Musket nipple problem

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Cowchip500

Pilgrim
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I just switched to a musket nipple on my CVA Mackinaw 54. The larger nipple (and cap) seem to be causing misfires. The shroud on the hammer catches the edge of the cap and doesn't always fall in the middle. Does anyone make a hammer with a larger shroud or should I grind it off?
Thoughts? Advice?
Thanx,
Rob
 
Welcome to the forum.

Easiest way to fix that is to just go back to a standard nipple and #11 caps.
Your not gaining much by using the musket caps.
 
Welcome! Your screen name, does it reference a race?

Why did you switch?

If you were having problems with ignition . . . one of our members wrote any excellent solution:

paulvallandigham said:
With an UNLOADED gun, put some lipstick, or marking dye (I Use inletting black I bought years ago when I didn't know how easy it is to make the stuff) to paint the top of the new nipple. Then I lower the hammer down onto the nipple to transfer the dye to the face of the hammer. When you cock the hammer back and peak under the "skirt", you are hoping to see a complete CIRCLE of dye on the face of the hammer. If you don't see such a circle, buy a grinding bit( Long thin,) for a Dremel tool- whether you own such a tool or not. You can chuck that grinder in a ordinary hand drill if you don't have a Dremel. Grind away all the existing dye, and lower the hammer again to remark the face. Check to see if the circle is becoming more complete. Grind away the high spots, represented by where the dye is transferred to from the nipple, until the hammer is making full contact with the NEW NIPPLE. You will see a complete ring, then. You also want the ring to be the same thickness of dye around the circumference.

When you have a ring of equal thickness, the hammer is Now Striking the top of the nipple equally on all points of the circle, which means you have maximized the strike to fire the percussion cap.

When the hammer is Not hitting Squarely on the nipple, eventually, the hammer peens down the high side, so that only part of the percussion cap is actually smacked between the top of the nipple and the hammer. That is one of the leading causes of misfires with percussion locks. It also is why some guys wear out nipples so quickly. Locks with uneven mating of the hammer and the nipple will usually begin requiring 2 or more hits before the cap fires. :hmm: :hatsoff:

Found in this thread: http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/253164/

The #11 caps provide plenty of fire power! :wink:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Welcome to the Forum and Happy New Year!

No go take that musket cap nipple off of your rifle, give the rifle a thorough cleaning in a bucket (or if pinned, get a hose fitting) and pump some hot water & soap or BP cleaning fluid through it with a brush & scraper)!

Next switch to real Black Powder or loose granular pistol Pyrodex P, and when loading the powder into the rifle, smack the side of the gun a couple times to settle powder granules into the flash channel. The rifle will go BANG with a regular #11 cap!

Several members here have the same rifle. Once they did the bucket clean method, then oiled the rifle and stored it MUZZLE-DOWN (so that the oil wouldn't pool into the flash channel), they stopped having problems with ignition.

We're all here to help, and the archives contained herein will cover loads of questions that you haven't even thought of asking yet :wink: :thumbsup: . Enjoy the forum and welcome once more.

Dave
 
Grinding the shroud of the hammer would be the solution if you are intent on keeping the musket nipple on there. But I join other posters here with concern about your decision to use a musket nipple/cap. It seems the common answer to this is because they are bigger and easier to handle for those with age induced grip syndrome (old fart disease). Personally, I can't grip the steering wheel of my car when its cold out but I can still get #11 caps into a capper when needed. If you switched because of ignition problems, it is usually not the nipple or cap but loading or cleaning practices that need to be addressed.
 


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