Anti seize grease

necchi said:

Always remove the nipple!

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I have only been building guns for 42 years, and seen more than one nipple blown out from people removing them every time. Remove them once a year to inspect for wear and re-lube, or to replace if accuracy falls off.
Taking them out to clean? You reduce hydraulic pressure, making it more difficult to clean the breech, especially on patent breeches.

If you use anti seize, make sure you the high temp stuff.

I just removed the nipple from my .50 calibre half stock rifle. It was used yesterday to introduce shooters to the wonderful world of black powder. I didn't count the number of shots fired by me or the other two RSO's but I know that we were busy most of the afternoon.
Anyway, I waited until this morning to clean the rifle. The nipple had been coated with Permatex anti seize compound from the last cleaning. No problem removing the nipple. Once all was cleaned, a thin coat of anti seize was applied to the threads and reinstalled in the rifle. All good to go for the next shooting session.

I do the same on my percusion guns. Remove the BBL, remove the nipple, place it , and the BBl in a 5 Gal plale of hot soapy water. then pump out the BBl, clean the nipple with a brass brush, and pipe cleaner dry it, and use copper anti sieze on the threads. Then snug it back in the BBL. It works for me.

Dave

The threads on nipples are standard machine thread forms, SAE, SI (metric), Whitworth or what have you, depending on age and origin. They are not taper seal pipe threads, and as such will leak around the thread helix, sealed only by the flange on the nipple. Over tightening the nipple will seal the flange tighter but open up the side of the thread not in compression. Virtually all anti-seize compounds have a petroleum based carrier (grease) that is susceptible to combustion and heat degradation. What to do?? Keep the female nipple hole threads clean and chase them with a bottoming tap if they get too dirty. A nipple is a small diameter piece and needs very little torque to stay put. Also bear in mind that the threaded connection will wear out after too many cycles, at which point a threaded insert would be the only repair option.

I generally remove the nipple for cleaning and reinstall with anti-seize grease on the threads. If I don't remove it for cleaning it will always be because only a shot or two was fired - such as a successful deer hunt. I don't remove pinned barrels for cleaning but end up doing that every year or two or three. The nipples I use are SS and very corrosion resistant.

It would appear that the temperature of combustion doesn't raise the nipple temp to the point of lube degradation nor does any flame enter the threaded area or at least that is my observation over the 50 years that I have been shooting revolvers and I have used a lot of different lubes on the nipples with the same results (post #7). I clean my cylinders underwater with the nipples removed and use a tight fitting patch to pump water through the threaded nipple opening. They get no further attention beyond that, well the cylinder is dipped in WD-40 and allowed to drain. To the naysayers I have never seen any evidence of wear or other damage to the nipples to any of my guns. I've only had to use a tap on a cylinder once and that was my fault as I started a nipple on a Remington cross threaded. Taps are hard and sharp and can cause more damage or wear than they prevent if not used carefully, I would recommend a thread chaser

Why would anyone feel there is a need to tighten a nipple to expect the threads to seal off leaking gas when firing the shot. There is a hole through the nipple to allow the heat from the percussive ignition and a way for gas from the firing of the nail charge to escape as the ball is pushed out of the barrel. There's no need to over tighten a nipple. Snug is certainly good enough.

I use the Copper Permatex and have no problems with it.

After a career in aircraft maintenance, I can tell you all anti-seize is not the same. Milk of Magnesium is used on some jet engine hot section bolts. It does work well. I have tried several types on small plane spark plugs and jet igniters. I found nickel based Permatex is the best and that is what I use on nipples and torch hole liners. I do not have problems with remove. Just a small dot on the first thread or two.

mark_fare said:

I use the Copper Permatex and have no problems with it.

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Copper is good, I did use plenty, but I found nickel base worked better for me.

Silver Anti Seize on the earpiece of the telephone. Boss picks it up to answer?
Or, on the underside of the door handle of the car.
Life is too short NOT to laugh once in a while.

Had a friend that put copper anti seize on the rungs of his treestand because he found out someone was hunting in it. We were in the store talking one morning and a hunter came in with it all over his face and clothes.

waksupi said:

I have only been building guns for 42 years, and seen more than one nipple blown out from people removing them every time. Remove them once a year to inspect for wear and re-lube, or to replace if accuracy falls off.
Taking them out to clean? You reduce hydraulic pressure, making it more difficult to clean the breech, especially on patent breeches.

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Could not agree more.
Even worse are the guys who remove the vent hole liners on flintlocks for each cleaning.
You guys out there know who you are.

Well, if you shoot these things long enough your bound to create your own cleaning ritual and technique. From what you use to neutralize burnt powder, to what you choose to lubricate or preserve with. As long as your gun continues to function properly and doesn't turn to rust, I say to each his own.

TDM
Amen,its what works for you.

Dave