Plugging percussion nipples

[Spencer_Murphy]

About a month ago I acquired a Mortimer of London 10 gauge shotgun. It is a 39" Double Barrel and one barrel has the original nipple and one has a threaded removeable nipple. I want to do an "Alcohol Test". I was told my a local gunsmith that these older Double Barrels typically had the two barrels soldered together and that by filling the barrels with denatured alcohol if any leaks out from the soldered seams then the gun is unfireable. To do this the nipples must be plugged. Does anyone know of a good way to plug a nipple that cant be removed ? I havent found anything online that is made for this task as of yet.

 

[Eutycus]

Toothpicks?

 

[CuNosecap]

Clay?
Likely impervious to alcohol, yet easily removed manually.

 

[OldRust]

I use small rubber caps made for sealing off auto vacuum lines. Auto parts supply stores have assortments. If I'm going to do a lengthy soak of penetrating oil to soften up a breach plug or a tight nipple I'll put a touch of silicone caulking on the end of the nipple before putting a tight rubber cap on it.

If the nipples come out I've also used zerk-grease fittings with a bit of Teflon tape to seal.

See

https://www.oreillyauto.com/shop/b/...um-caps---connectors/vacuum-caps/54514302ba88

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Vacuum+C...+assortment+set,industrial,117&ref=nb_sb_noss

Thanks
O.R.

 

[necchi]

Yup, @OldRust said it, go to a local auto supply, and just get some bulk tubing for 99 cents a foot, or the hardware store for some vinyl tubing.
Plug the off end with a screw. With vinyl, with a snug fit on the nipple, the off end can be twisted under heat from a torch and melted tight.
You'll be able to see if it's the barrels or your bandaid that's leaking. If you have something that suspect,, then you can delve further.
I'm just sayin, tubing is a cheap first try,,

 

[Britsmoothy]

I do an alcohol test regularly but it don't involve my muzzloaders...just sayin....

 

[French Colonial]

About a month ago I acquired a Mortimer of London 10 gauge shotgun. It is a 39" Double Barrel and one barrel has the original nipple and one has a threaded removeable nipple. I want to do an "Alcohol Test". I was told my a local gunsmith that these older Double Barrels typically had the two barrels soldered together and that by filling the barrels with denatured alcohol if any leaks out from the soldered seams then the gun is unfireable. To do this the nipples must be plugged. Does anyone know of a good way to plug a nipple that cant be removed ? I havent found anything online that is made for this task as of yet.

You need to find a different gunsmith, preferably one who knows something about BP shotguns.

The barrels are soldered together yes, but after they are made..... Two complete barrels joined together with solder to make a double barrel.

The barrels themselves are not soldered before they are joined together.

 

[Sam squanch]

I think he is looking for little rust pinholes and voids in the barrel walls.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I have a 5/16 wad punch that I cut some wads out of an old inner tube. I put one in the hammer nose when I pour water down the bore. It should work for alcohol too. About the only place to find old inner tubes any more is at motorcycle shops.

 

[OldRust]

I do an alcohol test regularly but it don't involve my muzzloaders...just sayin....

Hummm, Preventive maintenance checking for leakage ?

Thanks,
O.R,

 

[French Colonial]

I think he is looking for little rust pinholes and voids in the barrel walls.

I am sure he is, but that has nothing to do with the soldering of the barrels.

AND a $50.00 dollar borescope would tell him the interior condition of the barrel.

If the barrels are so bad that he is worried about alcohol leaking from them it would be obvious with a flashlight dropped down them.

People are giving him solutions (plugging the nipples) to something that is not helping determine the real condition of the barrels, what if they hold alcohol but have deep pits that make the wall paper thin.

 

[William Lincoln]

How about using a liquid that is slow to evaporate with dye?
Maybe tranny fluid? Then a very small defect would be easier
to spot. Also another way is to pressurize the barrel with air
and cover with soapy water. An older gun should never get
max loads in any case.

 

[wiscoaster]

.....To do this the nipples must be plugged. Does anyone know of a good way to plug a nipple that cant be removed ? I havent found anything online that is made for this task as of yet.

Remove the nipple and screw in a nylon screw of appropriate size and thread, available at any hardware store.

 

[French Colonial]

We now need a thread "Best thing to put down your barrel to detect leaks" and people can come up with their home made concoctions and argue for eight pages.

I am going to say this very slowly so some of you will understand, if the OP does come up with a way to pour magic fluid down the barrel and it does not leak............that does not mean the gun is safe to shoot!

That will tell nothing about the interior condition of the bore!

 

[bud in pa]

Never knew alcohol could dissolve solder!

 

[Britsmoothy]

We use dye test for leaks.

 

[ZUG]

For SXS barrels that are soft soldered together you would do a "ring test" which is done by removing the barrels from the wood and holding the barrels vertically by the muzzle and tapping with a small hammer about in the center of the barrels. If the barrel has a noticeable ring to it not a DULL THUD, then the barrels are still soldered together and do not have any separations to them. If your barrels are made using twisted steel ribbing of metal and forged welded round, then soldered together you may want to do a barrel porosity check for delamination or pin holes in the welding of the barrels themselves. This is done by plugging the nipples to prevent any liquid from leaking out of the barrels. You fill each barrel with a liquid penetrating fluid and check for any seepage for three days to a week. No seepage and the barrels are OK. If you got seepage or a fair amount oil dripping you might consider having the barrels lined (sleeved) to a smaller bore. Otherwise, you have a wall hanger.

 

[TCMonts]

You must be from the southern part of the UK

I do an alcohol test regularly but it don't involve my muzzloaders...just sayin....

 

[oldwood]

Doctors made me stop the alcohol testing. I think human internal organs are over rated anyway.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

tubing from nipple to nipple