Parker Hale Musketoon nipple question

[Brokenbear]

The nipple in my Musketoon looks like the first one. I have no misfires and the gun is a sub 2moa shooter. In yours' I'd be looking to the flash channel. In target guns, the orifice size on the nipple is generally pretty small. That keeps pressure within the barrel and not escaping back up the flash channel. Too large a hole and the hammer can be blown back to half or full cock. That's a sure sigh of a too large nipple orifice or way over loaded gun.


100yd group. Point of aim was left diamond point. Group size is 1.75in center to center.
View attachment 199346

Nice group ..I am leaning to the fire channel not fully open however for a field gun I still very much like the idea of the recessed cone showing in the bottom nipple nipple which I believe might be better for hunting conditions

Bear

 

[dave951]

Nice group ..I am leaning to the fire channel not fully open however for a field gun I still very much like the idea of the recessed cone showing in the bottom nipple nipple which I believe might be better for hunting conditions

Bear

Not really. That open bottom is a quick path to a shot nipple.

 

[Brokenbear]

Not really. That open bottom is a quick path to a shot nipple.

Not sure how that would be but I am not arguing.. but I am saying if I have to place a new nipple every year on a rifle I carry for miles and miles in adverse weather and finally get the shot of a lifetime I want the absolute hottest meanest fire breathing dragon of ignition I can get ..so I believe that coned shaped firing chamber is worth testing
I am just following a hunch and have no basis from which to support the hunch and I am quite certain your advice is correct ..
I still want to know who is building that kind of firing cone for a 5/16th X 18 nipple

Thanks
Bear

 

[dave951]

Not sure how that would be but I am not arguing.. but I am saying if I have to place a new nipple every year on a rifle I carry for miles and miles in adverse weather and finally get the shot of a lifetime I want the absolute hottest meanest fire breathing dragon of ignition I can get ..so I believe that coned shaped firing chamber is worth testing
I am just following a hunch and have no basis from which to support the hunch and I am quite certain your advice is correct ..
I still want to know who is building that kind of firing cone for a 5/16th X 18 nipple

Thanks
Bear

A nipple/cone is a wear item, just like tires on a car. Some rifles will wear them out faster than others, a Whitworth comes to mind here. Once it starts going, accuracy falls off. In that regard, choose your comfort level.

 

[TFoley]

A nipple/cone is a wear item, just like tires on a car. Some rifles will wear them out faster than others, a Whitworth comes to mind here. Once it starts going, accuracy falls off. In that regard, choose your comfort level.

Yup. I've known a Whitworth to shoot out a nipple in less than thirty shots - in fact, it was my first such rifle. One shot it was just fine, but the next one blew that hammer back. Only to half-cock, but that was the 'gypsy's warning'. I stopped shooting right then, and ordered up a platinum version.

 

[TFoley]

Whitworth (original) tapered cone was inside from the top of the nipple to the Platinum on the bottom of the nipple - 0.030” hole.
Made a custom wrench to remove for owner.

View attachment 198639

Please may we see the rest of that rifle?

 

[Brokenbear]

Let me know if any other info is needed

 

[52Bore]

Please may we see the rest of that rifle?

Only one I have. Might be against the 1865 rules of this site? lol
52bore, 0.451” Sporting Rifle.
We actually took it out to shot it dozen or so rounds, to make sure all seemed functionally safe. All was good, we had fun.

 

[TFoley]

Let me know if any other info is needed

Many thanks! I'm sure Mr Minshall will be looking in dreckly.

 

[TFoley]

Only one I have. Might be against the 1865 rules of this site? lol
52bore, 0.451” Sporting Rifle.
We actually took it out to shot it dozen or so rounds, to make sure all seemed functionally safe. All was good, we had fun.

View attachment 199530

Why do you say that? It's a muzzleloading percussion rifle, isn't in? More pics of the whole set-up would be much appreciated, along with bullets and load data, please. Not least of which - who made it?

 

[Brokenbear]

Any of you PH lovers have a suggestion as to what cleaning compound to clean this rascal’s wood up with such as Murphys... the finish is worn thin where carried as well as dirty .. I do not subscribe to “refinishing” a firearm such as this but I would like to give the wood some life back to it

Bear

 

[ResearchPress]

Why do you say that? It's a muzzleloading percussion rifle, isn't in?

Forum Rules state

1: The focus of this site is "Traditional Muzzleloading"; The history of muzzleloading weapons and battles, up to and including the American Civil War. (From the inception of firearms through 1865)

- -

More pics of the whole set-up would be much appreciated, along with bullets and load data, please. Not least of which - who made it?

Preferably in the Original Antique Firearms forum if posted, so they don't get lost in this discussion. It's a Whitworth sporting rifle.

David

 

[TFoley]

Well, it might pre-date 1865, we have only the owner's say-so as to the date there. And we don't seem to be too fussy about modern replications of old percussion rifles. It's definitely not one of those modern cartridge-firing contraptions.

 

[ResearchPress]

Well, it might pre-date 1865, we have only the owner's say-so as to the date there.

It's an original Whitworth and does pre-date 1865. Few of these sporting rifles were made.

David

 

[TFoley]

Any of you PH lovers have a suggestion as to what cleaning compound to clean this rascal’s wood up with such as Murphys... the finish is worn thin where carried as well as dirty .. I do not subscribe to “refinishing” a firearm such as this but I would like to give the wood some life back to it

Bear

I'm none too sure what finish P-H put on their guns - I suspect, looking at mine, that it was some kind of lacquer. If that be the case then removing the entire finish and starting over may well be the way to go. that way you can finish it the way you'd like to, using one of the many commercially available brands.

My own is all-original, but has never been carried anywhere except on and off the range in its long life - the use of single-shot BP rifles here in UK is problematical for a variety of reasons. Here in UK would make a really great short-range wild boar-taker, even deer, without any doubts about the lack of power suggested by the low velocity of that huge bullet. Stateside it has carried out this job with perfect success, as more than a few here would testify.

 

[TFoley]

It's an original Whitworth and does pre-date 1865. Few of these sporting rifles were made.

David

The owner doesn't seem sure.

 

[Brokenbear]

I have found an ab-oration on my newly acquired P61 ..I think ..a silver phillips head screw is holding the hammer in place ..anyone know where I may acquire a normal slotted one ?

Bear

 

[Muley Gil]

I'll take a pic of that the next time I pull the barrel off for cleaning. Meanwhile, here's a pic of the original paperwork I have from PH.
View attachment 199232

My P-H 1858 (2 bander) and P-H 1861 (musketoon) both shoot fine with the Lee 500 grain Minie and the Rapine 345 grain semi-wadcutter.

 

[ResearchPress]

The owner doesn't seem sure.

'52Bore' didn't say that he was the owner, but that he did some work for the owner. The Whitworth sporting back action rifles were made in small numbers and early in Whitworth rifle production.

David

 

[tjiann]

Details, please, lessen you've already sent me a while back. That's serial number and proof marks found underneath like this -

View attachment 199226

It's a 1986.