2 Rifles with Stripped Nipple Channels

[Splitear]

At our last 2 4-H meetings, I have had a young man strip the treads out of the nipple channels of 2 of our rifles. We had a good talk after the first one about not forcing it, and wouldn't you know it, at our last meeting he stripped another one. Both are Thompson Center New Englanders. Does anyone have good instructions on how to re-thread these guns, or by any chance would someone be willing to take on a project and re-thread them for us? I would obviously be happy to pay for the service.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

You can DIY it … Track of the Wolf sells oversize nipples for such occasions.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Don’t allow them to use a wrench until the nipple is fully in, then only to tighten the last bit. If it is clean and straight it will turn in by fingers alone.

 

[Grenadier1758]

With the oversized nipples listed above, you need to use the oversized nipple as the tap to create the threads to seat the nipple. You are not likely to find taps in the oversized dimensions.

To keep the nipple in the UNF standard size ranges one would need the TOW nipple MRHH-S in 5/16-24 size. You need to drill out the stripped threads with a tap drill Letter size I.

One could also use the metric 7x1.00 or the 7x0.75 nipples. The tap drill for these is metric 6.3 or 1.4".

It is best practice to drill out the stripped threads and cut new threads for the replacement nipple.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I agree with @Phil Coffins. The nipple only needs to be tightened to snug as sealing the threads to the nipple seat is somewhat unnecessary as there is a hole in the nipple.

 

[n.h.schmidt]

Track of the Wolf does sell the oversize taps for the .255 nipple and the .260 nipple. $15 ea.

 

[ZUG]

I would not let this person try to remove or install any more nipples. Some people don't have the motor skills to do this simple task properly. .

 

[Splitear]

I would not let this person try to remove or install any more nipples. Some people don't have the motor skills to do this simple task properly. .

Eh, his biggest problem is that he's a 14 year old boy. I thought that a discussion after the first one was good enough, but he'll be on closer supervision next time we're cleaning guns

The biggest hurdle for most of the kids I'm working with is getting them to SLOW DOWN. Once we have that part figured out, it's pretty smooth sailing.

 

[rp77469]

15-20 years ago I had a CVA MR nipple blow out. I cross threaded it 40 years ago when just starting out and it gradually weakened. A buddy of mine who built rifles loaned me a series of progressively larger threads to act as taps to 0.265. Probably 2000 rounds or so through it since with no problems. I do use a tiny bit on never-seize now and finger tighten before snugging with the wrench. Dixie and Caine Outdoors (old Mountain State ML) have them.

 

[Old-Duckman]

I may have said this here before but this post brings it to mind.

I used to belong to the Norton Motorcycle Owners Club, they had a newsletter that was published occasionally and there was a statement on torque settings, here it is:

"Tighten it until it strips, then back off a quarter turn."

Apparently the "young man" mentioned in the original post subscribes to this method!