Changing nipple thread size

[Adui]

Greetings,

I am having a difficult time locating nipples for my CVA navy. I have ascertained with relative reliability that they are a 5.5 size, or the standard equivalent. (its in a thread on here, possibly private but that's not important for this.) A few of you have helped me a great deal in gathering the info I have, including sources for original size nipples, and I thank you all for that greatly. However, they are rather expensive in my mind, and I have a rather small hobby budget.

I have found a source of 6x1 Traditions revolver nipples for about $7 for a pack of three. (Versus nearly that amount or more for one of the correct size).

All of the above in mind, how risky is it to re-drill and re-tap the cylinder for the 6x1 nipples that are readily available? If it is a simple matter, as I believe it is, should I locate a drill press to use, (as I feel is probably safest) or is a hand drill going to be accurate enough to follow the hole already there for over-drilling?

 

[flahipneck]

Have you tried Deer Creek Products? 765-525-6181. They probably have your correct ones in stock.

 

[Adui]

I think I looked at the webpage, I will give them a call soon and ask. I want to wait to actually call someone till Ive cash in hand as I feel it rude to take up their time on the phone if Im just window shopping.

But that said, $14 for a set of six is a pretty appealing price over the $42 I was looking at in the other place.

(yes I'm a cheap skate, and yea I know you often get what you paid for so it might be foolish of me to be that way)

FYI, just rechecked one of the websites I was using Gun parts
They have them back in stock for $4 per, so Im whining about a moot point.
:haha:

 

[necchi]

Give Deer Creek Products a call they are the CVA custom shop, they have and know CVA stuff..
765:525:6181
If I remember right I got a 6 pack for my Revolver for just over $20+ shipping.

 

[Adui]

Will do, programmed them into my phone so I dont lose the number

 

[Zonie]

The large diameter of a 5.5mm thread is .217 inches in size.

A 6.0mm thread is .236 inches in diameter.

The .019 inch difference between the two thread sizes could be removed with the larger tap but, the 5.5mm thread has a thread spacing of 0.9mm and the 6.0mm thread has a thread spacing of 1.0mm.

The difference between the thread spacing is only 0.1mm or .004 inches but because this accumulates with each full turn of the thread, after five threads are produced the error at the last thread would be .020 inches.

That's over half of a thread that wouldn't be there which would IMO result in a rather weak joint.

Here again, it's just my opinion but if I were you I would save up enough money to buy some of the proper sized nipples. It's not like they wear out after being fired a few dozen times.

That

 

[Birddog6]

I think I would buy the proper nipples for the piece. Plus, if things are so tight that you can't afford nipples for it, you really can't afford to shoot & maintain it either.
Powder, balls, cleaning jags, brushes, scrapers, ball pullers, powder measure, flask or horn, etc. You need more misc. to do it Properly & Safely.... :hmm: There is a lil more expense to it to go shooting than just the correct nipples... In this case, you may have more $ in the Essentials to shoot it, than in the cost of the pistol itself.

Keith Lisle

 

[Adui]

I think I would buy the proper nipples for the piece. Plus, if things are so tight that you can't afford nipples for it, you really can't afford to shoot & maintain it either.
Powder, balls, cleaning jags, brushes, scrapers, ball pullers, powder measure, flask or horn, etc. You need more misc. to do it Properly & Safely.... :hmm: There is a lil more expense to it to go shooting than just the correct nipples...

That might be true if I didn't already own all of those items. This was a RE-build, not a build.. Besides, like I said In a post above, I found the proper nipple for what I consider a more reasonable price. The post was to evaluate the risks of it, I think its safe to say that the risks out weigh the benefits by far, so I am not going to modify the cylinder.

In this case, you may have more $ in the Essentials to shoot it, than in the cost of the pistol itself.

Not bloody likely, I can assemble all of the essentials to properly and safely shoot and maintain the weapon for under $100. Probably under $50, and maybe even under $30. This hobby doesn't have to be expensive. I know, I've owned this one for over 20 years..

