Tricks getting out frozen screws & nipples from BP revolvers

[Fly]

OK my .36 remmie has a frozen screw & two nipples.Tryed WD-40, I,m out of Kcolls.
I heated the nipples with my torch.Still no good.Now what to do my friends?

Fly

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i would wait until i got some kroil and let that soak in a few days

[rhbrink]

Mix 50/50 Acetone and ATF Dextron and use that for a penetrating oil the best that I have ever used.

RB

[R.Ph. 380]

Light a fire in the stove and thaw out my nipples..........................................

Seriously, Penetrating oil is all that's going to have a chance. Kroil best in class.

[Bzcraig]

Key ingredient patients (and Kroil).......muscle will be your downfall.

[451 Pete]

Fly this will not help you get the stuck screws and nipples out but the next time you get to the auto parts store pick up a small tube of anti seize and put just a small dab on those threads when you put things back together again. It will provide a seal for the threads and keep things so that the powder residue can't bind them up.

Pete

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Remove the cylinder. Soak the nipples as suggested above. Keep them wet with penetrant. Tap them lightly periodicly for a few days. If they still resist a good fitting nipple wrench, or are to boogered up to grip well with the wrench, give that up. Carefully drill out the flashhole to a larger diameter using a series of drills not quite approaching the base diameter of the threads. Use an easy out as the drilled out nipple should have enough interior metal left to engage. Be cautious in the drilling out. The easy out should get the frozen nipple out.

I keep an easy out and two drills available to use this way on wayward nipples others bring.

Prevent the problem. Use something like wheel bearing grease, hi temp and waterproof, to grease nipple threads. Snug up with two fingers of pressure. Change nipples when the flash holes enlarge, venting too much gas. Buy them by examining the flashholes for uniformity to improve shooting. Make sure the caps fit the nipples correctly. Pinch a rifle cap if you will but not any revolver caps. They must fit to prevent chain fires.

BvT

[Outpost75]

Acetone and ATF actually works better than Kroil for frozen screws. Old trick learned working on John Deere tractors.

[Mike 56]

I have been through this many times fixing up old cap and ball revolvers. I like to use Eds Red bore cleaner to soak the parts (google it). You need a good way to hold the the cylinder you can use two wood dowels the biggest that will fit into your chambers. Put the dowels into two chambers across from one another use them as fixture to hold the cylinder. Make a good nipple wrench. Take 3/16 1/4 drive socket cut a slot on top of the socket with dremel tool with a cut off wheel wide enough for a small file to fit then widen the slot until it fits the nipple. These are the best nipple wrenches i have ever used. If you have to you can heat the cylinder up in a oven.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg95/51colt/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_8841.jpg (http://s246.photobucket.com/user/51colt/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_8841.jpg.html)

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg95/51colt/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_0143.jpg (http://s246.photobucket.com/user/51colt/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_0143.jpg.html)

[DCP]

I have been through this many times fixing up old cap and ball revolvers. I like to use Eds Red bore cleaner to soak the parts (google it). You need a good way to hold the the cylinder you can use two wood dowels the biggest that will fit into your chambers. Put the dowels into two chambers across from one another use them as fixture to hold the cylinder. Make a good nipple wrench. Take 3/16 1/4 drive socket cut a slot on top of the socket with dremel tool with a cut off wheel wide enough for a small file to fit then widen the slot until it fits the nipple. These are the best nipple wrenches i have ever used. If you have to you can heat the cylinder up in a oven.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg95/51colt/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_8841.jpg (http://s246.photobucket.com/user/51colt/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_8841.jpg.html)

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg95/51colt/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_0143.jpg (http://s246.photobucket.com/user/51colt/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_0143.jpg.html)


Now thats a nipple wrench

[Fly]

Fly this will not help you get the stuck screws and nipples out but the next time you get to the auto parts store pick up a small tube of anti seize and put just a small dab on those threads when you put things back together again. It will provide a seal for the threads and keep things so that the powder residue can't bind them up.

Pete

Pete I already do that my friend.But this WAS a new pistol two mouth ago & I never tore in down all the way to clean
it.I should have done that from day one.But I didn't, (dumb butt me).I ordered some Kroil this evening.I also have a
0-2 tool steel rod I,m going to make a nipple wrench from & heat treat it.The screw is what bothers me most.I really
don't want to drill it out.

