plugged nipple

[spaethjm]

I change nipple's every hundred shots and keep at least 3 spare's

 

[DBox]

Go to an auto parts supply and ask for a torch tip cleaner or get one at a welders supply. It's sort of like a pocket knife with a bunch of differant size wires that are used to clean out acetylene torch tips. I've always carried one in my kit. It will clean out anything but solid weld. I thought everybody knew about these.

 

[Jerry Coffee]

I change nipple's every hundred shots and keep at least 3 spare's

Keeping a few spare nipple is a good idea because if a nipple gets plugged for any reason, you can just switch nipples. I purchased 6 spare nipples for my P53 Enfield because the ones that fit properly are available at only one supplier that I know of. I have tried several different suppliers who offer 5/16"- 18 brass and steel nipples with a 1/4" square lug and they will not screw in far enough to seat. The one I must use is a English style 5/16"-18 steel nipple with incomplete threads under the seat. They are "English style" whatever that means.

I have seen a photograph of some P53 Enfield nipples at a website of a supplier in Great Britian and they look exactly like the ones I must use. The supplier in Great Britian also has small .006" thick hardened steel washer that fits under nipple seat. Those little washers protect the nipple seat in the bolster. The 5/16"-18 nipples my P53 Enfield uses has a .028" fire hole, .035" cap hole and the cone is .230" diameter. With a .230" cone diameter, RWS musket caps fit snug and will not fall off the nipple until they are fired. Maybe the company that accurized (defarbed) my P53 Enfield rethreaded the bolster to fit the original English size nipples. That is really going to the extremes in the defarbing process!