Ignition problems.

[dondiego]

I recently brought home a brand new Traditions Crockett .32 cal rifle. I finally just got around to shoot it today. I put a cap on the nipple and squeezed. The hammer fell but the cap did not go off. I of course snapped it again on the same cap with same result. It didn't seem like the cap was even being contacted by the hammer. I tried a new cap with same result. I then tried a different brand of cap with no luck. I took the nipple off and went to see if I had a taller nipple..........nope, not one with he correct threads anyway. Finally, I put the original nipple back on but I didn't screw it all of the way down. The cap fired. Couple of questions -

#1 - Do any of you know the thread size on these rifles nipples made in Spain?
#2 - Are taller nipples available?
#3 - Have any of you experienced this on a new rifle and what was your fix?
#4 - I have heard of guys heating the hammer and bending, but this is a new rifle - will that procedure void my warranty?

Thanks in advance

Don

[tomme boy]

Is the hammer hitting the cap square? I know the threads are metric. Not sure what they are. Any of the CVA and Tradition nipples should work. Look on the package and it will tell you the thread.

[docone31]

Have you looked into the hammer? Mine did that untill I found some cap fragments stuck in the hammer.
TOW has numbers for nipples for different firearms. I prefer their Ampco nipples.

[451 Pete]

With a brand new gun there should not be any issues. At any rate I certainly would not bend the hammer to cure a problem that may be solved with a taller nipple ... especially with the gun being brand new. The thread size on many of the foreign guns is a 6 mm thread which very well may be what you have. I think I would get ahold of the folks you got it from and explain the problem. The may just send you a correct nipple for the gun.

just my thoughts ... Pete

[dondiego]

Tomme - It is hard to tell if it actually being hit square but it seems to be. It doesn't hit it at all when the nipple is seated all of the way.
docone31 - The hammer is as clean as brand new! ........cause it is.
451 Pete- I agree there should be no issues. The store that I bought it from is 4 hours form my home or I would pay them a visit to get their take on it. I will be checking in a taller nipple from TOW or Cabela's. I live 8 miles from a Cabela's so not too bad. They never have anything tha tI need though.

Thanks for all of your prompt replies.

Don

[s mac]

I used to have a sidelock that would sometimes not pop the cap, I found that the nipple was slightly to large in diameter, the cap would not press down fully seated. I filed the nipple diameter enough to seat, still snug fit. Problem solved. s mac

[curdog]

I work at a local gunshop, awhile back I sold two crockett rifles and they wouldnt pop caps. I called the traditions service center and they had some issues with the hammers. I sent them to be serviced and they fixed the problem. You might give them a call.

[GunSlingerNM]

Nipples are 6x1 mm. Good luck getting Traditions to help. When I had problems with their products they would not even bother to reply to me emails.

[OverMax]

If you can find one. 6X1 mm. Knight Nipple.
A knight Red Hot sits taller. I have them on all my rifles. Never have had a misfire regardless of the brand of cap/s I chose to use.

[johnson1942]

their is a easy soulution to your problem, and that is a magspark 209 primer conversion nipple in the thread that fits your gun. if your very traditional you may not considerit but this kind of nipple dates back to the late 1860/s. warrencustomoutdoors.com sells them and has the size to fit your gun. it will go of every time all the time.

[tomme boy]

Sounds like the hammer is not traveling far enough. Take off the lock plate and look to see how the hammer travel is limited. See if it can be modified to have more travel.

I would join this forumhttp://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/index.php? There are some very knowledgeable people that live and breathe muzzle loaders on there. Just don't talk about anything inline type of shooting or scopes. Someone there will have the fix or they will know where to send the lock to have it fixed.

[dondiego]

These are all good suggestions! Thank you all. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

[fouronesix]

Sounds like the hammer is not traveling far enough. Take off the lock plate and look to see how the hammer travel is limited. See if it can be modified to have more travel.

That's what I would do. Easy, doesn't cost anything and with a little study and effort may reveal a fairly simple remedy. Also check for wood interference with any of the moving lock works including the hammer.

The hammer on most cap locks should have more travel, once the sear releases, than what is described in the OP.

[ofitg]

Another quick & dirty fix might be to install a washer (maybe .02" or .03" thick) under the nipple...

[Sergeant Earthworm]

will that procedure void my warranty?

A possibility: The mainspring may be in contact with the stock, preventing the hammer from striking the cap with enough force to fire the cap.

I had a minor problem with a Traditions gun I bought new a few years ago. Contacted Traditions, sent the gun to them, they fixed it and sent it back. Good folks.

Any modification to the gun will void your warranty. Heating and bending the hammer could easily make it brittle and subject to breakage.

[lancem]

Yeah I'd pull the lock and be sure that things are not hitting the stock with it mounted, I bet with it out of the gun it moves much further than when it's installed, little knife work and you'll be on your way.

[wgr]

take the hammer off. look on the back side you will see a raised stop on it. take a drimel tool and work it down till the hammer hits the nipple. go slow and try it often

[dondiego]

take the hammer off. look on the back side you will see a raised stop on it. take a drimel tool and work it down till the hammer hits the nipple. go slow and try it often

wqr - That is exactly what I did based on the suggestions. I pulled the lock and found the "limiting nub" of metal on the hammer that contacts the lock plate and used a file and a stone to remove enough metal to have the hammer just contact the nipple. Fires the cap every time now as long as there isn't an old cap stuck in the hammer nose. I have to use a pick to remove almost every spent cap now.