Back when caps could be had for $1.00 a tin or a heck of a lot cheaper than they are now (when I started think they were .65 per 100), ya didn't think about poppin' six caps on a cylinder to clear the nipples. When caps started hitting the highs they are now and got real scarce in my area, I went to cleaning the nipples out with denatured alcohol on pipe cleaners and giving them a blast of compressed air (from a compressor free of water in it). I put the hammer on half cock, hold the gun up with the business end facing me, and turn the cylinder looking into it. If I see equal light from each cylinder, load it up. Never have had a charge fail to fire. Also clean the interior of each chamber with large fluffy Q-tip (I lifted from my wife's make-up drawer) and denatured alcohol and air. Some shooters just stick to the old method for cause, esp if they are going to shoot at a match to insure the nipples are clear. A note- I have seen where firing a cap on a unloaded cylinder has left minor debris in the nipple. Whether that would interfere with firing, couldn't tell ya. I buy my caps at a source that doesn't gall ya (like the Cabella type stores) and the size I like (Rem 10's) are to be had, but I still resort to the pipe cleaner and air. Canned air works to. Have been doing it this way for around 10 years now-no problem.