Best Nipple Wrench?

In your esteemed estimation, and experience, what have you found to be the very best nipple wrench?

I like a very small opened end for rifles. Some make a wrench out of a small socket and cut it with a demil to make it fit.

I have 3 different sizes and lengths/combinations

one is a standard Colt revolver wrench/tool
the other 2 are simple T-wrenches of diff. diameters

as long as they're made of good steel, brand doesn't matter

Your question is very much lacking in detail.

Is this a nipple wrench for rifle, sxs shotgun, revolver, side hammer pistol, caplock musket or what specific application? I have a flintlock with a flag guard that uses a nipple wrench to remove the nut holding the flashguard in place. My revolver nipple wrench is smaller than the wrench for my rifles.

Do you want to remove the nipple with the lock in place or with the lock removed? In either case I want a wrench with a long enough barrel to clear the hammer. I have a custom made one with a very long barrel to clear a tall hammer.

I want my nipple wrench to securely fit the flats of the nipple. It should be sturdy enough to remove the nipple when fouling has filled the threads or when corrosion has created it's own version of locktite. Keep the nipples clean and install with a good grease such as RIG or a high temperature never seize lubricant. You only need to tighten a nipple to snug. Over torqueing is not necessary.

Most wrenches offered by the major suppliers will be more than adequate for the intended application. No one brand is necessarily better than any other and none have universal applications. The old T/C version served as a nipple wrench and wedge puller but you needed to remove the lock or barrel to get access to the nipple.

This won't help :redface: but the best nipple wrench I own, or ever have seen, was made and sold by Curly Goskomski many years ago. No longer available. It is sturdy and completely encloses the nipple. But, most of the commercial wrenches are adequate. Keep buying until you find what you like. In this game you need a dozen of everything before you can call yerself a real ml'er. :wink:

I have several including a small 1/4 inch combination wrench. Keep in mind that one wrench won't necessarily fit all nipples. The common t shaped wrench for cap and ball revolvers won't work on my TC or other percussion rifles. They take a different wrench. I have one made for rifles(probably an old TC wrench) that fully incloses the nipple and provides good torque. I've found the t shaped pistol wrenches don't work well if the nipples have been left in for a number of shooting sessions without removal. This was found on a used revolver I purchased. I finally had to follow the recommendation to use a socket ground out to fit and a drill press turned by hand to get the nipples out on that one.

I think you will find several kinds will be where you end up if you have several different types on guns.

I don't tighten my the nipples more than just snug and remove them every time I clean the firearm.

As others have said ya usually end up with several.
My favorite has been the small T-handle that T/C used to make, out of production for several yrs now but they can still be found.
The one offered by Track is very close to the T/C; https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1039/1/NW-160

The T/C multi tool has it's place in the box, it comes in handy when you have a stubborn nipple, wedge or need a tiny little hammer,, it works well but has the inconvenience of making 1/4 or 1/2 turns.

I make my own out of a deep well socket. A couple of minutes with a Dremel and file and I have a wrench that fits my nipples exactly.

I've used the T/C multi tool mentioned by necchi for years without any complaints. I only own one so I'm not a true muzzleloader yet... :haha:
http://www.jgsales.com/t-c-wedge-pin-puller-nipple-wrench-multi-tool-p-44082.html?products_id=44082

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Ted-Cash-Ratcheting-Nipple-Wrench/706445.uts

Get the optional others you will be happy

I have one :thumbsup:

I have a ted cash ratching wrench as shown. Hands down the best I have ever had.

Fleener

When I had a gun shop I had on the work bench a box filled with around 30-40 broken nipple wrenches. Most were the T-shape with the screw in nipple pick , also some TC style whatever make.

I used to make my own on the mill with a carbide cutter from sockets. They worked great and would disappear. When Ted offered them at his price they were cheaper to buy then make them. Put some on the wall rack to sell and mine stopped disappearing.

They are great and will buy more when needed. :hatsoff:

My Percussion guns are all revolvers so I only need 1 size as of now. like the modified sockets I tweaked a 3/16" nut driver. the only time ive needed more leverage was removing factory nipples from a Uberti.

Untitled by joshua bird, on Flickr

TOW's standard nipple wrench comes in two sizes. Both of them were snug enough that I needed to file the jaws slightly to get them to fit on the nipples I have been using. The result is a nice secure fit. (So, that's what I use.)

i buy one for each rifle. I have 3 rifles (7 wrenches) and I'm an accountant!