Availability of percussion caps?

@K @krazong 2 years ago

It's been ages since I have last bought any percussion caps, specifically top hat musket caps for my original 1850 Victoria Enfield.
My stash of caps has now reached a rather low level (only about 200 left) and I was wondering if these are still available anywhere.

I still frequently shoot my Indian replica of a 1750's era Brown Bess Flintlock. The flint I can knap to keep the sparks flowing. Luckily ZAR powder is readily available and I cast my own .715" round balls for the Bess, and .735" round balls for the Enfield.

I have to admit that I do not shoot my BP guns as much as I want to, as cleaning them if a bit of a PITA.

BTW a load of 80 grains WANO FFG behind a 550grain .715" round ball travels at about 1000 ft/sec from the Bess.

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@O @oafpatroll

Might be worth checking with Craig at Blunderbuss in Alberton.

@T @treeman

BTW a load of 80 grains WANO FFG behind a 550grain .715" round ball travels at about 1000 ft/sec from the Bess.

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550 gr at 1000 fps, that's right through a kudu shoulder to shoulder ? Easily ?

@O @oafpatroll

BTW a load of 80 grains WANO FFG behind a 550grain .715" round ball travels at about 1000 ft/sec from the Bess.

That's like a smokier and more gentlemanly version of my pet 12G slug load. 29gr of MS200 behind a 530gr Sveroboy slug gives an easy 1500 fps out of my short barrelled semi auto. Things were much harder for our ancestors for sure.

@K @krazong OP

Well, the British hunted all kinds of dangerous game with the Bess. Lions included.

It was one of the longest military service guns in history.

@J @jamesnotbond

I was just about to post the same sentiment regarding the Brown Bess. Elephants were recovered many years - 40 years later with musket ball artifacts in their bodies.
I think the Kruger Park has a few examples of this occurrence.

@O @oafpatroll

Well, the British hunted all kinds of dangerous game with the Bess. Lions included.

It was one of the longest military service guns in history.

I wasn't criticizing the venerable old lady just noting how easy we have it nowadays.

@K @krazong OP

I wasn't criticizing the venerable old lady just noting how easy we have it nowadays.

We do have it easy. I would not want to hunt any dangerous game with a smokepole!
I guess the old guys had a lot more guts than I.

@J @jamesnotbond

I wasn't criticizing the venerable old lady just noting how easy we have it nowadays.

We do have it easy. I would not want to hunt any dangerous game with a smokepole!
I guess the old guys had a lot more guts than I.

If you read the old accounts, you will realise that they were happy to be at the leading edge of firearms at the times they were living in. If you read of the purchase of the weapons and their use you get the conclusion that at that time they were feeling no less equipped than any man today using a 458 Win Mag. Just what they had and it worked to a extend and had its limitations, nothing more or less.
You never read that they were disappointed or stated how pathetic their weapons were, though you did read of recoil and wet powder etc

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One might add that they (unknowingly) compensated for their weapons with better hunting technique.

@T @tripodmvr

1. The dangerous animals had not been hunted extensively and would have been easier to approach in those bygone days. Read WDM Bell's stories of him shooting at close quarters in Karamojo.
2. The biggest problem for the early ivory hunters was that of obtaining salted horses that would not die in the hunting areas. Most of their hunting with black powder guns was done from horseback. See the following :-
https://sportingclassicsdaily.com/william-cornwallis-harris/