New Trapper- 1st shot

[Dirty Steve]

Not exactly the shot heard around the world but it was exhilerating for me to shoot the new Trapper pistol. Put in a light load of 25 grains. Of course it was dark when I got home from work. Tried to hit a target at 15 yards while holding a flashlight- missed :cursing: Oh well- may all the rest of my shots find their mark!

Steve

 

[bwhoffman]

try 15 gr 3F +/- 2 gr.!
You will be amazed!

mine at 13 gr is grouping tight at 25 yds, holds same group out to 35yd with 15gr.

.....015 patch, olive oil lube and a .492 home cast prb.

ALL items are measured and not assumed!

 

[crockett]

If your accuracy isn't good go with a thicker patch.

 

[Mountainman56]

If your accuracy isn't good go with a thicker patch.

Or a more powerful flashlight. :haha:

 

[Dirty Steve]

Well the gun hits well in the day light! Shot five times. First 7 inches right of center- 15 yards with 30 grains of 3F. Made a site adjustment and put 3 more in the six inch bullseye square of the rifle target I was using. Held a 3 inch group 3 inches high and 2.5 inches left of center. :grin:

But.... the only reason I shot 5 times that day (my brother shot it once also) the nipple broke on the 6th shot from the gun. :cursing: The nipple broke from the top where the cap is applied. It chipped off about 1/5 to 1/4 of the side of the nipple down to the large radius where the nipple wrench goes. I will be contacting Traditions promptly today. Any one else have this problem with Traditions cap locks? My first concern is the whether the lock is hitting at a bad angle. The nipple looks like steel. Would stainles steel be better/stronger?

Steve

 

[bwhoffman]

Well the gun hits well in the day light! Shot five times. First 7 inches right of center- 15 yards with 30 grains of 3F. Made a site adjustment and put 3 more in the six inch bullseye square of the rifle target I was using. Held a 3 inch group 3 inches high and 2.5 inches left of center. :grin:

But.... the only reason I shot 5 times that day (my brother shot it once also) the nipple broke on the 6th shot from the gun. :cursing: The nipple broke from the top where the cap is applied. It chipped off about 1/5 to 1/4 of the side of the nipple down to the large radius where the nipple wrench goes. I will be contacting Traditions promptly today. Any one else have this problem with Traditions cap locks? My first concern is the whether the lock is hitting at a bad angle. The nipple looks like steel. Would stainles steel be better/stronger?

Steve

Mine did the exact same thing at about round #20!
replaced it with a hot shot nipple and now have about 300 thru it

size is 6x1mm.

dont waste your energy contacting traditions. you will just get another over hardened brittle nipple.

 

[rafterob]

Yep-Mine splintered after about 50 shots.I would Think that Traditions has received enough feed back about their nipples that they would have changed them out by now. Don't bother with one of their replacements, order from someone else. Do, however, let them know about it. I ordered mine from Dixie and have over 300 shots so far.

 

[Jim Buchholz]

Same here. Traditions nipples must be made of glass. Any replacement nipple will be a great improvment. Got less than 20 shots out of mine.

 

[Rikeman]

I have a traditions Kenuckey pistol and Hawken Woodsman. Busted the nipples on both of them within the first few shots. Being new to sport I purchased multiple TC nipples to replace them. (Wanted to have enought xtras to last for a days full of shooting) I now have many hundreds of rounds through both of those guns and have had no trouble with the replacement TC nipples.

Like others have said, I have no idea why Traditions has not made a change because you are almost 100% likely to break the one their gun is shipped with! :shake: Other than that I have had NO quality issues with either of my Traditions guns.

 

[Sham66]

Howdy!

This is a good head's up! I have 3 Traditions guns, looks like I am ordering some aftermarket nipples. Kentucky Rifle, Kentucky Pistol, Trapper. Safety is always a good reason to buy supplies (works with the wife most times)!

James

 

[Zonie]

It sounds like Traditions supplier is using nipples that have been hardened but not tempered.

If it were me, before shooting a Traditions percussion gun I would remove the nipple and temper it at about 700 degrees F.

How? Its pretty simple if you have a pair of pliers.
Use them to hold the nipple at the tip of the flame from a propane torch or hold them above the flame on a gas stove. If you have an electric stove lay the nipple on one of the coils.

As you heat it it will turn a straw yellow, then a purple and then a blue color.
Somewhere after the purple or during the blue color phase remove the nipple from the heat and drop it into a bit of motor or cooking oil. Then clean it and your done.

Unless these nipples are made from some material I have never seen, this will lower their hardness to the level of a very tough spring and should fix their tendency to break when the hammer hits them.

 

[Eric N.]

I put stainless steel nipples on all of mine.

 

[Deschain19]

That’s not encouraging... I have a Kentucky Pistol and have around 25-30 shots through it without a break yet, so I guess I’ll have to be on the lookout for that. I need to get myself some extras!

 

[renovato]

I've really enjoyed the Trapper. I find that it's a good shooter with loads up to 35 grains FFFG. I haven't tried Brett's 13-15 grain loads, but they look interesting. I guess I got lucky with the nipple on mine. I managed to get a hundred shots or so out of it before I replaced it as a matter of routine. It never did break, I was ordering some parts and just ordered nipples for it too. The Trapper has turned out to be one of my all time favorite factory pistols. I hope you have as much fun with yours!