need help with percussion hammer striking nipple to high

[adkmountainken]

i have a very old .32 cal percussion made in the 1800's that i bought from this site, LOVE the gun shoots great BUT it has a replacement hammer from a TC Renegade which strikes the nipple to high. it does go off and is very accurate but after a dozen strikes the top of the nipple gets deformed/mushrooms and a number 11 cap will not fit anymore. can someone help me with what to do or point me in the direction of another hammer preferably a little more period correct as this is the only piece that is not original. the dimensions of the nipple are a bit different as well .270x28 as opposed to the normal .250x28 any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[deerstalkert]

remove the nipple. lower the cock to its lowest travel. measure from the snail to the face of the cup.
shorten the nipple to just under this measurement. may have to turn the cone a bit to accept the cap.

 

[adkmountainken]

remove the nipple. lower the cock to its lowest travel. measure from the snail to the face of the cup.
shorten the nipple to just under this measurement. may have to turn the cone a bit to accept the cap.

shorten by grinding?

 

[adkmountainken]

i do have 2 nipples for it now so i can try shortening one but that hammer hits so high i'm not sure if i can shorten it enough

 

[deerstalkert]

best to file. grinding is best left to pole dancers.

 

[adkmountainken]

best to file. grinding is best left to pole dancers.

lol!!!!!!!!!!! just hit one with the grinder and it works!!!!!

 

[oldwood]

Looking at the photo , the hammer isn't striking squarely on the nipple due to the drum being slightly rotated clockwise , beyond where the nipple should be pointing to the center of the hammer nose. This can easily be corrected by removing the drum , and installing a shall piece of say , .007 thick shim stock cut into a washer fitting under the drum. This will cause the drum to stop directly under the hammer nose. This over rotation of a percussion drum , these days , is caused by unknowing persons unnecessarily , removing the drum to clean the rifle . Most rifle barrels are made of soft iron , or today , soft lead bearing steel that can't take repeated tightening of a drum , and threads are stretched in barrel steel. I've had to put shim stock under a couple rifle drums to fix this problem. If done neatly , the shim stock is not visible. To safely drill the drum thread hole in sheet metal , clamp it between two PCs. of wood , them using metal shears , cut the excess away.

 

[Pete G]

Give Dixie Gun Works a call. They have tons of hammers.

 

[SDSmlf]

Looking at the photo , the hammer isn't striking squarely on the nipple due to the drum being slightly rotated clockwise

Take another look at the photograph, it’s not a drum type breech. Correct fix is to get a hammer that fits.

 

[Buckskinquin]

shorten by grinding?

Cut it with what ever, then Put it in a battery powered drill chuck and use a file on it.

 

[Phil Coffins]

You definitely need a different hammer, a longer throw from tumbler to the nose that hits the nipple. Take the time to do it right and you’ll not need to fix it again.

 

[oldwood]

OOOOPS.............Gave info to fix a drum and nipple , and this is not that type........Very sorry. Get a new hammer after you break the original trying to adjust the hammer strike area. Good chance the hammer can be bent enough with a large vise.

 

[Sam squanch]

If you don’t care about looks, you can fit a spare flintlock cock to the lock, then make a jaw insert . Then you can adjust the jaw insert to hit the cap square on. This was done in the old days on a few rifles converted to percussion. Be a lot easier than searching for a hammer or a lot of bending and fussing.

 

[Sam squanch]

Sort of like this…

 

[Antelope Pete]

I had a gun with this issue although not this bad and I recontoured the inside of the hammer cup to change the angle of the flat to match the nipple surface. I worked fine.

 

[Scota@4570]

The nipple threads are at the wrong angle. I see that a lot on old guns. A shorter nipple will help. .270 x 28TPI sounds like some one used and oversized nipple and forced it to upset threads. Perhaps they forced it in cockeyed.

IF it were mine I'd make a repair to install a 1/4 x 28TPI nipple of normal dimensions at the correct angle. You will have a hard time finding somebody to do that at a reasonable price.

A combination of a shorter nipple and changing the striking face of the hammer to match the nipple will probably get you by.

Make a critical inspection of the nipple threads in the bolster.

 

[Rawhide67]

The hammer on this lock is a TC, from a Hawken or Renegade. What is the easiest solution? Replace the hammer, or modify the existing hammer? It's a TC so it's not a travesty to modify it. I'll probably be the one doing the modifying, and I'm hesitant to hear and bend, or heat via welding to attach more metal, and then reshape.

 

[Norman Brooks]

Best way is do what Antelope Pete suggested. I've done that before and it is the easiest way. Trying to find a hammer that works is a pain in the backside. Heating and bending I would not do.

 

[Scota@4570]

Maybe the OP can post a clear side view of the whole lock and bolster?

Just making the distance longer between the tumbler pivot and hammer face may not accomplish anything. The angle of the nipple is rotated clockwise from where it needs to be. See attached.

 

[Rawhide67]

I had a gun with this issue although not this bad and I recontoured the inside of the hammer cup to change the angle of the flat to match the nipple surface. I worked fine.

That could be do able.