pietta 1851

[Sleepy Floyd]

I was just given a never been shot 1851 in 44 cal.

My question is, What cap size do I need to use?

S. Floyd

[Noz]

Easy reply is #10 Remington.  This works on the vast majority of cap guns.

[Sleepy Floyd]

I'll get some.

Thanks

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Think about upgrading the nipples to TRESOs. They are an ideal match for Remington #10 caps (I have no experience with SLIX-SHOTs)

[rifle]

That Sir Charles has the right advise. The mainsprings of the Pietta are light and blowback can move the hammer/hand/cylinder as the guns firing. The Tresos can be a help to remedy that.

I'd recommend to not work the action till some things are done. First...loosen the trigger/bolt spring screw sos the bolt will not damage the soft steel cylinder on the edge of the cylinder notches.

Second......advance the workin of the bolt to get it out of the notch before the hand turns the cylinder and broaches metal fron the important side of the notch edge. Advance the bolt by filing the bottom ofit  on the one side of it's screw sos it (bolt head)goes up further in the frame window. That puts the leg ofit closer to the hammer cam so the bolt works sooner in relation to the hand turnin the cylinder.
May have to then file the top of the bolt head since too much of it may be stickin up thru the frame window. Make it bottom in the cylinder notch when the bottom of the bolt is against the frame inside. Make sure while dong that that the bolt hits centered in the ramp sos it is centered in the cylinder notch where the most meat is.

Third......shorten the one leg of the bolt sos the bolt returns to the cylinder sooner sos the bolt doesn't hit right on the edge of the cylinder notch anymore since that peens the notch edge down. Make it hit full width in the lead-in/ramp a lil away from the cylinder notch edge.

Then go to shootin unless you want to make the hammer nose be "dry fire safe" sos the hammer nose doesn't get all beat up. Diamond file the nose the right amount and then reharden the nose(whole hammer actually). File the nose so the nose can't hit the nipple/cone. Leave a few .001's space between the hammer nose and the nipple.

Maybe....those things are already done to the gun.Check before going to town on it.

[Gus Walker]

  If ya cant find Tresso's Track of the Wolf are now making there own Nipples in hardened or stainless steel. Just put a set in a buddy's 48 pocket. They are as good or better[ Yeah i know blasphemy] than Tresso. They also make the best nipple wrench i have used.It is also made in house. Nice tool steel. Removed the stubborn nips with no damage at all to the wrench.

[Octagonal Barrel]

I agree with the above that Tresos are reliable, and have no doubt the Track stainless nipples are good too.  I'll just add that I'm running Slix-shots and Remington #10's in my Pietta '62's, and they've worked great for me.  I think the combo fires reliably (I do use a pusher stick to seat the caps so they go off on the first hammer strike - they don't always without a pusher - guessing it's a good idea with the Tresos and Tracks, too),  I also find the Slix-shots are real good at avoiding cap jams.  Just shot a match today, and after six stages, (whatever else may have gone wrong) no cap jams at all.  That seems typical to me.  Some might disagree, but that's been my experience with them.