Refurbishing Nipples

[FishDFly]

Here's a thought. Install a new nipple. Use a dab of your wife's lipstick on the nipple, don't cover the hole.
Lower the hammer into the nipple, then check the imprint left in the hammer face.
Often the results are surprising, and a small amount of burnishing is needed on the face to make solid contact.

That is interesting and very well worth remembering.

 

[TDM]

Dremmel tools wreck more muzzleloaders than rust some days.

I agree. The only time I get one close is when it has a wool tip with polishing compound on it.

 

[SDSmlf]

I have an original 1858 that I have personally shot for over 50 years without issue. And by the way, the hammer does not touch any of the nipples…. Is it time to modify or change the nipples? Wasn’t planning on it.

 

[Ed C.]

Related question. During a match yesterday I found it very difficult to seat #11 caps on a nipple that they previously fit very well. I replaced the nipple and finished the match but. When I got home I put the problem nipple under a mag glass and found that one side of the nipple was mushroomed. It looks like the hammer has not been striking the nipple flat on. Is this common? Should I attempt to scrape out the inside hollow of the hammer to effect a more flat strike?
Thanks

I had a hammer that I had to heat and bend to get the proper fore and aft hit on the nipple. After that the hammer face and the nipple face were out of alignment. I was able to take one of my dremel attachments and fashion it to be flat on the end and a diameter that was workable and did a good job facing off the hammer. You have to be extremely careful as working within the hammer cup is difficult and one wrong move will give you gouges you don't want. An alternative to that is to take some sandpaper, put it over the end of a proper sized bolt and by hand try to face off the hammer.....takes forever.

 

[FishDFly]

I have an original 1858 that I have personally shot for over 50 years without issue. And by the way, the hammer does not touch any of the nipples…. Is it time to modify or change the nipples? Wasn’t planning on it.

My mentor would buy nipples for all his BP guns during December. He would install them on New Years day and was ready to go for the year.

 

[Salty]

I had a hammer that I had to heat and bend to get the proper fore and aft hit on the nipple. After that the hammer face and the nipple face were out of alignment. I was able to take one of my dremel attachments and fashion it to be flat on the end and a diameter that was workable and did a good job facing off the hammer. You have to be extremely careful as working within the hammer cup is difficult and one wrong move will give you gouges you don't want. An alternative to that is to take some sandpaper, put it over the end of a proper sized bolt and by hand try to face off the hammer.....takes forever.

I installed a shorter nipple. Solved most of the problem. I marked the top edge of the nipple with black marker. I ran a small flat needle file over the top of the nipple where the hammer wasn’t striking. Very little material removed. Most of nipple get struck now. Problem solved at least until I change the nipple.

 

[Ed C.]

I installed a shorter nipple. Solved most of the problem. I marked the top edge of the nipple with black marker. I ran a small flat needle file over the top of the nipple where the hammer wasn’t striking. Very little material removed. Most of nipple get struck now. Problem solved at least until I change the nipple.

Very glad to hear that. Keep in mind it's best to keep the face of the nipple square so that the caps seat properly for consistent firing. And then still there will probably be some caps that will require a double hit.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

It doesn't have to be perfect. As stated above, if you don't keep the nipple square, the cap will not seat properly. Machining the hammer face is a more permanent solution, but it is not as easy as machining the cap. Also, that machined cap will likely not fit another gun properly, so you will have to keep it matched to the gun you machined it on. If you only have one gun, not a problem. I got a dozen, more or less, and sometimes I have more than one nipple in the soapy water at a time.

Best to keep it as simple as possible and the maxim "don't fix it if it ain't broke" often applies to muzzleloaders. If you are getting consistent ignition, thank God and pass the powder.