Ruger OA: what primers?

[DaveJW]

I shot my Ruger Old Army for the first time last night. Never fired a BP gun before - bloody hell, thunder, smoke and flames or what! My problem is that the primers didn't go off half the time and I had to shoot the cylinder again. One took three goes.

I used 777 powder at 18 grains, Alox on the 457 balls and a felt wad. The caps were given to me: Number 1075 Dynamit Nobel. Is this normal or do I need different caps?

[fcat]

I had a similar experience using my club's ROA. I was using remmy #10 caps which I was advised were perhaps too tight - I wasn't seating them fully home on the nipple so the first hammer strike would complete the seating, the second would then fire it. I've been recommended to use #11 which may avoid this problem and too press each cap fully home with a finger or the end of the capper. Don't have any experience of the caps you were using so don't know if your problems has a similar cause.

Other points that guy's at the club have told me about -if the caps are old/damp they may not fire reliably. Also if there is excess oil around the nipples it can get inside the caps and prevent ignition.

If you find any other problems & solutions, please share!

[Wobbly 2]

I normally use Remington number 11 which work great on my ROA, if I cannot get Remingtons, the I use CCI number 11.

If you find you are having problems with the caps no going off, make sure they are firmly pressed on to the nipples.

If you still have problems, consider changing the nipples, I did this a few months ago, and since changing them have had virtually no missfires.

[DaveJW]

Thanks for that, I believe that caps I have are quite old so I will get some new No 11 ones. I also have a little feeding/seating tool that I was given to apply the caps but I didn't have it with me last night. I'll try again on Sunday - weather permitting and if I can get the caps in time.

[Wobbly 2]

The little tool is called a capper, pre load it with your caps, then it makes them easier to fit to the nipples if your fingers are cold, or if you are hamfisted.

[DaveJW]

Probably more ham-fisted than cold.

Cheers for the advice.

[Chocchip]

I have Treso nipples in my ROA (about $10 for a set of 6) and they are a *prefect* fit for Remington size 10 caps. I've now shot over 2000 balls with this combination without a single cap falling off, or any form of cap jam, or any failure to fire.

[DaveJW]

Just tried doing a search on Treso but came up with two nipple sets, one Ruger Old Army at $4 odd; are those the ones? or the $22 ones for Ruger and lta?

[Chocchip]

I got mine from Thunder Ridge a couple of years ago - looks like they are around $21 a pack of 6 now,

http://www.thunder-ridge.com/products.php?cat=67

One thing to note - you'll need to use a regular generic pistol nipple wrench to insert & remove them - the treso nipples don't fit proprietary Ruger hex nipple wrench.

[DaveJW]

Many thanks Chocchip, I will order a nipple wrench at the same time.

[Napoleon IV]

Interesting thing about Ruger Old Armys (ies?) is that they are so accurately made that Ruger say you can dry fire them without the hammer quite contacting the nipple. This should be avoided in any other ML revolver as you will probably eventually crack the nipple. You do however occasionally get misfires due to this. Uncle Mikes nipples are fractionally longer but then of course you can't dryfire. Remington No 11s work best for me.

[pmercer]

NO 11's for me.

[DaveJW]

I've got some Remington number 11 primers and will give them a go tonight and use my "capper" for the first time.