Help: Nipple on breech plug won't unthread

[The Sergeant Major]

I have an issue w/ a Thompson Center Arms .45 Cal Hawken that I need some help with. A friend sold me this rifle in the late '80s down at Ft. Stewart, GA. He taught me everything I needed to know about shooting, maintaining, safety & more regarding a black powder rifle. I gifted my rifle to my older brother about 15-20 years ago. He lives 6 mths in Cali, and 6 months in Kodiak where he hunts. He recently offered to return it. Obvious to me, he didn't maintain it properly. Long story short he mailed the rifle back to me a couple weeks ago. I'm trying to get it all squared away and once I do I'll teach my son how to operate-maintain it and then gift it to him. Problem is, I can't free the nipple from the breech plug. I soaked it in Rem-Oil for a few days. That didn't work. I'm using a std small breech plug wrench and I'm practically breaking my wrists trying to turn it. I'm worried too much force might strip or damage the breech plug threads. Any ideas would be welcomed & appreciated.

 

[hawkeye2]

I doubt you can damage the threads but you can break the wrench or round off the nipple. Soak the entire breech in a strong penetrant, not an oil, for a few days or longer before trying again. Triple check that it is unloaded if you have to use heat and I trust you have already checked that it is.

 

[duca]

 

[FishDFly]

After soaking as hawkeye2 recommends, a Tedd Cash nipple wrench works well. It gives good leverage to get stuck nipples out.

 

[The Sergeant Major]

I'll soak it in Kano Kroil on the muzzle side and the breech plug side for several days & see what happens.

If that doesn't work I'll run it to a gunsmith.

Thanks !

 

[The Sergeant Major]

View attachment 120955

Funny. I just ordered the exact can off Amazon and then posted a reply when your reply came in. Thanks

 

[The Sergeant Major]

I doubt you can damage the threads but you can break the wrench or round off the nipple. Soak the entire breech in a strong penetrant, not an oil, for a few days or longer before trying again. Triple check that it is unloaded if you have to use heat and I trust you have already checked that it is.

Thanks Hawk, My first reply was to you.

 

[duca]

Also known as ANGEL PISS !

 

[1zula1]

Sounds very stuck to me! I would weld an old 3/8” socket to it, for more leverage. Worst thing that can happen, you break the drum off.
No big deal! Drill the threads out and retap.

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

Lately, I have been using Free All penetrant.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00022VY74/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[sheriff john]

Kroil rules! Even old horse-drawn farm equipment left out 'til the square-headed nuts have those grey lichens on 'em have loosened up for me. They have two other product these days - Kroil graphite spray and "Sili-Kroil" (with silicone). It truly does "creep" into threads after a bit. Some I've left overnight, come back & squirt just a dab more. As with all screws/nuts/bolts - gotta have the proper fitting wrench or driver.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@The Sergeant Major should place the breech in Kroil to cover the nipple. You need to let it penetrate for a couple of days. Time is your friend here.

While the penetrant is creeping into the threads, go to Lowe's to pick up a light impact tool. Model 81337 and a 5mm or 3/32" socket to fit the tool.

Use your Dremel tool to turn the 5mm or 3/32" into a nipple wrench.

After a few days of soaking, use the impact tool by using light taps with a small hammer to apply torque and impact to the nipple. This usually breaks the threads loose. If not give the soak a few more days to get into the threads. Take your time and the nipple will break loose.

This is my other impact tool with the modified socket turned into a nipple wrench. This worked to remove some very tightly stuck nipples in a revolver.

 

[rafterob]

Add a little heat around the bolster when you get ready to wrench it. All the other advice above is spot-on!

 

[The Sergeant Major]

@The Sergeant Major should place the breech in Kroil to cover the nipple. You need to let it penetrate for a couple of days. Time is your friend here.

While the penetrant is creeping into the threads, go to Lowe's to pick up a light impact tool. Model 81337 and a 5mm or 3/32" socket to fit the tool.
View attachment 121150

Use your Dremel tool to turn the 5mm or 3/32" into a nipple wrench.

After a few days of soaking, use the impact tool by using light taps with a small hammer to apply torque and impact to the nipple. This usually breaks the threads loose. If not give the soak a few more days to get into the threads. Take your time and the nipple will break loose.

This is my other impact tool with the modified socket turned into a nipple wrench. This worked to remove some very tightly stuck nipples in a revolver.
View attachment 121152

Great info Grenadier. The Kroil is due in
on Monday the 14th. I'll check Lowes for the tools. I appreciate it.

 

[The Sergeant Major]

Add a little heat around the bolster when you get ready to wrench it. All the other advice above is spot-on!

Will do Rob. Hopefully in a week or so I can report back w/ the results.

My older brother didn't understand the black power way.......that after shooting the rifle you gotta clean "everything". So, I ran several pre-saturated cleaning patches down the barrel just to insure there was no powder & bullet still in there, plus to get an idea of the condition of the barrel. Rust ! Once I get this nipple removed I'll give it a clean wash of boiling ivory soap & water an hope the rust isn't terminal.

 

[The Sergeant Major]

View attachment 120955

Started my Kroil soak yesterday. Will soak until my son visits and brings additional tools if the Kroil doesn't work.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Homemade Penetrating Fluid - the BEST you can use! DIY too

FWIW the best penetrating elixer/solvent that one can use is a DIY homemade mix of 50% acetone and 50% automatic transmission fluid (ATF). 100% better than Kroil!

“Machinist Workshop Magazine” did a test on penetrating oils. Using nuts and bolts that they ‘scientifically rusted’ to a uniform degree by soaking in salt water, they then tested the break-out torque required to loosen the nuts. They treated the nuts with a variety of penetrants and measured the torque required to loosen them.

This is what they came up with:

• Nothing: 516 lbs
• WD-40: 238 lbs
• PB Blaster: 214 lbs
• Liquid Wrench: 127 lbs
• Kano Kroil: 106 lbs
• ATF/Acetone mix (50/50 mix): 50 lbs

And ... as long as it it is UNloaded ... a 'heat hammer' sure wouldn't hurt either if needed (i.e., torch or heat gun)

 

[bubba.50]

I have an issue w/ a Thompson Center Arms .45 Cal Hawken that I need some help with. A friend sold me this rifle in the late '80s down at Ft. Stewart, GA. He taught me everything I needed to know about shooting, maintaining, safety & more regarding a black powder rifle. I gifted my rifle to my older brother about 15-20 years ago. He lives 6 mths in Cali, and 6 months in Kodiak where he hunts. He recently offered to return it. Obvious to me, he didn't maintain it properly. Long story short he mailed the rifle back to me a couple weeks ago. I'm trying to get it all squared away and once I do I'll teach my son how to operate-maintain it and then gift it to him. Problem is, I can't free the nipple from the breech plug. I soaked it in Rem-Oil for a few days. That didn't work. I'm using a std small breech plug wrench and I'm practically breaking my wrists trying to turn it. I'm worried too much force might strip or damage the breech plug threads. Any ideas would be welcomed & appreciated.

In one sentence you sound like you're trying to remove the nipple. In the next sentence you sound like you're trying to remove the breechplug. Which is it?

 

[bubba.50]

Sounds very stuck to me! I would weld an old 3/8” socket to it, for more leverage. Worst thing that can happen, you break the drum off.
No big deal! Drill the threads out and retap.

TC barrels don't have 'drums'. The breechplug is one-piece. And if you managed to break the bolster off yer screwed.

 

[FishDFly]

If soaking it in penetrant does not work, suspend the end of barrel in a vibrating/sonic cleaner with penetrant for a couple of days. If you have access to one with a heater/warmer cleaner, that is even better.