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What kind of nipples

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Thunder14

32 Cal.
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
322
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Location
N.E. Pennsylvania
My friend said he bought this 1851 and it would not fire everytime after looking at it the nipples have holes in them why
 

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They have been battered into oblivion, scrap them. Someone was probably dry firing and possibly has damaged the nose of the hammer too. Tell him to go to Track of the Wolf and buy new nipples and also inspect the nose of the hammer. Those are hot shot nipples which some people swear by as the hole vents some gas and reduces the possibility of the cap being blown off and dropping down into the revolver's mechanism jamming it.

I have to edit this to say those are probably the worst condition nipples I have ever seen except in the case of an original given to kids to play with.
 
Definitely "hot shots", definitely time for replacement., definitely the reason dry firing a C&B revolver is not a good idea.
 
I have rifles with nipples with small holes in them. I am talking like one-ten thousandth of an inch. It helps prevent ignition blow back pressure from cocking the hammer. But the holes in those revolver nipples look enormous. And I have never seen revolver nipples with holes. I'm guessing if they fire normally, it is meant to help with cap removal. Do they fire normally?
 
Thunder14 has a legitimate question about what kind of nipples were installed in his 1851 (Colt replica revolver). Those nipples are not in the as originally installed. These were modified nipples to add a hole to prevent back pressure. Hot Shot nipples don't have through holes and they are not as large. Those nipples have definitely been beaten to the point that they are no longer useable. While the question could have been in the hand gun section, the nipples are often considered accessories.
 
What do you mean
Legitimate question. The location you posted the original question in is dedicated to identifying an UNKNOWN ORIGINAL ANTIQUE firearm.
Your pistol is identified by you, as to what it is, what model it is patterned after and identified as a replica. That's why it was in the wrong section. It's not a criticism, it was just an advice that you would get a lot better responses to your question if it is posed in a section that deals with that particular issue.

I see the mods have moved the thread to an appropriate forum. (We have some really great mods!)

Grenadier - Since you responded to the thread after it had been moved, so you probably did not see where it was originally posted.

Thunder - I too have a pistol (a pepperbox) that I bought used and had the same issue before I realized that someone had dry fired it so excessively that the nipples were flat tops. Until you pull them out, it can be hard to tell just how bad that messes them up. I did the same thing that you will need to do, just buy a replacement set of nipples to fit the caps you want to use. Bet all the issues go away...
Have fun with the gun, multishot black powder pistols can be a real hoot to shoot.
 
Legitimate question. The location you posted the original question in is dedicated to identifying an UNKNOWN ORIGINAL ANTIQUE firearm.
Your pistol is identified by you, as to what it is, what model it is patterned after and identified as a replica. That's why it was in the wrong section. It's not a criticism, it was just an advice that you would get a lot better responses to your question if it is posed in a section that deals with that particular issue.

I see the mods have moved the thread to an appropriate forum. (We have some really great mods!)

Grenadier - Since you responded to the thread after it had been moved, so you probably did not see where it was originally posted.

Thunder - I too have a pistol (a pepperbox) that I bought used and had the same issue before I realized that someone had dry fired it so excessively that the nipples were flat tops. Until you pull them out, it can be hard to tell just how bad that messes them up. I did the same thing that you will need to do, just buy a replacement set of nipples to fit the caps you want to use. Bet all the issues go away...
Have fun with the gun, multishot black powder pistols can be a real hoot to shoot.
sorry about putting my question in the wrong section,thank you for your help I’ve been trying to get a new shooter straitened out he has a few firearms that need some help and before I put new nipples in his 1851 36cal I was just trying to find out what type of nipples were in it.
 
I have rifles with nipples with small holes in them. I am talking like one-ten thousandth of an inch. It helps prevent ignition blow back pressure from cocking the hammer. But the holes in those revolver nipples look enormous. And I have never seen revolver nipples with holes. I'm guessing if they fire normally, it is meant to help with cap removal. Do they fire normally?
He was gettin sporadic firng but after I disassembled the revolver I could see why nipples beat to death,hammer worn,main spring weak and worn and never disassembled and cleaned.So I have know idea how those nipples work they were totally unusable
 
Well I always have 6 new nipples on hand so I changed them for him now I have the gun apart and giving it a much needed cleaning then a new hammer,main spring a total rebuil.
 
I just bought a Pietta Remington sheriffs model from cabelas. beautifully made revolver but No 10 caps fall off it. I now have to get 6 new nipples. I notice cabelas has a set of 6 nipple and wondering if they would be the same as I already have
 
Cabela's will sell you Pietta factory nipples. Go to Track of the Wolf or some other reliable supplier of black powder equipment to get a set of aftermarket nipples.
that is what I thought. hard to understand what caps are supposed to fit those nipples. over the years I had and have a bunch of Italian replicas and No 10 caps fit them all perfectly
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Folks changing the nipples on their cap & ball pistols need to be aware of the fact that nipples come in two different lengths.
The nipples for the pistols are quite a bit shorter than the nipples that are used on rifles or single shot muzzleloading pistols so, even though they have the same threads on them the rifle nipples won't work on a cap & ball revolver.
If a rifle length nipple is screwed into a cap & ball pistol, it's longer length will not be hit squarely by the hammer. The end of the nipple will end up being struck by the hammer when the gun is dry fired without a cap on the nipple.

If the right length nipple is installed in a cap & ball cylinder, the hammer of the gun should never contact the end of the nipple. There should be a very small gap between the two parts. When things are correct, because the hammer never contacts the end of the nipple, dry firing the revolver should not cause any damage.

Now, if the frame of the revolver is damaged and it doesn't stop the hammer before it hits the nipple, then dry firing the gun can cause damage. Because of this, it's a good idea not to dry fire any percussion gun.
 
Folks changing the nipples on their cap & ball pistols need to be aware of the fact that nipples come in two different lengths.
The nipples for the pistols are quite a bit shorter than the nipples that are used on rifles or single shot muzzleloading pistols so, even though they have the same threads on them the rifle nipples won't work on a cap & ball revolver.
If a rifle length nipple is screwed into a cap & ball pistol, it's longer length will not be hit squarely by the hammer. The end of the nipple will end up being struck by the hammer when the gun is dry fired without a cap on the nipple.

If the right length nipple is installed in a cap & ball cylinder, the hammer of the gun should never contact the end of the nipple. There should be a very small gap between the two parts. When things are correct, because the hammer never contacts the end of the nipple, dry firing the revolver should not cause any damage.

Now, if the frame of the revolver is damaged and it doesn't stop the hammer before it hits the nipple, then dry firing the gun can cause damage. Because of this, it's a good idea not to dry fire any percussion gun.
Zonie,thank you for that information apparently who ever put the nipples on this revolver Used the rifle ones I cant believe how much damage was done to the nipples and hammer Some nipples were smashed down 3/16 and the hammer was also smashed in about the same.When i put them side by side to the new ones they were as big even after being smashed down.Thank you again you are always such a great help especially for us that haven’t been doing this for a long time,Its good to get correct information.
 
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