Seeking the AF dimension for a 1/4" x28 perc nipple

[Whitesmoke]

G day fellas,
I am making a percussion nipple wrench for a 1/4" x 28 percussion nipple. It is for a friend and I don't have access to the nipple.

I know some will say, "Hey! it is easier to buy one".
With the $ exchange rate, the horrific postage rate and the three week wait for the unit it is really not viable really from my point of view.

Visualising the nipple in my head, I estimate it is about 1/4" across flats ,but I really want to make sure,so the tool fits very snug. I did ring the local gunshop wanting to buy a nipple and the counter jumper truly, did not know the difference between a percussion nipple and a percussion cap. We don't have a big BP gun following that you guys seem to enjoy and therefore BP shooting supplies are limited.

Please, if some kind soul could measure across the flats of their 1/4 x 28 nipple and reply here I will be very grateful.

I enjoy making tools and other bits and pieces for the guns. It is very satisfying to make something that is useful and makes life easier for me or someone else.The other part of me that isn't concentrating on BP guns, likes making tools. I have made a search through the net and found charts with info on every other possible dimension save the AF dimensions for percussion nipples.

The plan is to make a longer than usual shank as I watched my friend on the range struggling with a short shank wrench unscrewing the nipple on his .54 Lyman trade rifle.The wrench t bar caught the hammer on each half turn.

I will also make a nipple prick.I have some .020" music wire which I will solder into a piece of threaded brass which will then screw into the top of the T - wrench.

Thanks for reading my post.
Whitesmoke

[fouronesix]

I just measured 3 different standard nipples for #11 caps and they are between .190" and .200" across the flats. I also measured a standard nipple wrench for the standard #11 nipples and it measures ID .220" across the flats.

A standard musket nipple is square and measures .250" across the flats.

[True.grit]

Mine are right at .200 . Safe to say .220 would be a good working size.

[Mk42gunner]

7/32" = 0.21875 and pretty close to 5.5mm. I would cut a hex on the nipple and use a nut driver for the nipple wrench, since it sounds like your friend has straight in access to the nipple.

No its not a traditional t handle, but it does work.

Another possibility would be to just cut two flats on the nipple then make a nipple wrench to fit by drilling a center hole to clear the cone then using the edge of a file to cut the slots in the business end of the wrench. I have made a nipple wrench like this by drilling and filing a bolt when the one I bought broke one of the sides off the first time I used it. The home made one lasted a long time, I might even still have it around somewhere.

Robert

[Whitesmoke]

7/32" = 0.21875 and pretty close to 5.5mm.
Another possibility would be to just cut two flats on the nipple then make a nipple wrench to fit by drilling a center hole to clear the cone then using the edge of a file to cut the slots in the business end of the wrench. I have made a nipple wrench like this by drilling and filing a bolt when the one I bought broke one of the sides off the first time I used it.Robert

Thank fellas,
Robert,
The nipples already have flats on them .It was the flat to flat measurement I was seeking.

Hopefully now established at 5.5mm -that is what I will try anyway.

I am going with the drilled bolt and filing a slot. It's so simple, quick, cheap and I have the tools and the skill set to do this.

In any case the nipple is well overdue for replacement and there's little point filing a hex on it at this stage.

Theres more to the story than just the nipple problem alone. He seems to be pulling the nipple on a regular basis ( during a shoot) to clean out the chamber fouling. I am pretty sure my friends Lyman trade rifle .54 has a patent breech which is easily fouled up and not so easy to clean unless you have the appropriate sized scraper.

My friend is disabled with only one leg so its difficult for him to load and shoot out of his wheel chair as it is. Trying to remove the nipple to clean the gun,with a T wrench too short for the purpose is a hassle he does not need.

We will do the simple and cheap thing first by trying a 5/16 dowel (with a hemispherical end to fit the camber) with a slot cut for a cleaning rag which we hope will clean out the offending crud from the chamber which will be pre soaked in straight Ballistol.

I am also making him a screw in soaker nipple tool from and old grease nipple- I am presently hunting around for some steel tube to fit to it after I turn off the little ball from the top. Its plain sailing after that to fit a rubber tube from the soaker into a bucket of hot soapy water. That should help cure the chamber fouling problem.

Thanks again
Grahame

[Whitesmoke]

My friend pointed out that the Trade rifle has barrel wedges, so soaker nipple is redundant if he can take the barrel out and place the breech is a bucket of hot soapy water and siphon a patched jag up and down.Yes I said to take out the nipple.Never seize should be OK for coating the nipple thread.

If the treatment results in a good shooting I'll make the scraper.
Its quite an OK gun and shoots bulls eyes except for the fact that the cheek piece of his Lyman does not fit to my face as the Pedersoli does. It feels a bit uncomfortable to shoot for any length of time as ones neck has to crane to see through the sights.

My disabled mate seems to manage it well shooting offhand from his wheel chair.The boys suggested he shoot from a bench but he won't do it. Last time out he came second, despite the fouling problem.

He is not one to complain but he has only started MLoading in the last 12 months so he doesn't have experience to diagnose problems. One we get his fouling problems sorted we will all need to watch out.

Cheers
Grahame