 

[Adui]

Hmmm.. thought Id replied to this but apparently I didn't.
Thank you Zonie for the technical insight, this is good information to have, and actually was the deciding factor in my choice to go ahead and NOT be a cheapskate this time. I'm going to get the proper nipple, it will be another month or three before i can but I've had the gun for 20+ years, and its been over a year since I've fired it. I don't think it will hurt me one bit to wait a little while longer and do it right.

Besides, I spent too much time polishing the old girl up to make her purty to go and ruin her now!

 

[bpd303]

I have to ask, why are you changing the nipples (cones)? I have a couple of revolvers and have shot them for over 30 years and have never changed the nipples out.

 

[Zonie]

I was kinda wondering that myself.

If the existing nipples are slightly 'mushroomed', chucking them in an electric drill and using a small flat metal cutting file can dress them up like new in no time.

IMO, the only really good reason for replacing a nipple is if it is too short or if the hole thru it has eroded badly.

 

[Adui]

I have to ask, why are you changing the nipples (cones)?

Easy, because the moron, (that'd be me) who took the gun apart to rebuild / refinish it LOST the originals. In fairness, the threads on them were in pretty poor shape, quite pitted. Best inspection I can do of the cylinder shows no such damage or Id be in the market for a whole new cylinder. Since she eventually really needs a new trigger and hammer I might as well buy a new revolver at that point.(again, moron work. This time from the original build. Filed em so much getting "the right feel" I lowered the hammer by 1/4 inch. She still fired reliably, but I want it right. Timing and all!)

Though I am stubborn and this is MY gun so I will not abandon her even if its more costly.. (I know I said I was a cheapskate earlier but I get all sentimental with my things..)

 

[Birddog6]

For me.... Tresco nipples have held up the best in what BP revolver shooting I have done. They also clean easier, won't rust, & were more consistent in firing the caps than the original nipples. However, mine are Colts.... I don't know if they make them for CVA's or not, but it may be a worthwhile check. Been a while since I bought them, but Cain's Outdoors keeps coming up in my head as the vender.

Keith Lisle

 

[M. De Land]

The other thing is nipples are not threaded parallel to the cylinder base pin tunnel, they are drilled, threaded and seated at an angle to accommodate the arc swing of the hammer for square hit on the cap.
A way to discover what this is, is to make a couple inch long fixture with the same thread pitch and screw it into the nipple hole. Now the cylinder can be set/lined up properly with an angle vise in the mill or drill press for a straight hole re-drill.
If the pitch changes than the hole needs to clean up the old thread for the new one. This would require a bushing most likely and would not be worth it especially when standard nipple are still available. A new replacement cylinder would be cheaper if the threads are shot on this one. MD

 

[Rifleman1776]

A word of caution.
The Dixie catalog at one time (maybe still) said if nipple threads don't fit just force fit a size you have. :shocked2:
I haven't gotten a DGW catalog in about 20 years. That is one reason why.
Don't do it.

 

[Adui]

A word of caution.
The Dixie catalog at one time (maybe still) said if nipple threads don't fit just force fit a size you have. :shocked2:
I haven't gotten a DGW catalog in about 20 years. That is one reason why.
Don't do it.

Umm... Ok.. It really said that? Fortunately Ive enough mechanical inclination and know enough about the pressures developed in that cylinder to know better.

Thanks for the warning just the same. You never know who might think "well they must know what they are talking about right?"

 

[Rifleman1776]

A word of caution.
The Dixie catalog at one time (maybe still) said if nipple threads don't fit just force fit a size you have. :shocked2:
I haven't gotten a DGW catalog in about 20 years. That is one reason why.
Don't do it.

Umm... Ok.. It really said that? Fortunately Ive enough mechanical inclination and know enough about the pressures developed in that cylinder to know better.

Thanks for the warning just the same. You never know who might think "well they must know what they are talking about right?"

Yeppers. A lot of folks read these posts and not all are mechanical genuises like us. :rotf:
A poorly seated nipple blowing back into a shooters eye is serious stuff. If we can help avoid someone making a mistake it has been a good day.