Cone Preferences

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

I was wondering what people prefer in their Colts and their Remingtons, or even Rugers for that matter.

I have mainly used what the factory has provided without too many problems, but after selling my old Colt and buying a new one, I noticed the hammer had changed along with the cylinder with that pin locking safety feature that is now on most modern Colt replicas. I did not have that feature on my old Colt .44 pistol.

So I put some slix-shot nipples on my newer Pietta Colt .44 without really giving any consideration as to whether I needed them or not.

I think the Slix-shot nipples were designed to prevent cap sticking from blowback into the hammer notch aside from other features claimed, but this was not really an issue with my old Colt. The only problem I really had with it was the occasional dropping of an expended cap into the lower hammer pivot area, but I found ways of dealing with that problem.

I still have the factory nipples on my Pietta 1858 Remington, but have been wondering if it is worth the time and money using either steel or Ampco type alloys.

So I was wondering what everyone else prefers on their cap & ball pistols?

Also maybe give a reason as why the preference on those cones?

 

[Zonie]

For the newcomers to percussion guns, the "cones" Cpl.Ashencheeks is talking about are often called "nipples" by many of us modern folks.

"Cone" is an old time term for it.

 

[Dickydalton]

I have put Tresso nipples on all my cap and ball revolvers except one of my ROAs. All I use for caps are Remington #10s and seldom have any caps jamming up the works.

 

[Billnpatti]

I use whatever comes on the revolver until they need changing. Of course with today's shortage of #10 caps, I have changed the nipples on my Remington to Ampco #11 nipples. The original nipples were still good so I saved them. If #10 caps become more readily available, I will go back to the original #10 nipples until they are worn out. No use in wasting perfectly good nipples.

 

[bpd303]

Yep, my theory exactly. Why fix something that isn't broken? I have six or seven C/B revolvers all with the original cones and hundreds of shots through them without any problems. I'm lucky to have an ample supply of Remington #10 caps though.

 

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

With my older Colt it did not have any problems with cap sticking, but I just assumed with the newer design with that notch and pin opening on the hammer on my new Colt, I really did not want to deal with any potential cap sticking. So that is why I bought the slix-shot nipples.

I still have the original factory set of nipples for my Colt, so I suppose if I ever burn out my flash channels on my Remington NMA Pietta nipples, I could just use my old Colt nipples on the Remington.

I was just wondering if there were any major advantages to steel or the Tresso Ampco nipples.

I have not really had any problems using the orignal nipples on them at all.

On my pocket pistol and Derringer I am still using the set that came with them 30 years ago.

So I guess it is not really necessary to replace them, but I was curious as to why some people do and if they found any advantages by doing so.

 

[Dickydalton]

Some of the Pietta nipples had big flash holes that allowed the pressure to blow the caps off and an Uberti pocket Police was terrible, so I just change them right away and keep the originals for when they may be needed. The original ROA stainless nipples lasted 13 years on one of mine but one broke off in the cylinder and I haven't gotten that fixed yet.

 

[Heelerau]

I replaced all the cones on my cappys with standard issue steel ones, and found that I barely ever get cap fragments down the hammer slot. l shoot western action with them so they need to go right. I did by some slix nipples, unfortunately my cappys are early 70's manufacture and the slix nipples thread is undersized. All the old cones were badly gas cut. These all take Remington No 11s

Cheers
heelerau

 

[2veeps]

I found that the biggest advantage to the Tresso nipples was that my #10 Remingtons fit without slipping off & don't slip off due to excessive nipple taper. I also shorten the nipples so they don't touch the hammer but still hit the caps.
Veep