#11 Mag caps not firing

[andersonjk4]

I have a CVA Elkhorn and have been doing some load testing with it.  I bought a package of CCI #11 Mag caps from Cabela's about 6 months ago and shot them during my first testing.  They shot good, but I did get a few that didn't fire.  I assumed it was just due to me not pushing the cap onto the nipple hard enough.  I started using the back of my capper to push the cap onto the nipple and didn't have any problems after that.  Recently I put in an order to Powder Valley and ended up ordering 1000 of the CCI #11 Mag caps because they have much better prices.  I went out to the range to do some more testing recently and was having problems with the new caps from PV not firing.  Initially I thought I just wasn't getting the caps on tight enough, but then I started trying the old caps I bought from Cabela's and they seemed to fire more regularly, but I still had a couple not fire.  This is very frustrating because I don't want to be in a hunting situation and not have my cap fire.  The caps do seem to fit on the nipple very tight.  The caps that don't fire have to be pryed off the nipple with a pocket knife or little screwdriver and it takes considerable force to pop them off.  The firing pin is leaving a nice mark in the caps and usually busts the charge in the cap up when it hits it.  Has anyone experienced this before?  Do I have a bad batch of caps, or am I not getting my caps on tight enough?

[CP]

It should not matter how tight or loose the cap is as long as it is on the nipple.  The hammer will "tighten" it when it hits.

You could try a new (longer) nipple.

Also make sure that the chemical charge isn’t falling out of the cap.

[carpsniperg2]

Screw the musket cap nipple on that bad boy and that will fix it!

[LiveandLearn]

Screw the musket cap nipple on that bad boy and that will fix it!

X2   

[wadu1]

Had the same problem years back with CCI, had to drop the hammer twice to get them to go if they went at all. I had the same problem with Remington's #11; they worked fine in my 1858 New Army but not in my TC Thompson. I switched to RWS and have not had the problem again.

[Sabotloader]

andersonjk4

In most cases but not always the problem exists because of a peened nipple.  I would bet if you replaced the nipple with a new one your problem would go away.

From the description of the fit of the cap on the nipple - I would be eve n more inclined to believe you have a peened nipple...

[D-Rock425]

Peened NIPPLE

[Sabotloader]

Peened NIPPLE

I guess I couda sayed 'Hammered' but then we might thinking 'drunk' - it is the nipple part that is hard to deal with

[HntnFsh]

andersonjk4

In most cases but not always the problem exists because of a peened nipple.  I would bet if you replaced the nipple with a new one your problem would go away.

From the description of the fit of the cap on the nipple - I would be eve n more inclined to believe you have a peened nipple...

I agree. Seen it happen before. Have filed the nipple just a hair and it worked well. 

[LiveandLearn]

it is the nipple part that is hard to deal with

Really, sorry to hear that.  try circular motions   

[medic6]

I had the same gun and sent it in twice for the cap not firing.  The customer service was great, BUT they could not fix the issue.  The problem has to do with the PIN hitting inside the nipple (puncturing the cap, not slapping the cap) not on the nipple.  My suggestion is get a different gun.  The issue continues regardless of the musket or #11. Center punch on a cap is a bad design.  I believe it is a major flaw of this particular gun

[Sabotloader]

I had the same gun and sent it in twice for the cap not firing.  The customer service was great, BUT they could not fix the issue.  The problem has to do with the PIN hitting inside the nipple (puncturing the cap, not slapping the cap) not on the nipple.  My suggestion is get a different gun.  The issue continues regardless of the musket or #11. Center punch on a cap is a bad design.  I believe it is a major flaw of this particular gun

Thank you for the explanation... I makes perfect sense to me especially if CVA is trying to use the same firing pin that they use for a 209 gun.  I do not own or shoot CVA's at all anymore so I did not know about the action that the Elk Horn has in it.

To set a cap off the edges of the cap have to be driven into the rim of the breech plug and if the hammer is not large enough to cover most of the area of the cap - ignition probably will not occur.

[Bigluke1981]

I have been having this exact problem for a month now. I bought the cva from cabelas and took it to the range with #11's and we could not get a single one to fire. The pin is hitting the cap and making a dent but it is not firing. I left the range and went home and replaced the nipple with the musket cap nipple went and bought the musket caps and guess what??? Nothing. I have now made two trips to the range, bought several different tins of caps and have never even heard my gun go boom. I called Cabelas and they said to go ahead and bring it back and I could get my money back. This is my first Muzzleoader and i really liked the gun but do not think I will get the same one.

[Sabotloader]

I have been having this exact problem for a month now. I bought the cva from cabelas and took it to the range with #11's and we could not get a single one to fire. The pin is hitting the cap and making a dent but it is not firing. I left the range and went home and replaced the nipple with the musket cap nipple went and bought the musket caps and guess what??? Nothing. I have now made two trips to the range, bought several different tins of caps and have never even heard my gun go boom. I called Cabelas and they said to go ahead and bring it back and I could get my money back. This is my first Muzzleoader and i really liked the gun but do not think I will get the same one.

Again since I do not use a CVA I really should not comment but the more I think about medic6's post the more I believe he may have really tapped on the answer.  Because of the the tolerance differences as they build things - if the nipple post was located slightly farther away from the face of the hammer it could have a real effect on whether that hammer could reach the cap - strike it hard enough to force the cap down on the edge of the rim to get ignition.... 

Somebody with one of these rifles willing to do an experiment, could install everything correctly see if it ignited caps then if it didn't back the breech plug out about an 1/8 of a turn and try again.  See how far out you would have to turn the bp to get consistent ignition.  Kinda wish I had one now to look at and try...

[muzbuster]

Screw the musket cap nipple on that bad boy and that will fix it!

X2   

X3