Traditional Firearms > Cap and Ball Revolvers

Revolver nipples

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mandack:
Hello everyone! I am new to the forums but not C and B revolvers having just over 30 years experience. I am not a "once in a while" shooter, I am at the range every week and put 7 or 8 full cylinders through whichever pieces I bring with me.

Over the years I have owned and shot ASMs, Piettas and Ubertis. I have read many posts, here and elsewhere about ill fitting caps falling in the works of Colt designs and have had this same issue myself. I have two 1860 Armies, a Walker and an 1849 Pocket as well as a pair of non-Colt 1858 Remmies.

While the Colts are by far more prone to a cap falling into the works, or parts of one, I have had it happen with my Remingtons as well... only rarely but it has happened. Everyone seems to believe that this is an inevitable consequence of the "inferior" Colt design (don't get riled up yet, it is a factor but keep reading). Some advocate pinching the caps prior to placement on the nipple. I do not do this as there is a reason the caps fit so poorly and fall into the works. Whether the manufacturer claims the piece has #10 or #11 nipples the supposedly correct size cap never seems to fit properly because the diameter, cone or length of the nipple, or sometimes all three, is wrong. I have read that this is due to European caps of the same size being slightly different sizes than our American counterparts. I have no direct knowledge regarding a size difference so don't hold me on this but it makes some sense.

These days I never have a cap or part of one fall into the works of my Remingtons and only very rarely in my Colts. I have put seven full cylinders through my Walker and Armies in a single session and not had a single failure from a wedged cap. Even my Pocket, the most notorious jammer I have ever had, is now almost flawless. The first thing I do after ordering a new revolver for my collection is to go to Track of the Wolf and buy a new set of nipples. As soon as my new revolver arrives I clean it and throw the factory nipples away and replace them with the "truly" #11 nipples I just bought from TofW (I never buy #10s, even if that is what the gun shipped with, why buy two sizes of cap?). These nipples are designed to be the perfect dimensions for #11 caps and the caps stays secure even after firing. As I said, there is still the occasional jam but this is the exception and not the rule. Being able to fire all 5 chambers in my Pocket without having to dig parts of a cap out from between the frame and hammer is shear bliss for a BP enthusiast!

Bigsmoke:
You left out some details there which I am sure people would like to know.
1.  What brand did you replace the old ones with, MSM (stainless steel), Treso (brass, actually berellym, but it looks like brass), Uncle Mikes (stainless steel)(are they still even making nipples), some other brand?
2.  What brand caps are you using?
3.  Darn, I done forgot what the 3rd question was.  Go ahead and answer something, that will probably be it.

Thanks, good post

John

mandack:
1. I buy Track of the Wolf's 416 Stainless. They do make them in tempered blue steal as well. I have them on my ASM, two Piettas and two Ubertis. About to order another set for my current order, a Pietta 1851 Navy (yandlig36). This piece was a bear to find!
2. Track's #11s are designed for CCI but Remington's fit but they are a touch larger. I try to stay with the CCI because everybody around me carries them and since they fit so well are less likely to fall off and cause a jam.

Let me know if you remember #3 John!

Uncle Russ:
Interesting read, mandack
 

Uncle Russ...

mandack:
Thanks Uncle Russ. I did the homework years ago with my original 1860 Colt Army, an ASM repro, and again later with a Pietta 1858 Remington. Fired four cylinders worth from each with the original then swapped nipples and was very pleased. The Colt had jammed several times with the original, not unrecoverable but I had to use a small screw driver to pry out the offending cap frags. Years later when I bought my new pieces I performed the same tests on my Uberti Walker and my Pietta Colt. Same results. Now I don't go through the effort anymore, I just replace them automatically.

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