TC Hawken Nipple removal

[Melnic]

OK, This is my 4th sidelock. If I had this to begin with I may not have purchased my other 3

With the hammer all the way at full cock, the nipple wrench can not go straight down onto the nipple. The hammer gets in the way. I purchased this from a guy locally who got it from his Uncle who was a ML collector and had a mess of them. I can tell cause its in nearly MINT condition. I'm wondering if he modded the lock or something? I can get the nipple off but I can't use the nipple wrench effectively without coming at it at an angle and doing a 1/2 turn at a time.
Is this something of a mod to the hammer he might have done?
This has an 8oz trigger pull with the trigger set.

 

[Sure Shot 2]

Is this something of a mod to the hammer he might have done?

May have bent it for better positioning on its nipple. Or could be a replacement hammer also. Even bending for scope use could offset your nipple wrench. Hard to speculate without a pix to look at on this one. I also wonder if a Knight Hot Shot nipple is involved?

 

[bubba.50]

this is very common with T/C guns. the hammer barely clears the nipple on 1/2 cock & won't go back far enough to allow usin' the nipple wrench on full-cock. the solution is simple as removin' the ramrod & wedge & takin' the barrel out of the stock just like you do to clean it. problem solved. luck & have a good'en, bubba.

 

[Billnpatti]

No problem. Just put it on half cock and remove the barrel then you can easily get to the nipple or remove the hammer to get it out of the way. Both are easily done. :hatsoff:

 

[mooman76]

I have a tiny set of wrenches I use for things like this.

 

[necchi]

this is very common with T/C guns. the hammer barely clears the nipple on 1/2 cock & won't go back far enough to allow usin' the nipple wrench on full-cock.

He's right.
I use this nipple wrench from Track,
T/C makes one like this but I can't find a picture of it. http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/160/1/NW-160

 

[Zonie]

There are a lot of percussion guns that have this problem.

The answer to the problem is to either get a very short nipple wrench, remove the barrel, or remove the lock before trying to unscrew the nipple.

 

[Rifleman1776]

This is a problem?
Muzzle loaders are designed to frustrate and irritate the user.
Where you been? :rotf:

 

[stinkyfeet]

No problem. Just put it on half cock and remove the barrel then you can easily get to the nipple or remove the hammer to get it out of the way. Both are easily done. :hatsoff:

What, just remove the lock from the stock, no need to remove the hammer off the lock. then he can still use the stock with the barrel in it for leverage to get the nipple out. Or like you said just remove the barrel.

 

[bpd303]

Also a good time to clean and lube the lock while it's out of the stock.

 

[Mad Professor]

this is very common with T/C guns. the hammer barely clears the nipple on 1/2 cock & won't go back far enough to allow usin' the nipple wrench on full-cock.

He's right.
I use this nipple wrench from Track,
T/C makes one like this but I can't find a picture of it. http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/160/1/NW-160[/quote]

What he said.

I have several of those wrenches both for home and in the field.

 

[Billnpatti]

Whatever. The barrel is held in with wedges so he has more than one way to get to the nipple. He just needs to get the hammer out of the way. Remove the lock, remove the hammer from the lock or remove the barrel from the stock. Any of these thigs will allow him to access the nipple with his wrench.

 

[nhmoose]

Most TC users remove the barrel for cleaning anyway. Remove the barrel before taking the lock off for a new to BP user is the way to go

 

[tom deinek]

This is a problem?
Muzzle loaders are designed to frustrate and irritate the user.
Where you been? :rotf:

Didn't know nipples were supposed to come out. lol

Make a wrench by grinding a slot in a 1/4" socket.Lotta work but a custom fit wrench will fit better that something you buy online.

Otherwise, remove t he TC barrel.

 

[Melnic]

This is a problem?
Muzzle loaders are designed to frustrate and irritate the user.
Where you been? :rotf:

Yes, I think this is the most correct answer.
This is my 4th side lock and the others were not this way.

 

[don hepler]

I have several TC's and that is the way they are.
TC made one of the best wrenches for their rifles, but I lost it. It had an enclosed piece that fit down over the nipple and the handle was out to the side at an angle. Now since I lost the wrench, I just remove the barrel, then remove the nipple.

 

[Rifleman1776]

This is a problem?
Muzzle loaders are designed to frustrate and irritate the user.
Where you been? :rotf:

Yes, I think this is the most correct answer.
This is my 4th side lock and the others were not this way.

Really, there is no consistency in how ml rifles are, or were, made. Part of the joy of using them is in the discovery and learning. The biggest problem most new to the ml game have is getting out of the modern gun mindset. Some never do. FWIW, when removing the nipples on my TCs I have to remove and reset the wrench every half turn because the handle hits the hammer. A nusiance, but since this is not a frequent happening I can live with it. Plus, it keeps me in the shop and out of the house a few minutes longer. Look at the upside. :grin: