firing cone trouble

[Bunk]

Yesterday while shooting my .36 caliber 1851 Navy convertible as a C&B and on the third loading, which is a 17 grain volume FFFg, a 1 ¼” heavily lubed felt wad and hand cast ball surprisingly I had three of five FTF. On second strike there was still one FTF. It was recapped twice and still FTF.

The drywall screw I use for a revolver ball puller was awol but when I tried to remove the nipple my TOW wrench would not go on.

A little persuasion with a very small hammer got it on and out. A small brass rod and ball, wad, and powder was all over the bench. It appeared the nipple end was peened enough to keep the wrench off or hammer from striking the cap.

The gun has not been shot over fifty times as a C&B. Measurement f the OAL of the six nipples only two were the same length. So much for quality control at Uberti or the

subcontractor who obviously did not do the heat treat properly.

A set of six is ordered from TOW, shipped, and on the way.

I would suggest to a shooter with a new gun to either replace the nipples with Slixshot (best) or the correct TOW nipple.

Fortunately, my range is at my shop with the work bench just steps away.

Respectfully submitted

Bunk

 

[necchi]

Ever ponder if it's the "convertible" part of the equation that's part of the trouble?
Just wonderin, ?

 

[Bunk]

No actually this is sort of out on the edge here talking about an unmentionable, but this is the Richards-Mason Colt conversion used in 1871 on the 1851. It simply is two pieces that replace the percussion cylinder and are the same length. All the rest of the gun is pure 1851 the grip, frame, and barrel are unchanged. So I think it was the case of a VERY soft nipple getting hit 50 or so times and resulting approximately the same as dry firing a C&B gun.
I was somewhat really upset and threw all the crappy OEM cones in a pile.
When they were measured for OAL only three were close to identical. The other three varied a lot in OAL.
I beg the moderator's pardon about mentioning the unmentionable but this is the only way I could figure to answer the question.
By the way, it shoots like a house on fire in either configuration but C&B is more fun.
Respectfully submitted
Bunk

 

[Griff093]

My first C&B revolver was an ASM made of Uberti parts left over from the Colt 2nd Series... my next 5 C&B revolvers have all been Colt 2nd Series... all the same model, 1851s. ALL have had soft nipples... and ALL are replaced with SlixShot before even being fired the first time by me. Even my Pietta Patersons have had the nipples replaced with SlixShots... BTW, OAL is immaterial, it's the length from the flange to the top of the nipple that needs to be consistent. The length of the threads only affect powder capacity.

 

[VAN]

My experience with a new Pietta 1858 Remington was not good with #11 on the stock nipples. It fired great with the few #10s I had left but the larger 11s exploded into fragments that stuck between the nipple and cylinder and had to be picked out. Some even fell off the nipples before firing even though I squeezed them on a bit. The Italian nipples tapered a lot from the bottom flange to top. So I ordered Track of the Wolf blued ones for #11 caps in the same size for Pietta and the top of the nipple is more of a straight cylinder shape, fits tight and works great. The caps peel open when fired but stay on till they rotate and fall off. I was verry happy as I have a good stock of 11s but no 10s.

 

[Bunk]

My experience with a new Pietta 1858 Remington was not good with #11 on the stock nipples. It fired great with the few #10s I had left but the larger 11s exploded into fragments that stuck between the nipple and cylinder and had to be picked out. Some even fell off the nipples before firing even though I squeezed them on a bit. The Italian nipples tapered a lot from the bottom flange to top. So I ordered Track of the Wolf blued ones for #11 caps in the same size for Pietta and the top of the nipple is more of a straight cylinder shape, fits tight and works great. The caps peel open when fired but stay on till they rotate and fall off. I was verry happy as I have a good stock of 11s but no 10s.

problem solved a set if Slixshot nipples are now in transit so a report about shooting (pun intended) will follow.
Making smoke
Bunk

 

[yotyfox]

Good decision on getting the Slixshot nipples. I expect your report will have no mention of misfires. Good luck.

 

[William P Sepessy]

Unfortunately that situation of unequal length of factory Uberti nipples is not uncommon. Had a new Uberti Dragoon that wouldn't fire on two factory nipples until I backed them out about a half turn. One reason why I replace the factory nipples on any gun I obtain.

 

[Bunk]

Ever ponder if it's the "convertible" part of the equation that's part of the trouble?
Just wonderin, ?

No actually it makes capping easier because the recoil shield on the right side is opened up for the brass thingy to go in and out.
It is the same system Colt used to "modernize" the `51 Navy. I think one problem is the arbor length fix and I have the inforatin on how ro stabilize the barrel/frame fit tup.
Everything else is percussion and the Slixshots came today so it will be back in business burning some of Du Pont's finest.
Making smoke
Bunk.