hope i can help - i've had one of these for quite awhile, so long that its one of the original ones that was regulated with a single sight. i've never had the problem with caps falling off, but you do have to push them on firmly. For the last several years i've been useing pyrodex RS with a rather stout load of 140 grains with either a round ball or a 330 gr condical Lee REAL bullet (this is what they were originaly regulated with). carrying it with caps on and half cock isn't any differance between carrying any other hammer gun with a round in the chamber. herein the old thing about keeping the muzzle in a safe direction. Not knowing how new the piece is I can't comment on where your loads with be, but i would tend to believe that rather stout loads will be required. Fun gun, makes lots of smoke, and is great with watermelons as targets. Hope you enjoy it john