Crockett nipple removal?

[robtattoo]

How on earth do you guys get the nipple out of your Crocketts? There's not enough room between the nipple & bolster(?) to get a wrench in. I can't get at it with an adjustable & it's in too tight for needlenose pliers.
Just how the heck am I supposed to get it out?

 

[Zonie]

There is a special tool called a "Nipple Wrench" that is used to remove the nipples on all percussion guns.

There are basically three sizes.
The Rifle sized wrench
The pistol sized wrench
The Musket sized wrench.

See this link to TOTW's selection although I will add that almost any gunstore that sells muzzleloading equipment will have one. http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartList.aspx?catID=1&subID=9&styleID=30

These wrenches are hollow so they will fit down over the cone. They have two slots cut thru the end of the hollow tube and these slots will engage the flats on the outside of the nipple.

I suggest getting one like the NW-100 S for most rifles.

The pistol wrenches are basically the same as the rifle wrenches except the working end is usually smaller to allow them to get down into the rear of a Cap & Ball revolvers cylinder slots.

They will work for most rifles but because they are smaller they are easier to break.

The Musket sized wrench is larger. It has a larger slot thru it to be used with Musket nipples and it won't work on the smaller #10 and #11 nipples used in rifles and pistols.

 

[user 17669]

Another thing to remember is that different rifles require different size threads. TC uses a standard 1/4x28 thread size. Lyman and Investarm and Cabela's use metric 6x.75mm and the Spanish rifles, CVA and Traditions, use a metric 6x1mm. These are just the ones I know of. There are quite a few "non-standard" and oversize nipples available. A good place to check out what is available is to go online to Cain's Outdoor at Cain's Outdoor

 

[robtattoo]

Sorry, I didn't explain myself very well. There's not enough room for a nipple wrench. There's virtually zero clearance between the back of the nipple & the casting of the rear of the snail.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Some guns including the crocket require grinding off on side of the nipple wrench. Or using a very thin walled wrench.This is where kroil comes in helpfull to lossen the nipple. I have an older Hopkins and Allen rifle like that which I use for deer hunting. Remember when you do get it out, to clean the threads well and put a drop of oil or antisieze on the threads before reinstalling.

 

[Birddog6]

Contact the manufacturer & you will find it takes a special small dia. nipple wrench. However, I took one of the wrenches I had I took it to the belt sander & worked it down by sanding it & turning it at the same time. Then reblued it with Birchwood Casey Super Blue, rinse with water & then WD-40 & then oiled it.

Keith Lisle

 

[BrownBear]

I use a wrench intended for revolver nipples. It's slender enough, but I still have to pull the hammer back beyond the cocked position to use it. Here 'tis.

 

[rawhide]

I use a revolver nipple wench on mine works like a champ...

 

[hanshi]

I have accumulated a drawer full of various nipple wrenches over the decades and have always been able to find one that worked. There are nipple wrenches that work fine on Crockett nipples, it's just a matter of getting the right one. There are some good ideas in these posts.

 

[bitehard]

Go to Deer Creek 765-525-6181 and they should have them instock. They are a special wrench alittle thinner that will fit nicely on the original nipple. If you have already replaced the one that came with the gun then you might be best suited to grind out the back of the flashwell. This Is what I did so that it will take the std ones that are avaliable locally. The locally made nipples are slightly larger in diameter