Nipple question, keep it civil

[Loja man]

Most of the time I add grease to the threads….maybe I didn’t after I cleaned the time before we shot. That could be it. I have look throught a couple other videos of the gun being shot while slowing the video down. No big ball of sparks in any of the other videos.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Loja man, were the other videos taken with the original nipple or the new nipple? What is the brand of the new nipple? In your picture, it appears to have the large opening of a Hot Shot nipple. Is the new stainless-steel nipple vented with a hole in the cone facing toward the muzzle when the nipple is installed?

Your Traditions hammer will have a notch toward the muzzle to allow the cap to fragment slightly and away from the shooter's face. Without seeing the rifle, I have to speculate that you are witnessing the venting of the nipple being directed toward the muzzle by the vent in alignment with the notch in the hammer. The water you are seeing is from the fouling, even from the modest amount of fouling from the Tripple Se7en powder, drawing water from the highly humid air. That is a good indication that a patch should be run down the bore, perhaps wrapped around a 22-caliber brush, to dry out the barrel due to the water being drawn from the air.

Since you remove the nipple when cleaning, I wouldn't use the Teflon tape, although that won't harm anything. I do recommend the use of a never seizing lubricant although a good grease such as RIG will work as well. The nipple is not being left in the drum long enough to seize up.

 

[Loja man]

@Loja man, were the other videos taken with the original nipple or the new nipple? What is the brand of the new nipple? In your picture, it appears to have the large opening of a Hot Shot nipple. Is the new stainless-steel nipple vented with a hole in the cone facing toward the muzzle when the nipple is installed?

Your Traditions hammer will have a notch toward the muzzle to allow the cap to fragment slightly and away from the shooter's face. Without seeing the rifle, I have to speculate that you are witnessing the venting of the nipple being directed toward the muzzle by the vent in alignment with the notch in the hammer. The water you are seeing is from the fouling, even from the modest amount of fouling from the Tripple Se7en powder, drawing water from the highly humid air. That is a good indication that a patch should be run down the bore, perhaps wrapped around a 22-caliber brush, to dry out the barrel due to the water being drawn from the air.

Since you remove the nipple when cleaning, I wouldn't use the Teflon tape, although that won't harm anything. I do recommend the use of a never seizing lubricant although a good grease such as RIG will work as well. The nipple is not being left in the drum long enough to seize up.

This is a non vented nipple. So that’s out.
- One video was with the original nipple and the second was with the current aftermarket one.
-The water was from when I was cleaning the rifle. I had the barrel full of hot water and the nipple plugged. The water was seeping out from between the nipple and the drum.

 

[waksupi]

It should not be doing that. Nipples should only be removed maybe once a year for inspection and lubing, or replacement if accuracy falls off. You cause wear on the threads by frequent removal, as you are experiencing. Some think they can clean a rifle better by removing the nipple. Nope. When you use a hose, if you want high pressure, you use a nozzle to restrict the flow. Same with a nipple, if you want to clean it better.

 

[necchi]

Is this normal? Should I be concerned?

Sadly, it is normal/typical of the spanish made guns with that drum breech design to do that.
They simply didn't/don't have a tight tolerance.
Don't be overly concerned, the rifle will function like that for decades.
I pull the nipple every time I clean a gun that's been shot so I can clean the nipple inside and out completely. And place a tiny amount of anti-seize lube on the threads
It's never been a problem for me. Fouled or worn nipples are a major cause of "inaccuracy" with these guns.
If your worried about external sparks, look at your photo again and note how all of the mess is foreword and down. Normal.
You should see what comes out of a flintlock flash hole!

p.s. Your nephew could use some work on his stance and hold if he want's to improve his off-hand shooting.

 

[Powder to Burn]

My guess is a bad fitting /setting drum looking at where the water is

 

[Loja man]

Sadly, it is normal/typical of the spanish made guns with that drum breech design to do that.
They simply didn't/don't have a tight tolerance.
Don't be overly concerned, the rifle will function like that for decades.
I pull the nipple every time I clean a gun that's been shot so I can clean the nipple inside and out completely. And place a tiny amount of anti-seize lube on the threads
It's never been a problem for me. Fouled or worn nipples are a major cause of "inaccuracy" with these guns.
If your worried about external sparks, look at your photo again and note how all of the mess is foreword and down. Normal.
You should see what comes out of a flintlock flash hole!

p.s. Your nephew could use some work on his stance and hold if he want's to improve his off-hand shooting.

Yes he could!! LOL!! He is from Argentina and his family is of the lower middle class. They were stateside for his older brothers wedding. Other than shooting shotguns a little bit this was his first time ever shooting rifles. Also he was unaware of what his dominant eye was! Lots of work that could be done there to improve the overall experience

 

[n.h.schmidt]

Looks like the fire spray i get when using my homemade caps. Due to the folded skirt of the homemade caps a lot of fire is present. A little unerving until you get used to it.

 

[hanshi]

I've never been hurt when shooting a flintlock but have been while shooting caplocks. I've been spit on, sprayed and stung many times with percussion rifles. Once I even had a towel catch fire in my lap while shooting one. So far all the suggestions posted sound like good advice.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I've never been hurt when shooting a flintlock but have been while shooting caplocks. I've been spit on, sprayed and stung many times with percussion rifles. Once I even had a towel catch fire in my lap while shooting one. So far all the suggestions posted sound like good advice.

Your guns must not like you very much.

 

[RUDY MR]

Wrong nipple if water comming out around threads threads are not the right sizw

 

[52Bore]

A loose nipple will eventually give way…
Years ago a friend had a loose nipple (new) blow out of an old original gun (new to him) with just 10-20gr of powder, as I recall.. 1st shot, below the hammer back (nothing broke) and we heard the nipple land on the tin roof of the barn behind him - never to find it.
Nipple threads were good in the gun - friend admitted the nipple was loose , but tight.
IMO - thread engagement is important to safety.
Possibly try an oversized nipple.
Best of luck

 

[Loja man]

I won’t be shooting till Frindship in September. So I will look for a better fitting nipple their.

 

[ohio ramrod]

As stated try the teflon tape. I have went from a .250 to .255 to .260 in my target rifle over the last forty years and many many shots and removal for cleaning.

 

[necchi]

I've been spit on, sprayed and stung many times with percussion rifles.

Yup. And each of those can be lessons found, and hopefully not to be repeated.
I had to learn some savory lessons about flintlocks too, don't stand on the right side of a right handed flintlock shooter!

 

[nhmoose]

Wrong nipple if water comming out around threads threads are not the right sizw

I agree hard to believe it hasn't blown out yet.

Double check the nipple thread size and size of drum.