CVA SxS 12 gauge musket niples to percussion nipples...

I just bought a CVA SxS 12 gauge, but it has musket nipples on it and I don't have any musket nipples. I have a CVA Hawken pistol that seems to have the same size threads on the nipples, but I don't have any spares for it. Anybody here used regular percussion nipples instead of musket nipples on a gun? Anything I should look out for? I'm not planning on using this for hunting birds. More likely I will load it with buckshot for pigs or medium sized shot for varmints, so the fastest ignition time isn't too big of a concern, however I am interested in whether anybody has experienced a change in ignition time when swapping back and forth.

Musket caps are more available than number 11 caps right now. And you get better ignition, AND they are easier to handle. If the nose of the hammers are big enough to set the musket cap off. I’d leave it as is, and search for musket caps!

Venders such as Track of the Wolf or Dixie should have regular cap nipples. If it was mine, I have percussion caps and no musket caps so I’d switch it back. I’d save the musket nipples in a baggie and store them. Of course when I store stuff I seem to have a hard time ever finding it again.

#11 nipples are available for @DixieTexian's SxS. Most likely the thread will be 6-1.00 mm. I would recommend the Hot Shot or Spitfire or equivalent nipples if substitute black powder is possibly to be used. Do verify the thread pitch of one of the existing nipples at a thread test board at the hardware store before ordering replacement nipples. While a 1/4" ignition wrench or nut driver should fit the musket coned nipples, a rifle sized nipple wrench will be needed for the replacement #11 nipples. Maybe both nipple wrenches will need to be ordered. I recommend the Ted Cash wrench with replacement tips. Store the wrench, extra tips and nipples together. That way everything is at handwhen it is time to remove or install nipples. Use anti seize lubricant on the threads when installing nipples. #11 and #11 magnum caps are becoming more readily available and the CCI musket caps are hardly any hotter than standard #11 caps.

Interesting, I switched all of my shotguns to musket cap nipples from #11 nipples. The musket caps seem to give perfect, instant ignition and less residual sparks flying outside the gun. The switch is easy, just find the same threads and swap them out.

DixieTexian said:

I just bought a CVA SxS 12 gauge, but it has musket nipples on it and I don't have any musket nipples. I have a CVA Hawken pistol that seems to have the same size threads on the nipples, but I don't have any spares for it. Anybody here used regular percussion nipples instead of musket nipples on a gun? Anything I should look out for? I'm not planning on using this for hunting birds. More likely I will load it with buckshot for pigs or medium sized shot for varmints, so the fastest ignition time isn't too big of a concern, however I am interested in whether anybody has experienced a change in ignition time when swapping back and forth.

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If you are using Black Powder, you should have no problems with ignition or delay. With substitutes you may get a delay.

Call TOTW or VTI gun parts and tell them what you want to do and they will recommend the RIGHT nipples for your gun ---

Sparkitoff said:

Interesting, I switched all of my shotguns to musket cap nipples from #11 nipples. The musket caps seem to give perfect, instant ignition and less residual sparks flying outside the gun. The switch is easy, just find the same threads and swap them out.

Click to expand...

I swapped the #11 nipples on my CVA SXS out for Musket nipples. I did so because I bought a 1000 Musket caps and I lucked into a half-dozen CVA Musket nipples. Also because I thought it might help with ignition of largish charges of Pyrodex, that I have a largish quantity of. I did have to tweak the hammers a little but this was my first (and only, so far) muzzleloader build so they probably were not “right” to start with.

I am in the process of doing what Timber Wolf has done. Taking off the #11s and replacing with musket cap nipples. Easier to handle in cold weather, even if they are not needed for extra hot ignition.

ADK Bigfoot

I got the regular nipples for mine, but am hanging on to the musket nipples in case a come across some musket caps for sale. It's about a two hour drive to the closest place that ever carries anything like that, so it may be a while before I put them back on.