Centaure Shotgun Nipples?

[THBailey]

I have a shotgun I picked up a year ago that needs new nipples, but they seem to be of an odd size. It a sxs 16ga with Belgium proofs, the barrels are marked "Centaure Liege-Belgium" "Made in Belgium" also stamped "FAUL". My research indicates these guns were made circa 1970. Anyone familiar with these guns?

 

[Zonie]

It might be one of the Stoeger imports that were imported in the late 1960's and early '70's.

Those imports weren't known for their high quality but if it has Belgian proof marks it should be safe to shoot.

Your best bet to determine the thread size is to measure it.
If you don't have a precision dial caliper or micrometer the folks at a local auto supply should be able to tell you what the thread size is. They will have a thread pitch gauge to determine the thread spacing.

The threads might be metric 5.5mm, 6mm, or #12, 1/4", or 5/16" in diameter.
Threads vary but are often .75mm, .9mm or 1mm in metric pitch or 24, 28 or 32 threads per inch.

 

[THBailey]

The gun is of quite humble quality compared to the Pedersoli. Did do some measuring today, pretty sure it is metric. Got .268 on the top of the threads, and the .9mm thread gauge seemed to fit the best, but there is only three threads as the threads do not go all the way to the base. Base diameter is .335, thread journal is .185, overall length about .615 but this is probably a little short of spec as the tops look a little beat down. I couldn't find anything that was close to these numbers at TOW or The Gun Works.

 

[Zonie]

That .268 is indeed a strange size for nipple threads.
It is not a #12 as that is .216 inches in diameter.

.268 is equal to 6.81mm so it is too big for common metric nipples.

Both Dixie Gunworks and Track of the Wolf show a .265-28 and a .270-28 nipple which are basically oversize 1/4-28.

.9mm thread pitch is almost exactly a 28 thread per inch spacing so it looks like you have a oversize 1/4-28 nipple.

If it fits loosely it probably should be a .270-28. (TOTW # ROS-20-S) If it fits tightly the .265-28 (TOTW # ROS-15-S)should work.

A link to TOTW's nipples
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/807/2

 

[THBailey]

Well thanks so much Zonie, I think you hit the nail on the head. We put the 28 tps on the old nipples and it fit well. I have a pair of both the .265 and .270 sizes on order from TOTW.

 

[THBailey]

Well thanks once again Zonie. The nipples arrived today and the .270 screwed in pretty well.