Flying Nipple

The last shoot I was at, my friend was bench shooting, then all the sudden! His nipple blew out of the drum with such force, it broke his lock, and grazed the side of his face. I took a good look at his rifle, and it appears gas had been leaking around his nipple. He is lucky, he wasn't more seriously injured. Shooting those bench guns with large loads, gotta be extra careful.

Woe...that's scary.

I have a Pedersoli Alamo Rifle in .50 calibre, I bought it back in the early 90's. The original nipple on that rifle, had such a wide opening into the powder chamber, that when I'd shoot it, the blow-back would fully re-cock the gun. It kind freaked me out, so I replaced that nipple with a stainless steel Hot Shot nipple. I carry a spare Hot Shot in the patch box.

But Yeah...it was crazy when it happened.

Rock Home Isle said:

Woe...that's scary.

I have a Pedersoli Alamo Rifle in .50 calibre, I bought it back in the early 90's. The original nipple on that rifle, had such a wide opening into the powder chamber, that when I'd shoot it, the blow-back would fully re-cock the gun. It kind freaked me out, so I replaced that nipple with a stainless steel Hot Shot nipple. I carry a spare Hot Shot in the patch box.

But Yeah...it was crazy when it happened.

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When I had percussion rifles, the only nipple I would use was the Hot Shot. Blow backs, no more!

Never anything that drastic but, many moons ago I put together a Renegade kit and with 70 grains it would put it on half-cock with the factory nipple. 100 grains would put it on full-cock. Definitely not somethin’ ya want goin’ on that close to yer eyes.

A friend had a nipple blow out of his T/C Renegade with only a 60-grain load of powder. This was back when T/C was still in business. He sent the rifle to T/C, and they replaced the barrel. Another time he had a crack in the stock. They replaced that part too.

Which is why nipples should be replaced when the orifice approaches .034 or so.

Been there man. Had one blow out and the nipple caught the bill of my hat and popped it off my head and pelted my face with little specks of soot.Had no idea what had happened till I picked my hat up and saw the rip in it. Then I noticed the missing nipple.

The nipple is a wear item like tires on a car. Replace on a regular basis. I change the ones in my competition guns at least twice a year.

Threads in the drum can also wear creating a dangerous situation too. This could just happen over time, from cross threading or torquing down the nipple too tight. The wrong nipple i.e. SAE vs metric can happen too.

Kansas Jake said:

Threads in the drum can also wear creating a dangerous situation too. This could just happen over time, from cross threading or torquing down the nipple too tight. The wrong nipple i.e. SAE vs metric can happen too.

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This^^^ is worth paying attention to as well. If you continue using a nipple well past it’s “best by” date it can be hard on locks and hammers. Screw up the threads and you could catch a nipple in your favorite face.

Pow! Right in the ole kisser!

Bad Karma said:

Which is why nipples should be replaced when the orifice approaches .034 or so.

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I think you are right, 0.2 is the normal size (when new). The problem is that I use nipples in cupro-beryllium (may be not the right term for you), and with there is no warning: it can last a very long time or burn out in a few shots with heavy bullets and heavy loads...
These little things are expensive, and next year I think I will shoot with a wooden bow...

Most of the nipples on original long guns I've acquired were buggered beyond use, so were unscrewed to examine. More than a few would've been downright dangerous to fire due to large diameters of the opening inside the nipples. Threads the same thing - just because they were "tight" didn't mean the threads were good. Pays to be careful.

Erwan said:

I think you are right, 0.2 is the normal size (when new).

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.2” would nearly be the tap drill size for a 1/4-28 thread….

Orifice size on most new nipples that I have checked have been between .027” and .031”. Oversized orifice will not cause problem identified by the OP. Most likely the wrong thread size on the nipple or cross threading damage.

Mulebrain said:

His nipple blew out of the drum with such force, it broke his lock, and grazed the side of his face.

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Stick with flint til they work out the kinks on this new fangled percussion stuff.

Could be, the nipple was removed when cleaning the gun and just screwed back in finger tight.

~WH~

Removing a nipple every time you clean a gun, puts wear on the threads. It is recommended to only remove the nipple if accuracy is falling off, to replace it. Greasing the threads is appropriate then. When I still shot cap locks, I removed them once a year to gauge the vent size, and to re-grease.
When you remove the nipple to clean every time, you reduce the pressure of the water passing through the breech, thereby reducing the flushing action you need to keep a patent breech clean.

Erwan said:

I think you are right, 0.2 is the normal size (when new). The problem is that I use nipples in cupro-beryllium (may be not the right term for you), and with there is no warning: it can last a very long time or burn out in a few shots with heavy bullets and heavy loads...
These little things are expensive, and next year I think I will shoot with a wooden bow...

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I’m using the Ampco cones. (Same as your cuproberyllium nipples as far as I know.) They hold up well in some 45’s and 50’s if the bullets and charges aren’t too heavy. For the heavier weight 45’s and 40’s I’m using platinum lined nipples. They’re expensive but I haven’t been able to measure appreciable wear in over 500 rounds behind 80 grains ffg in a 40 caliber rifle.

Good luck flinging sticks! That’s a lot of fun too!

SDSmlf said:

.2” would nearly be the tap drill size for a 1/4-28 thread….

Orifice size on most new nipples that I have checked have been between .027” and .031”. Oversized orifice will not cause problem identified by the OP. Most likely the wrong thread size on the nipple or cross threading damage.

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He may be working in metric while we’re dealing in old money…

Removing a nipple tightened to snug does not harm the threads. Overtightening the threads will wear the threads.