I hope the Kroil,s will melt the **** holding it.Thank each & everyone of you guy's
Fly

[DIRT Farmer]

A 1/4 air drive impact is your friend, a cheap battery impact can work. I have a few nipple wrenches from 1/4 inch sockets. They work well. Install with fingers remove with any 1/4 inch tool.

[nhrifle]

A trick I got from a gunsmith buddy when parts are frozen together is to put the whole assembly in the freezer over night. Gives the stuck parts a chance to contract and break the bonds. Might work, might not -- hopefully something will!

[Hellgate]

On the stuck screw: A well fitting screwdriver tip is imperative. After using the penetrating oil/ acetone & ATF, Kroil give the screw a torque while gently tapping on the screwdriver with a light hammer. I sometimes turn to tighten a bit to try to break the seal before turning it out. As you unscrew it is taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap while bearing down and turning on the screw. Have the part snugly in a padded vise while doing this.

[10 ga]

For penetrating lube testing by the machinests guys and published results show atf/acetone(what I use) at 50/50 best, second was Liquid Wrench penetrating, 3rd was Kroil and PB Blaster about equal and WD 40 last. Soak thouroughly and use that rig pictured. I'd put the "socket" (I've done the same to get sockets to fit breechplugs) on the end of an extension and lock that in "vice grips" for torque and then bang the extension with a hammer while applying pressure with the vice grips. I've done the same to get nipples, breedhplugs and ventliners out. Only thing better would be one of them NASCAR airwrenches used to get lugnuts off of racecars. Good luck,

10 ga

[fouronesix]

For best results when using penetrating oil- whatever it is- is to heat the parts first, then apply the penetrating oil, then cool the parts down before trying to nudge the screw loose. Heated parts expand in all directions thus the best chance of breaking loose any rusted bond between. As the parts cool down, the oil is more likely to be drawn into the joining surfaces. This time of year for smaller parts or smaller guns the freezer or fridge will cool down the most before attempting to unscrew. Plus the parts are all at their most contracted state. The best method, as described already, is to use the correct tool and taptaptap lightly as pressure is applied to unscrew.

[IridiumRed]

Lots of good info here. I work on firearms a bit, and vehicles quite a bit, and I run into similar issues sometimes with frozen / rusted / corroded fasteners

The tip about atf / acetone is a good one. It IS pretty darn good for frozen bolts / nuts.

The mentions about heat are good too. Like warming up, then putting in freezer, cycling the temperature a few times (each time adding more penetrating fluid, whichever kind you prefer -
kroil is rarely a BAD choice.... and often a great one....). One thing I'll add is that if you are in a humid area, that if you freeze the part, it will most likely get a bunch of water condensating on it
when you pull it out of freezer. This is one place where I really LIKE WD40, and it works well - if I get a bunch of condensation on a part after cleaning it, or freezing it, I'll hose it down with WD40 & then airhose it off

WD40 is an OK solvent, and poor lube, but it DOES displace water well - heck, that whats its made for!

I deal with issues like that with engine parts sometimes. Inside nice air conditioned house, say 70 degrees, then go outside and its 90+ degrees and 60%+ humidity. Those parts will want to get some moisture built up on them from the temperate difference, but if I spray those parts with say brake cleaner, now they're even colder (due to the evaporation of the cleaner itself, plus the lower temp that comes out of a spray can as the gas inside expands on its way out). With the super bone dry surface (from the brake cleaner or similar cleaner), and even bigger temp difference now, that's a perfect setup to get flash rust. Which on a precision fitted part, like a crankshaft, or cylinder, could be a big problem.... flash rust turning into deeper rust if not attended to quickly...

Oh, I also like what was mentioned before about sometimes TIGHTENING (even slightly) a stuck part before trying to remove. Rust, other corrosion, can make the two parts bond together. And, we all know how easy it is to strip/round off the head of a fastener trying to get it out. Well, tightening it, just a bit, can sometimes break the bond, which means it then comes out pretty easily (its not stuck anymore). Plus, you're working on the other side of the fastener, turning opposite way, so you're not just putting all the load of removal on the same spots. Spreading out the load, or damage, depending on how you look at it...

