How to make percussion cap #10 or #11 cups without a die.

[ShotgunDave]

use .003 thickness copper foil I found at a craft store.  I stamp out 1/2 inch disk with a hole punch.  I use a drill press to shape the cups.  I mounted a drill bit in the drill chuck with the shank downward..  my cap forming die is made of a suitable hard wood.  Oak or very hard pine board 3/8 inch x 2 in by 6 inches.  The dimensions are not so important .  I drilled a hole in the center of the board with a bit matching  the  OD diameter of a #11 cap and one the OD of a #10 cap .
Use a 1/2 inch bit to drill a counter sink cone on each hole.  Clamp this board to your drill table so that one of the holes is aligned with the reversed bit. Next center one of the copper disk over the hole.  Slowly lower the drill without power. Slowly  push the disk into the hole to form a small copper cup.   The disk are really 7/16 but works better than 1/2 inch disk.
  To improve the wooden Die I sanded the cone with fine sand paper to make the entry smooth.  I also took a needle file and filed 8 wedge shaped indention in the cone and around the inside of the hole. This is to provide relief for folds to form on the cup.   

   The craft store has copper foil 12/ 30 inches ,  .003 or .005 thickness. 
I’ve been satisfied with the results.
 Pop can aluminum works. It is much more ridged. A little case lube helps. The copper is more malleable.  Aluminum has more failures as the punch tears though the base for me about 25% of the tries. You get 90% of the copper for useable cups.  Some are off center, but seem to work. 
  As how to charge the primers. There are better sources than me.  Sharpshooters is a place to start.  I’ve been using an old stash of ring caps.

   Hi DragoonRick. Thank you for posting this. I was wondering if you still had the photos so you might could re-post them? they are currently not available.  Would love to see the photos. 
Thank you,
Tim

You're killin me Tim. 

I'll add these to the list and get them transferred over later.

[Zulch]

use .003 thickness copper foil I found at a craft store.  I stamp out 1/2 inch disk with a hole punch.  I use a drill press to shape the cups.  I mounted a drill bit in the drill chuck with the shank downward..  my cap forming die is made of a suitable hard wood.  Oak or very hard pine board 3/8 inch x 2 in by 6 inches.  The dimensions are not so important .  I drilled a hole in the center of the board with a bit matching  the  OD diameter of a #11 cap and one the OD of a #10 cap .
Use a 1/2 inch bit to drill a counter sink cone on each hole.  Clamp this board to your drill table so that one of the holes is aligned with the reversed bit. Next center one of the copper disk over the hole.  Slowly lower the drill without power. Slowly  push the disk into the hole to form a small copper cup.   The disk are really 7/16 but works better than 1/2 inch disk.
  To improve the wooden Die I sanded the cone with fine sand paper to make the entry smooth.  I also took a needle file and filed 8 wedge shaped indention in the cone and around the inside of the hole. This is to provide relief for folds to form on the cup.   

   The craft store has copper foil 12/ 30 inches ,  .003 or .005 thickness. 
I’ve been satisfied with the results.
 Pop can aluminum works. It is much more ridged. A little case lube helps. The copper is more malleable.  Aluminum has more failures as the punch tears though the base for me about 25% of the tries. You get 90% of the copper for useable cups.  Some are off center, but seem to work. 
  As how to charge the primers. There are better sources than me.  Sharpshooters is a place to start.  I’ve been using an old stash of ring caps.

   Hi DragoonRick. Thank you for posting this. I was wondering if you still had the photos so you might could re-post them? they are currently not available.  Would love to see the photos. 
Thank you,
Tim

You're killin me Tim. 

I'll add these to the list and get them transferred over later.

EEK!!! I did it again brother Dave. I will wait patiently from here on out. 

[DragoonRick]

I added some photos. 
I hope it helps with the description
Rick

[Zulch]

I added some photos. 
I hope it helps with the description
Rick

Rick,
Thank you for adding the photo's back. Now help me here. What did you finally settle on for the igniting substance? Strike anywhere match or? I read through but I did not see that. Maybe I missed it. 
This is fantastic by the way. Thanks Tim

[DragoonRick]

Zzulch, I’m stuck on old toy revolver red ring cap.  I’m using them because they work.  In the photos ther are pictures of these being forced into the cap cup.  As I have several thousand of these I’m staying with them.. the newer product is useless unless you add a little ffffg powder .  Where we lived in West Texas a secon hand store sold old out of date red ring caps 200 for a dollar. Every time I went in I got a couple of dollars worth.  The red plastic has deteriorated but the primer charge is as strong as ever..  I took one of my Remington’s to the range yesterday,  the percussion caps made from the old toy caps did not fail.  The newer caps did not work. The photo is of the caps that work.  About 500 for $3.00.  I’ve been saving these for 7 or 8 years. I have more. So I haven't tried any other charging method. I think I’ll experiment just to know.

[Zulch]

Zzulch, I’m stuck on old toy revolver red ring cap.  I’m using them because they work.  In the photos ther are pictures of these being forced into the cap cup.  As I have several thousand of these I’m staying with them.. the newer product is useless unless you add a little ffffg powder .

I get it now. Thank you. I seem to remember those type ring caps that went into race starter revolvers back in high school days in the mid 70's. Anyway, thank you for clarifying. Tim

[Hawg]

I've tried strip caps. Same thing as the ring but on a strip. They would fire off two or three chambers by themselves. I put two spots of German made roll caps in them and got it up to five and sometimes six shots but they still weren't 100% reliable.

[Zulch]

I've tried strip caps. Same thing as the ring but on a strip. They would fire off two or three chambers by themselves. I put two spots of German made roll caps in them and got it up to five and sometimes six shots but they still weren't 100% reliable.

Hawg, when you say strip caps is that like we had in those little toy cap revolvers when we were little kids?

[Hawg]

I've tried strip caps. Same thing as the ring but on a strip. They would fire off two or three chambers by themselves. I put two spots of German made roll caps in them and got it up to five and sometimes six shots but they still weren't 100% reliable.

Hawg, when you say strip caps is that like we had in those little toy cap revolvers when we were little kids?

Not the revolvers. The semi auto pistols.

[Zulch]

I've tried strip caps. Same thing as the ring but on a strip. They would fire off two or three chambers by themselves. I put two spots of German made roll caps in them and got it up to five and sometimes six shots but they still weren't 100% reliable.

Hawg, when you say strip caps is that like we had in those little toy cap revolvers when we were little kids?

Not the revolvers. The semi auto pistols.

ya got me on that one. Never seen those 

[DragoonRick]

As it is hard or impossible to find commercial percussion caps.  I’ve stopped looking.   Using and improving my homemade caps is my objective,

[Zulch]

As it is hard or impossible to find commercial percussion caps.  I’ve stopped looking.   Using and improving my homemade caps is my objective,

Well, it sounds like you have been very successful DragoonRick.  I certainly appreciate you having posted all this helpful information. That is awesome. Gives me a lot to think about. Tim

[mazo kid]

I probably don't have to,say this, but you need to clean your gun shortly after shooting it using these caps. They are very corrosive!

[Zulch]

I probably don't have to,say this, but you need to clean your gun shortly after shooting it using these caps. They are very corrosive!

Thank you very much Em. I wasn't aware of their corrosive characteristics. Never occurred to me. Good information. Thank you. 

[DragoonRick]

True,  these caps are corrosive just like Russian 7.62x54 ammo.  The guns have to Br cleaned even if you fire off a few caps.  But it has a very long shelf life. The caps I’ve stored for years remain effective.