All the sutlers at the Jackson, Michigan event last year that had percussion caps for sale sold the German RWS caps for about $12 for a can of 100 caps.  However, most of these sutlers also had the new CCI 4-wing percussion caps designed for reenactors at $10 for a can of 100—and one sutler sold the caps for $8 for a can.

When the CCI 6-wing caps were available we avoided them—even prohibiting their use—due to their firing hot and ripping apart.  The flying metal could risk injuring a fellow reenactor.

With these new 4-wing caps sold at a significantly cheaper price, I considered it worth investigating into the feasibility of using these as replacements for the German caps.  I purchased one tin for testing.

I fired about 10 caps in Christine (my Springfield), priming only.  All showed the same consistency in firing, and all stayed together.  They seemed to pop about the same as a German cap, perhaps even slightly less, which brought up concerns of possibly misfiring in battle.  However, during Sunday’s battle, up until I was taken out by that cannon, I used the CCI caps exclusively and did not have a single misfire—and all caps continued to show the same pattern after detonation that the prime-only firing showed the night before.

Therefore, it is my recommendation that we accept the CCI 4-wing Percussion Caps for Reenactors as an alternate and less expensive choice to the German RWS caps.

EDIT (05/24/2011):
In my analysis of the Navy Arms caps (here), I said I would also test the 4-wing CCI caps with a double load, like I did for the failed Navy Arms caps.  At the Sunbury, OH I had my opportunity.  I fired a double load off with a 4-wing CCI cap, and its behavior was similar to the German caps–no tearing or fragmentation.  Therefore I am sticking with my recommendation that the 4-wing CCI caps are safe.

As an additonal note–for funsies, I tested a 6-wing CCI cap with a double load.  I had never really done any kind of testing of the 6-wing caps–I had simply always been told that these can be dangerous and  fragment badly, and took everyone’s word for it.  The 6-wing CCI cap does pop quite a bit hotter (ear protection is recommended, even when firing with no powder), but I was quite surprised to find that it did not fragment under such a charge. (I use about 65 grain in my charges, so this was exposed to about 130 grain.)  Granted, I only tested one cap–perhaps this was an exception, but I’d have to say that it is safer to use a 6-wing CCI than it is to use the 4-wing Navy Arms caps.  Still, unless I can see a signficant number tested with no tearing or fragmentation, I’d be much more comfortable knowing the guy next to me was not using them.

EDIT (09/20/2011):
After having used these caps for a season along with fellow reenactors, I have this small update:  the caps tend to leave some excessive residue upon firing.  I don’t have much of a problem with this as my nipple has a good sized hole, but others with Enfields and a significantly smaller hole through their nipple have complained of excessive misfires due to this extra residue.  I have had occasional unexplained misfires that could be attributed to the excessive residue.  Fortunately for me, Christine is pretty good about getting over it–once she gets hot, she almost never misfires.