Tricks getting out frozen screws & nipples from BP revolvers

[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/nika...ead-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.