Best nipple wrench for 1858 rem?

[Kev18]

I have an original Remington 1858. Not worried about collector value as it doesn't have any. I was wondering if anyone knew of a solid nipple wrench for taking off the nipples. They are torqued in there pretty tight. I have a pietta wrench that I stripped.
I'm thinking of letting the cylinder soak in diesel to take a bit of rust off.
Is there a brand that's abit more solid?
Also, one of the original nipples chipped at the tip? Would it still be safe to shoot that one or would pressure escape from underneath the cap?

[KCSO]

Do NOT shoot a damage nipple unless you like fireworks and injury, the blow by is the cause of most chain fires and loose or damaged nipples the main problem. First soak it for a week in Eds Red or PB Blaster than use a dremel tool and make a wrench head from an old 1/4 socket grinding with out over heating then use a 1/4 drive wrench to drive the bit. Some may be so rusted in you will have to drill them out and lots of the old ones are case hardened and will take a carbide drill bit. I do a lot of these and the more soak time the easier they come out.

[Conditor22]

mix acetone and ATF 50/50 and soak the cylinder for a day of 2 and see if the nipples don't come out easier. if not try a little heat. The Remington has a smaller hole around the nipple thus a thinner wrench. I always lube my nipples to prevent this. You could try sanding down the Pietta wrench to just fit.

[Kev18]

im letting it soak in diesel. Never would have thought of making a wrench out of a socket... Makes sense! Thanks!

[Geezer in NH]

Ted cash makes a sweet one.
https://www.cabelas.com/product/Ted-...nch/706445.uts

[Kev18]

Ted cash makes a sweet one.
https://www.cabelas.com/product/Ted-...nch/706445.uts

Nice! Il try to make my own. If it doesnt work. Il get that.

[Green Frog]

The Ted Cash wrench is nice, but too thick for my Uberti repro, so I’m betting it would be even worse in your original. At the North-South Skirmish Association’s Nationals I got a wrench that was actually intended for a Colt... it has an Allen wrench to turn the simple notched tube that fits down over the base of the nipple. I got mine from Lodgewood’s.

Froggie

[Kev18]

I just tried to unscrew them. two came out. The rest are stuck there. I took a propane torch and heated the nipples abit. Nothing happened. The cylinder had been soaking in diesel for a day.

I ordered a nipple wrench on ebay made from a nice socket. I tried making one but it wasnt accurate and bent. So I through it in the trash.

maybe il fill the cylinder up with penetrating oil?

[Bent Ramrod]

For really stuck or rusted-in nipples, no regular nipple wrench will do much more than twist itself open to uselessness.

A friend bought a used replica Spiller & Burr revolver and mangled his nipple wrench trying to get them out. I copied the wrench using a 3” or so piece of drill rod, tapered small enough at the end to fit closely in the cylinder sockets, drilled in the center to just clear the cones, and sawed and filed across the middle to engage the two opposite flats without any slop or clearance. This was left full length, drilled crossways halfway down for a long rod handle, and hardened and drawn to blue.

We clamped the cylinder in the drill press vise with leather to keep from marring it, put the “wrench” in the chuck, and by turning and reclamping the vise and manipulating the drill press lever and the long handle, managed to jack the nipples out without damage to them or the cylinder, although the “wrench” was a little spread and battered by the time the ordeal was over.

I was able to squeeze and peen the twisted flats back. Probably should have left it a little harder.

It is very possible to wreck the cylinder doing extreme removal operations like this.

[Kev18]

For really stuck or rusted-in nipples, no regular nipple wrench will do much more than twist itself open to uselessness.

A friend bought a used replica Spiller & Burr revolver and mangled his nipple wrench trying to get them out. I copied the wrench using a 3” or so piece of drill rod, tapered small enough at the end to fit closely in the cylinder sockets, drilled in the center to just clear the cones, and sawed and filed across the middle to engage the two opposite flats without any slop or clearance. This was left full length, drilled crossways halfway down for a long rod handle, and hardened and drawn to blue.

We clamped the cylinder in the drill press vise with leather to keep from marring it, put the “wrench” in the chuck, and by turning and reclamping the vise and manipulating the drill press lever and the long handle, managed to jack the nipples out without damage to them or the cylinder, although the “wrench” was a little spread and battered by the time the ordeal was over.

I was able to squeeze and peen the twisted flats back. Probably should have left it a little harder.

It is very possible to wreck the cylinder doing extreme removal operations like this.