Oh yeah, anti seize can really be your friend. Amazing how well some of that stuff works!!!

Sorry for rambling, I don't post much here, but saw some things I thought worth commenting on.... good luck to everyone involved... :)

[Boz330]

Had a 6-48 broken tap in a barrel, tried everything, but the freezer trick along with some kroil did the job, and it came out really easy.

Bob

[mazo kid]

One more thing to try on a frozen screw....after soaking a couple of days in your favorite penetrating oil, put the best fitting screwdriver tip in a drill press chuck. Bear down on the quill handle while trying to turn the chuck back and forth. Maybe use a small strap wrench on the chuck for a little more torque. Good luck!

[Beagle333]

Dixie Gun Works.... part #NW0204 RATCHET NIPPLE WRENCH REVOLVER $18.50
It works great. You might even find it elsewhere at a diff price. But it is super strong and you will not twist the "ears" off of it like most nipple wrenches.

[Buzzard II]

Mix 50/50 Acetone and ATF Dextron and use that for a penetrating oil the best that I have ever used.

RB

I agree, this is probably the best penetrating fluid. Just do it outdoors! Use a real good nipple wrench too! I broke 3 cheap nipple wrenches before I had my head mechanic buy a socket from snap-on. Not cheap, but it sure works great! You would be surprised at what is on those big snap on trucks! Good luck! Bob

[Boomer81]

Removed stuck nipples from an antique Manhattan Navy circa 1867. Combination of soaking in ReleaseAll and putting it in the freezer over night. As well as gradually unscrewing it with a modified 3/16 deep socket 1/4 drive that was ground down to fit the nipples. Took a few days but all 5 came out. After 3 were remobed, my socket was rounding off so i had to refile it down to sit squarely on the nipple.

[Cast_outlaw]

A trick I got from a gunsmith buddy when parts are frozen together is to put the whole assembly in the freezer over night. Gives the stuck parts a chance to contract and break the bonds. Might work, might not -- hopefully something will!

I was going to suggest the freezer thing to but u beet me to it in the freezer the metal will shrink in all directions making the hole larger and the nipple smaller freeze your nipple wrench to to avoide rapidly warming the part you want to remove and penetrating lube will help to

[indian joe]

A 1/4 air drive impact is your friend, a cheap battery impact can work. I have a few nipple wrenches from 1/4 inch sockets. They work well. Install with fingers remove with any 1/4 inch tool.

Better than that even is take that nipple wrench and dowell holder from Mike56 above and set the whole deal up in a drill press (chuck holds the wrench - the wooden gadget stops the cylinder rotating) then you lean on it with the drill press feed while you turn the wrench - I had two stuck nipples in a navy colt cylinder that had me beat for 18months - burred the squares on the nipples - burred a couple of decent nipple wrenches - read this stuff on here someplace (came from Mike = Goons Gunworks I think) - got em both first try - they cracked when they let go but no damage at all .

[Newtire]

For frozen nipples, try using an 8-point (12-point will usually work) 1/4" drive socket driven onto the nipple. Select a size small enough so that it cuts splines onto the nipple. Then just hook on your ratchet and unscrew it. After soaking the nipple in penetrating fluid, heating and cooling and finally rounding off the flats, this usually works. Good for getting out rounded off bolts too.

[Road_Clam]

I live in the world of snow and road salt and a TON of corrosion and siezed components. Kroil is excellent stuff BUT it needs some time to soak in. Sometimes up to a few weeks depending on if gravity can allow the fluid to seep into the siezed areas. I also have excellet luck in many circumstances with "heat and freeze" or vice versa. You can heat up your revolver cylinder to about 300f , then use a can of computer keyboard cleaner inverted. Spray the liquid nitrogen right at the nipple to abruptly freeze it and it should break free with minimal effort. WEAR THICK PROTECTIVE GLOVES ! I use an awesome antisieze called Nikal . A bottle will last a lifetime.

https://www.jetlube.com/product/nikal-high-temp-anti-seize-thread-lubricant/

[GregLaROCHE]

There are screw impact removal tools that work well, if penetrating oil won’t do it. The tool works by being hit with a hammer. Inside the tool the the shaft rotates to turn the screwdriver at the same time the force is used to keep the it in the slot. You also get the advantage of the shockwave, when it’s hit. Mine has a 1/4 in. drive to take different size screwdriver bits. You can even put sockets on it, that might work for the nipple. I don’t use mine much, but it’s great to have when needed.

