Carrying percussion caps.

[krank]

How did the old timers carry percussion caps? The issued belt pocket had the fuzzy pocket for caps. They made a snail capper that worked on Colts and rifles. But how did the civilian and militia guys carry caps for ease of access and secure from loss? Did they keep them in the rattling original can or a leather wallet? I have never found any original accounts of this and never got an answer on other forums.(subject got derailed to other topics) After shooting BP for 40+ years, I know a gun is useless if you lose your caps and I know a quick reload depends on quick access to a cap. I live in Jackson county Missouri and Quantrells solution was to carry extra caps on extra loaded pistols.

 

[UCVRelics]

Soldiers were issued cap boxes for carrying percussion caps.

 

[Pollaco]

Weren't the cap boxes lined with wool?

 

[JOHN42768]

Weren't the cap boxes lined with wool?

Normally, yes

 

[FedericoFCavada]

The reproduction cap boxes I use are like miniature cartridge boxes. There is an inner flap and an outer flap to ensure protection against sparks, or more likely, rain. There is a piece of wool near the upper surface to keep the caps from spilling out. Your thumb and forefinger flip up the flaps, goes past the wool, and picks out a cap. Often a vent pick is stored in the pouch, held against the side by the wool or sheepskin.

I have seen strips of leather pierced to hold a cap. Musket caps are big of course, while the smaller caps like the No.10/11 are so small it is difficult to handle them, hence the capper. A piece of leather could conceivably hold the caps and be used as a capper, I just have no idea whether or not this was actually used?

The pocket of pouch could be contrived to hold a few caps, I'd think.

When Civil War soldiers opened a paper package of cartridges, there'd be ten cartridges (often one a different color paper to show it contained a "cleaner" bullet), and an eleventh paper cartridge tube holding a dozen or so caps. The caps would be dumped into the cap box, while the unwrapped cartridges went into the upper portion of the cartridge box.

 

[29thWisCoG]

So they used cappers for the pistols?

I have a Pietta 1860 Colt SAA 44 and capping the nipple by hand is not so easy, I have cappers and it does make it much easier.

 

[krank]

the 58 remingtons don't accept the snail capper like the open-top Colts.

 

[29thWisCoG]

The Polish Capper is supposed to work on the Colts and Remingtons, I just got one but haven't had time yet to try it out.

But what I find remarkable is that these soldiers were able to get those small caps on the nipple in the heat of a battle! I have an M1861 Springfield, it takes time to get the ramrod out, dump the powder charge, ram the bullet, seat the cap...

 

[JOHN42768]

The Polish Capper is supposed to work on the Colts and Remingtons, I just got one but haven't had time yet to try it out.

But what I find remarkable is that these soldiers were able to get those small caps on the nipple in the heat of a battle! I have an M1861 Springfield, it takes time to get the ramrod out, dump the powder charge, ram the bullet, seat the cap...

Your just missing the inspiration of mini's going by you to improve your speed

 

[29thWisCoG]

Your just missing the inspiration of mini's going by you to improve your speed

True... but it makes think that mistakes were made like dry balling (forgetting powder and putting the bullet in), or leaving the ram rod in the bore, or losing your ramrod because you don't think you have time to put it back in it's slot below the barrel, or... ?!

 

[Pollaco]

Ever try putting on a cap while wearing gloves? I haven't but I can imagine.

 

[29thWisCoG]

with gloves on, yes how did that even happen? Infantry had no gloves so this applies to cavalry and officers... I am still researching this but I think cavalry carried as many fully armed pistols as they could (2 or more?), and officers had fully loaded (with caps) spare cylinders to change out quickly

 

[Booner]

How did the old timers carry percussion caps? The issued belt pocket had the fuzzy pocket for caps. They made a snail capper that worked on Colts and rifles. But how did the civilian and militia guys carry caps for ease of access and secure from loss? Did they keep them in the rattling original can or a leather wallet? I have never found any original accounts of this and never got an answer on other forums.(subject got derailed to other topics) After shooting BP for 40+ years, I know a gun is useless if you lose your caps and I know a quick reload depends on quick access to a cap. I live in Jackson county Missouri and Quantrells solution was to carry extra caps on extra loaded pistols.