Its possible that il break the cylinder. I don't want to but it might... Its an original cylinder. It's soaking In penetrating oil now. I don't have any tools now, il wait for the one I ordered.

[mazo kid]

I have an original '58 that had battered nipples. I soaked the cylinder end in several kinds of penetrating oil, managed to ruin 3 nipple wrenches with not one loosening. I made a wrench from a socket; made it so it was a very tight fit over the nipple. Put the wrench in my 1/4" electric impact driver and every one of those stuck nipples walked right out. Replacement nipples from Lodgewood were installed with a bit of anti-seize so that won't happen again!

[falmike]

If the nipples are trash anyway, why not just screw an easy out tool, aka screw extractor, into the flash hole?

https://shop.brownells.com/gunsmith-...CACEgJRp_D_BwE

P.S. You shouldn’t heat the nipples. Makes them expand for a tighter fit. Chill them or heat the cylinder

[Gtek]

All good ideas for attempts above, many ways to skin the cat. Each scenario has many variables, just keep trying with forward thinking of not to damage cylinder. Patience will be your friend! Put in freezer a day or two, pull out and hair dryer/heat gun till hot as it will go and hit with penetrating oil. One thing I do and use a lot at work, a big bad battery drill with a clutch. Get cylinder held rigid (padded vise) and whatever you are using chucked up in the drill. Lean in hard and start out at 2-3 and let it hammer on it a bit, then start increasing clutch, hammer again 3-4 seconds, increase again. Acting as an impact gun majority of time they will spin out.

[Kev18]

I have an original '58 that had battered nipples. I soaked the cylinder end in several kinds of penetrating oil, managed to ruin 3 nipple wrenches with not one loosening. I made a wrench from a socket; made it so it was a very tight fit over the nipple. Put the wrench in my 1/4" electric impact driver and every one of those stuck nipples walked right out. Replacement nipples from Lodgewood were installed with a bit of anti-seize so that won't happen again!

Never would of thought about an impact... Genius.

[Green Frog]

I have an original '58 that had battered nipples. I soaked the cylinder end in several kinds of penetrating oil, managed to ruin 3 nipple wrenches with not one loosening. I made a wrench from a socket; made it so it was a very tight fit over the nipple. Put the wrench in my 1/4" electric impact driver and every one of those stuck nipples walked right out. Replacement nipples from Lodgewood were installed with a bit of anti-seize so that won't happen again!

Plus 1 to your last phrase! Once you have paid for previous sins, anoint the nipples with a touch of anti-seize to prevent falling back into sin!

I have a little range box with ammo and accessories I need for the Remington on the line at N-SSA and you can bet it has one of Lodgewood’s wrenches and a little container of anti-seize grease!

Happy Thanksgiving and Good Luck!
The Green Frog (ready to be stuffed tomorrow!)

[Kev18]

I have an original '58 that had battered nipples. I soaked the cylinder end in several kinds of penetrating oil, managed to ruin 3 nipple wrenches with not one loosening. I made a wrench from a socket; made it so it was a very tight fit over the nipple. Put the wrench in my 1/4" electric impact driver and every one of those stuck nipples walked right out. Replacement nipples from Lodgewood were installed with a bit of anti-seize so that won't happen again!

Who makes replacement nipples? Are there a few companies or just the one mentioned? Replicas dont work, way to big.

[mazo kid]

I don't know if any others make replacement nipples for original Remington revolvers, but Lodgewood has modern-made replacement nipples with correct thread size in stock. They also stock a modern-made cylinder for original revolvers. I have purchased both; price is very reasonable. One of my original cylinders has what may be a crack (haven't checked it out yet) so I wanted a cylinder...just in case.

[Kev18]

I don't know if any others make replacement nipples for origina Remington revolvers, but Lodgewood has modern-made replacement nipples with correct thread size in stock. They also stock a modern-made cylinder for original revolvers. I have purchased both; price is very reasonable. One of my original cylinders has what may be a crack (haven't checked it out yet) so I wanted a cylinder...just in case.

Sadly it is a ,44 cal cylinder.,

[Green Frog]

S&S in NY has a lot of parts for CW vintage arms, both repro and some originals. Of course Dixie carries lots of good replacement parts as well. I'm spoiled, I guess... all three of the companies mentioned in these threads come to Vendors' Row at Ft Shenandoah (Winchester, VA) for the Spring and Fall Nationals of N-SSA each year, so I can peruse their goodies and stock up as needed.

Froggie