NO eBay links, ever

[Bent Ramrod]

I’ve had success with frozen screws by putting one of those (good, not cheap) magnetic screwdriver bits into the screw slot, putting a small box wrench over the hex part of the bit, and clamping the whole thing in a vise with thick softwood jaws.

The wood keeps the screwdriver bit pressed home, so it can’t slip out, but can compress to allow a certain amount of backing off (1/8 to 1/4 turn) to be done with the box wrench. Once that is done, the screw can be tightened and loosened to work in more penetrating oil, and then the vise jaws gradually loosened to allow the screw to back out more. If I can get it loose 3/4 of a turn or so, it gives up the struggle and comes out all the way.

A cheap bit (like those in the dish at the hardware store checkout) will break off with this treatment, likely making a bigger problem than the original frozen screw. Use one that you know will stand the gaff.

[John Boy]

The 50:50 mix of Acetone:ATF needs only 68 lb torque wrench pressure to remove a rusted bolt. Lowest pressure of any of the de-rusting products on the market. Worst case example removing:
* Trailer hitch in salt water on my truck towing a duck boat for 14 years
* Tried heat, hammer and no go
* Sprayed the 50:50 on the hitch and let it set for 1/2 hour
* Connected a tow strap to a bulkhead railroad tie and the ball on the hitch
* 3 jerks with the truck and the hitch slid out like a rocket
Keep the 50:50 in a the reloading room in a Zippo can and a spray bottle

[Golfswithwolves]

[QUOTE=GregLaROCHE;4805412]There are screw impact removal tools that work well, if penetrating oil won’t do it. The tool works by being hit with a hammer. Inside the tool the the shaft rotates to turn the screwdriver at the same time the force is used to keep the it in the slot. You also get the advantage of the shockwave, when it’s hit. Mine has a 1/4 in. drive to take different size screwdriver bits. You can even put sockets on it, that might work for the nipple. I don’t use mine much, but it’s great to have when needed.



This tool carefully used combined with the penetrating oils and heat/cold should give a good chance of success.

[Rio Grande]

The 50:50 mix of Acetone:ATF needs only 68 lb torque wrench pressure to remove a rusted bolt. Lowest pressure of any of the de-rusting products on the market. Worst case example removing:
* Trailer hitch in salt water on my truck towing a duck boat for 14 years
* Tried heat, hammer and no go
* Sprayed the 50:50 on the hitch and let it set for 1/2 hour
* Connected a tow strap to a bulkhead railroad tie and the ball on the hitch
* 3 jerks with the truck and the hitch slid out like a rocket
Keep the 50:50 in a the reloading room in a Zippo can and a spray bottle

Following advice on this thread I recently removed a stuck nipple from a Ruger Old Army. Previous owner did not clean the revolver well. The Ruger nipples had a hex head, and it was rounded badly.
The 50/50 ATF/acetone worked great, three days soaking, can't rush this. I used an 'easyout' #1 size bought at Ace Hardware for $5. Like this one..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/361516305704

After soaking put cylinder in a vise, padded w/ lead sheet. Drilled thru the flash hole, just slightly enlarging it. Used the largest two-sided tap wrench I could borrow that would fit the easyout, maybe 10" overall handle length.
Easyout went in OK, and gently but firmly turning counterclockwise how great it was to find the nipple turning. Came out easy after initial torque.
Complete success.
Thanks everyone.
Of course I clean my firearms after every use, and use moly paste or similar on nipple threads.

[alfadan]

Better than that even is take that nipple wrench and dowell holder from Mike56 above and set the whole deal up in a drill press (chuck holds the wrench - the wooden gadget stops the cylinder rotating) then you lean on it with the drill press feed while you turn the wrench - I had two stuck nipples in a navy colt cylinder that had me beat for 18months - burred the squares on the nipples - burred a couple of decent nipple wrenches - read this stuff on here someplace (came from Mike = Goons Gunworks I think) - got em both first try - they cracked when they let go but no damage at all .
I've used this technique a few times and it works well.