I imagine the old-timers carried their caps either in their pockets or in a pocket in their possible bag. If the gun had a patch box, that would be a spot for a few extra caps. I would imagine that a home guard militia, if he had to supply his own gun, would do like wise.
Quantrill and Jackson County- the area between Independence and Grain Valley is Quantrill guerrilla central. Most of his original members of his band came from this area. His girlfriend-wife-mistress too.

 

[Booner]

... I am still researching this but I think cavalry carried as many fully armed pistols as they could (2 or more?), and officers had fully loaded (with caps) spare cylinders to change out quickly

I think you'll find most of us here would disagree with your research, so if you have a source, please show it.

 

[Pollaco]

Today some shooters pinch the caps so they fight tighter on the cone of the nipple for a more "secure" fit. Was that ever done in the old days? I would think you'd go for that tight fit especially in bouncy situations, like marching or on horsrback.

 

[29thWisCoG]

I think you'll find most of us here would disagree with your research, so if you have a source, please show it.

"They charged into the thicket with bridled reins in their teeth and a revolver (10 inch Navy) in each hand." p60 from "the Diary of a Private Soldier" by Henry Whipple. I think he meant 8", as I am not aware of the 1851 Colt Navy being manufactured with a 10" barrel.

Still looking into sources on how officers reloaded their pistols during combat... perhaps you can show me your research here and that may help some.

 

[krank]

My personal solution over the years has been a special certain pocket to put loose caps in. I have in-line cappers and a ted cash snail capper.
Rifles arent too much of an issue. Pistols are tedious to cap without spilling caps. Muskets had big caps that made it a lot simpler.
I have extra cylinders for my 58's. I prefer my Colts (dont ask why) and the snail capper works on them. The debate goes on as to whether they really swapped cylinders back then. I would say they definitely did not on Colts but a man once showed me an actual account of an officer saying he did swap cylinders on his Remington.
The Polish capper costs $185 and ships from Poland.
I see guys making "star" cappers on 3-D printers. They are a 6 point star made of plastic and each point is notched to hold a cap. They would work fine on a '58 and if it was black in color (not blaze orange) then it would not be much of an eyesore in the shooting pouch.
I have punched holes in leather to hold caps but have had them fall out and get lost if material shrinked.
Our Missouri Partisans were devastating when well mounted with two or four revolvers against infantry with single shot muskets. Reloading came later.
I once saw an original 1858 Remington with the barrel cut down to 4 inches and the loading lever removed. The story goes that the original owner was a stage coach guard. He claimed he wasnt concerned with reloading because, after 6 fast shots, you were either dead or the fight was over.
Attached pic of David Poole.

 

[krank]

Today some shooters pinch the caps so they fight tighter on the cone of the nipple for a more "secure" fit. Was that ever done in the old days? I would think you'd go for that tight fit especially in bouncy situations, like marching or on horsrback.

Big problem with modern supply of caps fitting reproduction cones. Pinching is the fix. Original caps and cones were pretty well matched.

 

[29thWisCoG]

The Polish Capper is 185 in polish currency, its about $50 shipped for their top of the line brass capper, the plastic capper is $20 and that is the one that I have. I use the straight Ted Cash capper, had to modify it some to get it work well but I like it on my Colt SAA.

 

[29thWisCoG]

This is interesting, if you look at this YT clip of Gettysburg during the Battle of LRT you see "Chamberlain" clearly has the pistol disassembled, it's at the 3:27 mark on the clip... I know the movie is not authoritative, but they did have historical advisers present during filming of the movie... no reason for him to pull the wedge and remove the barrel if he is trying to reload using cartridges, so he must be swapping out a preloaded cylinder: