Whilemaking deer drives I would find myself losing a few caps going thru the brush etc. Any ideas on how to keep them on? I've read candle wax, but we make multiple drives and i need to take the cap off to transport the gun. I use a 1858 2 band Enfield (which is a deer slaying machine, but that's another thread). The caps are winged.
I was wondering too how many shots can you get out of a nipple?

Someone (T/C???) makes little plastic caps that slip over the cap and grip onto the nipple under the cap, waterproofing it and keeping it on. Otherwise, you can squeeze the base of the cap tube som, to where it is a tight friction fit when you forece it onto the nipple. You are using musket-size nipple, but you can buy "wingless" musket caps which you can bend to grip the nipple firmly.

I have some Uncle Mike stainless steel No. 11 HOTSHOT nipples that have lasted for several decades, and are still serviceable! Literally hundreds of shots have been fired with them, but stainless steelmusket nipples appear a lot sturdier. However,I guess a musket hammer delivers a lot stronger whack to the nipple, too! But they should last indefinitely if you clean them well after shooting.

Are you talkng musket caps? The information of winged and on a 1858 2 band Enfield makes me thing your shooting musket caps. If this is the case I know the suffereing your going through. A little trick I have used is take some packing tape, just a small piece and tape from the edge of the barrel, over the bolster and it will hold it on. If your spring is plenty strong it will fire the cap. Give it a try and see if it does not work. You can also squeeze them a little, pinching them together and that will help also.

I think he is talking about musket caps.

As mentioned, just pinch the cap a little so it will grip the nipple.

As far as how many shots you can get with a nipple...

Certainly several hundred shots to a thousand plusif you don't dry-fire and detail clean the nipple after every shooting session. I shoot the same nipple until it begins to flatten out from use making it difficult to cap or as the flash portopens up from useand I end up getting a bunch of blowback. But that happens over a long time if you care for them.

Thank you all for the helpful info.Next year at deer season I won't have that problem.
I didn't miss a shot cause of it, but it sure got my attention when i would notice a musket cap missing.

This might be helpful, too. I used to have trouble with my caps falling off while going through brush, but a friend told me to put a roofing nail through that band that goes around the back of my head. It worked! LOL

IM jabye