caps also are very unreliable in actually going off in several other guns I shoot. As for my opinion, the RWS 4 wing caps are much hotter than the Brazilian ones.

PS- My 6 wing cci caps are not for sale at any price!!

Kowdok

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

I know how you feel about running out of the old CCI caps which seemed to be the only caps that worked reliably in my Sharps. My stockpile of the old CCI caps is nearly depleted. Fortunately I have found the new Schuetzen caps (I believe made in Spain by Rio and not Brazil) are just as hot and work equally well in my Shiloh Sharps. If these do not work in your carbine, you might want to make sure the vent in your breechblock is not just clear but absolutely clean with no buildup of fouling. You may also need to open up the vent in your cone slightly. One other factor that may contribute to misfires is how you construct your paper cartridges. I shoot loose powder (50 grains GOEX FFg) in my Shiloh so there is never anything obstructing ignition.

Jim Burgess, 15th CVI

[Maillemaker]

I have a fairly new Pedersoli Sharps.

I use RWS caps for all my muskets and they work well on my Sharps also.

However, the first few shots can be sporadic in ignition.

Larry Flees, who did the action job for me so I can get off a hundred or more shots without the action freezing up, said this is a common problem. The problem, as I understand it, is that the "plug" screw that comes in from the side of the breech block does not fully and completely intersect with and fill the hole in the side of the "fire cone" that the flash exits. So some of your cap flash is spent inside the breech block labyrinth instead of firing out the flash hole. After a few caps/shots the carbon residue plugs up this extra space so that all of the cap's fire is shot through the fire channel and out into the chamber.

Larry says he can fix this if it is a problem.

I figure shoot it in individuals to get the internals of the breech block fouled up and you should be good in team shooting. You can afford a few mis-fires in individuals.

Steve

[Brian]

I was reading this thread only because I have a good amount of the CCI caps that seem to work for you Sharps shooters. Maybe 2 or 3 sleeves. Picked them up about 8 years ago from a skirmisher who was getting out of our sport....(not sure why). I keep them in my reloading building in a cool dry place.

I myself need the wingless caps for my carbine shooting.
I would be willing to trade even up, sleeve for sleeve of CCI for the wingless caps. Just thought I would throw it out there.
I believe both sleeves have 1000 caps in them. I also believe the wingless are in 200 count (tins) instead of 250 count (CCI)
Brian.

[Charlie Hahn]

Hi Brian,

I am interested in the trade

Charlie Hahn
410-208-4736

[Tom]

Thanks for all the replies. The information will be useful. I have a few ideas to put to use.