Source of small nipples for Belgian dual barrel pistols

[Colin Miller]

I'm new to this forum so hello from Australia. I'm looking for help to find a supply of very small diameter nipples for a pair of Louis-Phillippe style pistols I bought recently. The nipples have a thread diameter of 4.85 millimetres ( 0.191 inches) and so far I havn't found any close to that size.
3 of the 4 nipples are mangled pretty badly but the 4th fires a #11 cap beautifully.
Hoping someone can help, I really dont want to bore them out and spoil the originality.

Regards,

Colin

 

[Zonie]

Greetings and welcome to the forum.

I did a bit of digging but I didn't come up with very much.
Back in 1980 and 1987 the Dixie Gun Works catalog listed something that is no longer available but it is the only nipple I have found that comes close to matching the threads you mention. The catalog says:

"A small size nipple for small frame English, French and German revolvers. The square wrench shoulders will work fairly well with our No. 6S npple wrench. Really, it takes a special nipple wrench to screw them out effectively. Thread size is 32 per inch with .180 diameter."

After that exercise in futility, the best suggestion I can offer is, try to find a machine shop that is looking for work or, someone locally who enjoys making things at home on a lathe.
Maybe you can find someone who could make some new nipples for you.

Nipples are almost always hardened so a hardening steel should be used to make them. Something with 45 points of carbon or higher or a martensitic stainless steel (a 400 series) would work.

Use the best fitting nipple you have as a pattern for the machinist to copy.

Just as an experiment, see if you can find a #10-32 screw. That is a common size here in the USA and I mention it because its thread size is .190 diameter. It might be that its 32 threads per inch will match the threads in your gun. If it does, that gives you a base to work from with the task of having new nipples made.
(The other #10 screw uses a 24 thread per inch pitch which is considerably courser. I doubt that it would be close to the threads on your nipple.)

 

[Le Loup]

I'm new to this forum so hello from Australia. I'm looking for help to find a supply of very small diameter nipples for a pair of Louis-Phillippe style pistols I bought recently. The nipples have a thread diameter of 4.85 millimetres ( 0.191 inches) and so far I havn't found any close to that size.
3 of the 4 nipples are mangled pretty badly but the 4th fires a #11 cap beautifully.
Hoping someone can help, I really dont want to bore them out and spoil the originality.

Regards,

Colin

Good day Colin, I too live in Australia. Have you tried Dixie Gun Works in Tennessee USA?
Well worth getting their catalogue mate, full of all sorts of information.
https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index...duct_name/PC0167+2018+Dixie+Gun+Works+Catalog

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/
Regards, Keith.
PS; I have messaged you.

 

[Colin Miller]

Greetings and welcome to the forum.

I did a bit of digging but I didn't come up with very much.
Back in 1980 and 1987 the Dixie Gun Works catalog listed something that is no longer available but it is the only nipple I have found that comes close to matching the threads you mention. The catalog says:



After that exercise in futility, the best suggestion I can offer is, try to find a machine shop that is looking for work or, someone locally who enjoys making things at home on a lathe.
Maybe you can find someone who could make some new nipples for you.

Nipples are almost always hardened so a hardening steel should be used to make them. Something with 45 points of carbon or higher or a martensitic stainless steel (a 400 series) would work.

Use the best fitting nipple you have as a pattern for the machinist to copy.

Just as an experiment, see if you can find a #10-32 screw. That is a common size here in the USA and I mention it because its thread size is .190 diameter. It might be that its 32 threads per inch will match the threads in your gun. If it does, that gives you a base to work from with the task of having new nipples made.
(The other #10 screw uses a 24 thread per inch pitch which is considerably courser. I doubt that it would be close to the threads on your nipple.)

Many thanks, I like the idea of a #10-32 screw, I might run a tap through the nipple hole too.

 

[Colin Miller]

Good day Colin, I too live in Australia. Have you tried Dixie Gun Works in Tennessee USA?
Well worth getting their catalogue mate, full of all sorts of information.
https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index...duct_name/PC0167+2018+Dixie+Gun+Works+Catalog

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/
Regards, Keith.
PS; I have messaged you.

Havnt found your msg yet, still getting used to the layout on this board.
I havn't looked at Dixie yet, I've been using Track of the Woolf for my BP rifles but they can't help with this.
Where are you located ? I live in the Hawkesbury, Hill Billy country outside of Windsor.