What type powder to use under the nipple?

Armando · Oct 17, 2018

The suggestion for blowing out a stuck ball of placing a bit of powder at the nipple worked great.

At the range, we unscrewed the nipple and poured some fine primer from buddies flintlock powder measure and it worked both times.

I'm thinking of adding a small flask for just such an occasion to my bag but wondered what is the best type of powder to use for this function?

Black Hand · Oct 17, 2018

I've used 3Fg from my horn without any problem.

burlesontom · Oct 17, 2018

I made a copper tube with a small 1/8th inch spout on it for pouring powder down the nipple hole when I forget to load powder. I used 3F and an aluminum cup with a wood dowel to grind up a couple hundred grains of powder to a dust and use that. I did this over 20 years ago and am still using the same tube of powder.

If you had to do this twice in one shooting session you aren't paying near enough attention to what you are doing. Just my thoughts. :doh:

excess650 · Oct 17, 2018

If you can get the nipple out, anything from ffg to ffffg will work. The finer grained powder tends to flow a little better. Carry a nipple wrench.

azmntman · Oct 17, 2018

If you had to do this twice in one shooting session you aren't paying near enough attention to what you are doing. Just my thoughts.

:redface: :surrender:

azmntman · Oct 17, 2018

excess650 said:
If you can get the nipple out, anything from ffg to ffffg will work. The finer grained powder tends to flow a little better. Carry a nipple wrench.

I always use the clean out screw vs the nipple. Yes I clean it every time :dead:

excess650 · Oct 17, 2018

azmntman said:
excess650 said:

If you can get the nipple out, anything from ffg to ffffg will work. The finer grained powder tends to flow a little better. Carry a nipple wrench.

Click to expand...

I always use the clean out screw vs the nipple. Yes I clean it every time :dead:

That's fine IF it has a clean out screw. My old CVA does, but my patent breech TCs don't.

Juice Jaws · Oct 17, 2018

I shoot flintlocks 99% of the time. But my boss (wife) and lots of my shooting buddies all shoot cap guns, so when they have problems I use priming powder (4F) under the nipple and works fine. A few time I have use 3F and it works just as good.

Adui · Oct 17, 2018

I've done it both ways, clean-out screw and nipple. In each case I used the powder I had on hand. In the past this has been Pyrodex P. In one case probably pyrodex RS. Recently I even used Black MZ. Whatever powder you have is the one to use (excluding smokeless powders obviously)

necchi · Oct 18, 2018

LiverEatingJoe said:
but wondered what is the best type of powder to use for this function

What ever you have at hand. There is no magic in the powder type,, it's just the experience of knowing what to do when it happens.
Welcome to the experienced club, :wink:.
If it is dry balled,, you can actually trickle a lot of powder in there. Pour a little bit,, slap the side, pour a little,, slap the side, repeat a couple more times,,

Armando · Oct 18, 2018

azmntman said:
If you had to do this twice in one shooting session you aren't paying near enough attention to what you are doing. Just my thoughts.

:redface: :surrender:

This was NOT me dry balling. One of the gunsmiths had some advice on what could be creating these misfires and I'm addressing them but always want to be prepared.

I have not dry-balled or messed up my loading sequence...yet. :wink:

Boomerang · Oct 18, 2018

I have not dry-balled or messed up my loading sequence...yet. :wink:

Shame on you! You are obviously not shooting enough! :grin:

excess650 · Oct 18, 2018

LiverEatingJoe said:
This was NOT me dry balling.
I have not dry-balled or messed up my loading sequence...yet. :wink:

You will. With percussion you'll have an easier job of getting powder under the ball than many of us with flintlocks. Some have removeable liners, but none of mine do. ffffg through the touch hole takes more time and patience.

There are brass pan chargers made for flintlocks that dispense small charges of ffffg or finer powder, but they don't work with fffg or larger.

azmntman · Oct 18, 2018

I have not dry-balled or messed up my loading sequence...yet.

Oh Joe, :shake: , ya went n Jinxed yerself :doh:

I am more likely to report that I didnt dryball than admit when I do :surrender: "too much information runnin thru my brain" (by the police). Though I shoot alone my brain is always "thinking" about life elsewhere. Can't wait for a calmer time. I recall when pop retired (really) I went over and mom said he was "busy" in the garage, he was SORTING HIS NUTS N BOLTS that he kept in 10-12 mason jars :shocked2: I wanna be THAT busy :haha:

Rifleman1776 · Oct 18, 2018

clean out screw

:shake: There is no such thing as a "clean out screw". That little screw on the side of a patent breech snail is a left over from the manufacturing process when the flash channel was drilled. There is no need to ever remove it. Under the circumstances discussed, the nipple can be removed and a little powder (4Fg works best) can be dribbled into the chamber to help fire out a stuck ball. BTW: there is a gizzie called a nipple primer which can inject a small amount of 4Fg into the top of a nipple to help give a hotter flash to unseat a stuck ball. I have one and use it about once a year to help other folks.

coloradoclyde · Oct 18, 2018

Smaller powder pours in the screw hole easier than coarse but I use 3FFF because that's what's in my horn or flask. I tilt the gun at an angle towards the chamber and tap as much in as I can....If the ball doesn't come out on the first try I repeat the process again.

A small priming flask like this works nice...Filled with 4 ffff

RAEDWALD · Oct 18, 2018

That is exactly what i did when I retired and emigrated! Sorted out all the nuts, bolts, screws and nails I and my father in law had collected over the years. It is so satisfying to be able to find exactly what I want now.

Rifleman1776 · Oct 18, 2018

The nipple primer looks a lot like that with the movable spout removed. The moving valve is internal with the nipple primer. Forget where I got mine. It has a very 'Ted Cash-ish' look to it.

azmntman · Oct 18, 2018

Rifleman1776 said:
clean out screw

Click to expand...

:shake: There is no such thing as a "clean out screw". That little screw on the side of a patent breech snail is a left over from the manufacturing process when the flash channel was drilled. There is no need to ever remove it. Under the circumstances discussed, the nipple can be removed and a little powder (4Fg works best) can be dribbled into the chamber to help fire out a stuck ball. BTW: there is a gizzie called a nipple primer which can inject a small amount of 4Fg into the top of a nipple to help give a hotter flash to unseat a stuck ball. I have one and use it about once a year to help other folks.

Well thats what myself and many other have chosen to call it and I will continue to do so, you and others that have elected to never "screw" with the screw in the clean out hole have not named it cuz ya dont use it. Remember this is a "do yer own thang game" (where have I heard that before?) :v

And FYI it is tons easier to remove the clean out screw and dribble in powder than to remove the nipple :grin:

coloradoclyde · Oct 18, 2018

That's a flintlock pan primer the tip is spring loaded and dispenses powder when pushed...I've used one for at least 30 years without fail.

Just remember to but a little beeswax on anything with brass threads.

What type powder to use under the nipple?

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