Schuetzen musket caps

Support for the 1863 shooter. Discussions of powders, loads, bullets, etc.
Post Reply
Horse Soldier
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2022 2:18 pm

Schuetzen musket caps

Post by Horse Soldier »

Has anyone used them? My supply of RWS caps is slowly running out.
John Bly
Posts: 1078
Joined: Thu May 13, 2010 12:32 pm
Location: Stephens City, VA

Re: Schuetzen musket caps

Post by John Bly »

Many in the N-SSA are using them and report good results. I see lots of them on the ground at skirmishes. They are steel with a brass plating and the remnants rust after use. Some experience misfires with percussion Sharps rifles. I'm in the same shape. I've got about 200 RWS caps left. I bought some Schuetzen caps but have not started using them yet. Mine will be used on an 1841 aka Mississippi rifle.
"Perfection consists not so much in doing extraordinary things as in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well"
John Bly
Posts: 1078
Joined: Thu May 13, 2010 12:32 pm
Location: Stephens City, VA

Re: Schuetzen musket caps

Post by John Bly »

One other thing: the inside diameter of the Schuetzen caps seems to be smaller than the RWS and they don't seat down on some nipples correctly. You may need to reduce the diameter of the nipple to get them to seat correctly. If they don't seat correctly some of the force of the hammer is used to expand the caps and not set it off.
"Perfection consists not so much in doing extraordinary things as in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well"
Horse Soldier
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2022 2:18 pm

Re: Schuetzen musket caps

Post by Horse Soldier »

Thanks for the info. I’ve got a Smithy lathe and a bunch of nipples. As an aside my ‘41 is Harpers Ferry 1845 unaltered except was bored up to.58. Bore was junk so had Hoyt reline it to .54.
John Bly
Posts: 1078
Joined: Thu May 13, 2010 12:32 pm
Location: Stephens City, VA

Re: Schuetzen musket caps

Post by John Bly »

1845 Harper's Ferry rifles are rare, probably only a few hundred marked 1845. The records show that they only shipped one 1841 rifle in 1845 and 700 in 1846. Quite a few of the 1846 shipped ones would have been marked 1845. Good acquisition.
"Perfection consists not so much in doing extraordinary things as in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well"
John Bly
Posts: 1078
Joined: Thu May 13, 2010 12:32 pm
Location: Stephens City, VA

Re: Schuetzen musket caps

Post by John Bly »

Good News! I was told today by the owner that Back Creek Gun Shop http://www.blackpowderva.com will be receiving 350,000 RWS musket caps tomorrow.
"Perfection consists not so much in doing extraordinary things as in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well"
Post Reply