Having trouble with #11 caps

[Pella hunter]

I am having trouble with remington & cci #11 caps plugging nipple when drying barrel or hunting . They plug the end were cap goes on with what looks like paper, you can pick it out & it will fire . Any suggestions ?

[cayugad]

What you need is a nipple pick. Actually its a good idea to pick the nipple between shots. If you don't have one, an old guitar sting will work. Even the stiff twist bread wrappers (peel the paper back)although they bend kind of easy. Depending on the nipple sometimes if you straighten out a paper clip it will clear the nipple but it will not pass through the flash hole into the bolster. For that you do need a nipple pick or stiff wire of some sorts.

The nipple pick will move the paper out of the way and make sure the flash old is clean. Another way is to swab between shots as the pressure from the swab will blow the debris out of the nipple.

One last thing that is now considered a NO NO!!! is after you shoot, cock the rifle and blow through the barrel. This will blow the embers out in the breech if there are any, and blow the smoke and crud out of the nipple. Don't get caught doing it at a public range though....

Good luck.

[sabotloader]

Pella hunter

Following caygads instructions andone other thought - I swab after every shot - I want the barrel in the same condition (partially fouled) it will be when I am hunting, anyway on that swab after I have cleared the barrel I make several very rapid pushes down the barrel listening for the air to rush out of the nipple... I am also listening for dry area... no bubbling or gurgling...

Even then once in awhile I will need to resort to the nipple pick....

[Pella hunter]

I guess my brain works faster than my typing what I meant was is there a cap that does not do this , it happens when popping caps before loading even . I can pop a cap then look at nipple & it has " paper " stuck in the end of it ,I do pick it out & it fires ,is there a better cap to use .

[yeoman]

Pella - I get the same thing, but only on caps fired to dry after oiling or swabbing. When a cap fires a charge, I get enough back pressure such that the nipple is cleared. On the list of things about which I worry, it's way down there. I actually have more problems with Magnum caps not firing. Seems they don't seat fully on my current nipple and/or the extra "powder" they contain cushions the blow preventing ignition on occasion. Doesn't happen with the regular #11's.

[Gruntr Huntr]

ORIGINAL: Pella hunter

...you can pick it out & it will fire . Any suggestions ?

Do you mean the gun will fire or the piece you pick out will fire?

You could buy a couple different brands of nipples and try them. Sometimes the opening of the nipple varies between makers. Also, the older a nipple gets the more deformed it becomes from the hammer banging down on it.

[Doe Dumper]

I use the RWS caps and those things are almost as loud as the actual shot..lol. Nothing left of them to worry bout picking out.

[cayugad]

Like Doe Dumper said, the RWS just seem to disintegrate for the most part. That was another good idea mentioned.. are you still using the origninal nipple that came with the rifle? If it is not a stainless steel hot shot nipple. They seem to stay cleaner then the original equipment.

[Pella hunter]

I am using original factory nipple from cva ,it is on a hunterbolt 54 cal. I guess this happens mostly when just popping caps off before loading I just tried it today & that is the only time it acted up. I very seldom have a missfire when reloading after a shot mostly like I say after popping caps & I forget to clean nipple out.

[TUK101]

Try a T/C nipple. From what I have read there is a difference in the quality of steel that goes into the nipples. T/C is of the highest quality. I picked up a spare today, it was around $3.00.