Caps for Enfield 3 band?

[Ellis]

I'm a new member. I have played with black powder a bit - revolvers & a shotgun. I've won a 3 band Enfield in a raffle and want to shoot it. Can someone advise me what type primer cap I should buy and where might I buy it?

[Matt Wolff]

preferably 4 wing rifle percussion caps. found at places like dixieguworks.com and here http://www.jarnaginco.com/CWFirearms.html

stay away fromt he 6 wing types as was told they are designed for inline BP rifles, and tend to blow apart in external hammer guns (had a few pieces of them embedded in my cheek from other reenactors)

[Teleoceras]

Ellis:

The size you would need would be the Musket caps not the #11 caps. I agree with Matt about using the older style 4 wing Musket caps.

Good luck!

[threepdr]

If you have a Gander Mountain store nearby they sell musket caps in 100 cap cans. If you will not be shooting much that might save some trouble over mail ordering.

[Ellis]

Thanks. I think I've found a local (Tampa, FL) source. We may all have a problem - I spoke to Dave at Jaraginco and they no longer sell them due to the new hazardous shipping requirements. There is a $20 fee to order them if DGW or Cabelas sell them.

[Matt Wolff]

I spoke to Dave at Jaraginco and they no longer sell them due to the new hazardous shipping requirements. There is a $20 fee to order them if DGW or Cabelas sell them.

You serious?? UGH! Back in 2000 I got 20 tins of them, and after about 60 battle reenactment weekends, countless live fires im down to my last 40 or so caps, and dont think they are easy to come by around here... Guess ill have to wait till the next big event and load up at a sutler...

[Johnny Peppers]

The six wing musket caps are not new. Here are a couple that came off a Civil War battlefield fought on April 18, 1864. The six wing in the front center was a drop and still has some of the priming compound inside.

http://i44.tinypic.com/30uvamo.jpg

[Patrick Chadwick]

The hammer on a percussion rifle in general, and most specifically on the Enfield, has a recess that hold the cap in place when it has been fired. If you have bits of cap flying sideways, this may indicate hammer bounce, caused by a weak mainspring or (more likely) an overlarge (i.e. burnt out) flash hole in the nipple. Check that before blaming it on the caps. I have fired plenty (hundreds, not thousands, of each type) and never had bits of cap flying about. But I do check the nipple regularly.

Patrick

[Matt Wolff]

6 wingers are banned from most reenactments, due to the safety concern.