Nipple Fit Question

[Dialcannon]

I have a Pedersoli 50 Cal caliber frontier percussion rifle. I shot it for the first time today using Schuetzen black powder number 11 caps. Are the caps supposed to be loose on the nipple? They wiggle around quite a bit. This is my first time to ever shoot a black powder rifle. At 73 years old the gun dealer told me I had now gone to the other end of Firearms!

 

[TDM]

Congrats on your new rifle. And no, the percussion caps should not be loose or wiggle on the nipple. I’d suggest going to Track of the Wolf, Log Cabin Shop, or Dixie Gun Works and find a good stainless steel nipple for #11 caps to fit your Pedersoli.

The fit of Italian factory nipples is hit and miss.

 

[Buckskinquin]

I have a Pedersoli 50 Cal caliber frontier percussion rifle. I shot it for the first time today using Schuetzen black powder number 11 caps. Are the caps supposed to be loose on the nipple? They wiggle around quite a bit. This is my first time to ever shoot a black powder rifle. At 73 years old the gun dealer told me I had now gone to the other end of Firearms!

I have the predecessor to your frontier, the Hatfield Kentucky. Depending on what your doing, range shooting or hunting, the loose fit wouldn’t concern me. If I was at a target shoot, a tight fit can be a pain. So yes, buy a few other nipples. What you should be aware of is your gun has a patent breech. There are many discussions regarding that on this forum. In a nut shell, after you have cleaned your gun, get a 22 caliber brush that fits your cleaning rod, apply a patch with some cleansing solution and run it down to find this small channel in your breech. Removing the screw from the end of your drum and running a pipe cleaner thru isn’t a bad idea either. My Hatfield is a tack driver, if I do my part. Good luck!

 

[DuncNZ]

The Pedersoli long rifles use standard ¼/28 threaded nipples , not metric ones .For reference This from their catalogue https://shop.davide-pedersoli.com/en/wrenches-nipples/1065-set-3-steel-nipples-for-rifle.html I would get them from one of the suppliers TDM mentioned , better and much cheaper

 

[Eutycus]

What size caps are you using?

 

[deermanok]

You can always lightly pinch the caps a bit to make them fit tighter

 

[DuncNZ]

My caps are untouched by my hands , they go from the tin into my Ted Cash Capper then onto the nipple , that way there is no chance of contaminating the priming with oily fingers , which can happen .

 

[Dialcannon]

Thank you to everyone for the good information! I have already discovered as I begin to buy the different essentials needed with a black powder rifle that the nipple wrench that I purchased is a tad bit too small. I discovered that a 10 mm wrench however will remove the breech plug. There is quite a vocabulary in dealing with black powder shooting. Certainly a learning curve. Thank you to the muzzleloading forum for your help.

 

[Dialcannon]

What size caps are you using?

#11

 

[Grenadier1758]

Thank you to everyone for the good information! I have already discovered as I begin to buy the different essentials needed with a black powder rifle that the nipple wrench that I purchased is a tad bit too small. I discovered that a 10 mm wrench however will remove the breech plug. There is quite a vocabulary in dealing with black powder shooting. Certainly a learning curve. Thank you to the muzzleloading forum for your help.

You really shouldn't need to remove the breech plug for any sort of normal maintenance. Normally Pedersoli over torques the breech plug into the barrel so that a normal 10 mm wrench wouldn't budge it. If you have removed the breech plug, I hope that you used never seizing, high temperature grease on the threads.

While the Pedersoli nipples are threaded for 1/4-28, the size of the flats by the cone may differ from US sizes, so replacement of the nipple is recommended, and you will be able to use your nipple wrench.

 

[Dialcannon]

You really shouldn't need to remove the breech plug for any sort of normal maintenance. Normally Pedersoli over torques the breech plug into the barrel so that a normal 10 mm wrench wouldn't budge it. If you have removed the breech plug, I hope that you used never seizing, high temperature grease on the threads.

While the Pedersoli nipples are threaded for 1/4-28, the size of the flats by the cone may differ from US sizes, so replacement of the nipple is recommended, and you will be able to use your nipple wrench.

Whenever I finished shooting I took the rifle completely apart, including the breech plug. I used something called "Breech Plug Grease" on the threads before I re-installed the plug. I have ordered the Stainless Steel Nipples (2) from Track of the Wolf as suggested in the forum.
In reference to "Dry Balling"; I am already a member of the club. Whoever said it's not "If", but "When" on dry balling was indeed correct!

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Honestly, you should never remove the breech plug of your rifle: ever.

 

[ord sgt]

Whenever I finished shooting I took the rifle completely apart, including the breech plug. I used something called "Breech Plug Grease" on the threads before I re-installed the plug

I have built and shot muzzle loaders for 40 years. I have never had a reason to remove the breechplug from any of those rifles. The rifles and pistols get a good cleaning after every use. I. too, have dry balled before and managed to get the dry ball out of the barrel, by different means, be it by CO2 or with some powder worked in behind the ball. Anti-seize compound has been applied to the breechplug threads before assembly.

 

[Dialcannon]

Honestly, you should never remove the breech plug of your rifle: ever.

Thanks for the information; one less part I need to remove to clean the rifle.

 

[Dialcannon]

Thanks for the information; one less part I need to remove to clean the rifle.