41. The propellant charge assembly consists of the percussion cap , the propellant powder, and an expanding copper rotating band. 42. Unlike these earlier guns, which had percussion cap ignition the Lancaster was chambered for the more modern brass cartridges. 43. When percussion locks became popular, musketeers also carried another small box on their belt which held the percussion caps . 44. This made the No 6 almost as dangerous as the percussion cap grenades that it was designed to replace. 45. The purpose would have been to convert as many of the weapons as possible to standard percussion cap weapons. 46. In the 1840s, the unreliable flintlocks had been replaced by much more reliable and weather resistant percussion cap systems. 47. The percussion cap system was much more reliable and weatherproof than the flintlock system used on the Model 1812. 48. The weapon could also be primed in the usual way with standard percussion caps if the tape was unavailable. 49. The percussion cap is placed over a hollow metal " nipple " at the rear end of the gun barrel. 50. But the shooter first must learn a whole lot about black powder, percussion caps , wadding, lead balls and hand-strengthening exercises.
