MSM Spitfire nipple review

[54bore]

My first and last MSM Spitfire, not sure exactly how many shots i have on this nipple, somewhere between 20-30 shots, this was in my Lyman Great Plains Hunter .54 Cal, Bullets are obviously BIG and HEAVY 460 to 530 Grains, stil not very many shots on a nipple to be worn this badly, the Treso/Ampco nipples have been holding up really well for me, No comparison in them and this Spitjunk nipple. Here is the Spitfire beside a new Treso/Ampco (Maybe i got a bad one?)

197969

[curator]

Stainless steel nipples cannot match the wear resistance of ampco nipples. There are several "ampco" alloys, and Treso does not reveal exactly which one it is using to make their nipples. Ampco beryllium-bronze (or copper-aluminum) alloy is used in space-age rocket components where resistance to high heat and erosive gas is needed. It is also no where as costly as Platinum which may be a bit better. Personally, I find $75 to $100 for a Platinum lined nipple a bit pricey even if it lasts twice as long as an Ampco nipple that coast less than $10 with shipping. I use Ampco nipples from Treso on my long-range muzzle loading rifles that shoot heavy bullets. On average they need to be replaced when the flash hole gets enlarged to .04" using a welding torch wire gauge. This usually takes about 800 to 1000 shots. When the flash hole enlarges past .06" not only does accuracy degrade but the hammer is some times driven back to half-cock when the gun is fired.

[rodwha]

Now I feel I should check my SS ToTW nipples on my ROA.

[54bore]

Stainless steel nipples cannot match the wear resistance of ampco nipples. There are several "ampco" alloys, and Treso does not reveal exactly which one it is using to make their nipples. Ampco beryllium-bronze (or copper-aluminum) alloy is used in space-age rocket components where resistance to high heat and erosive gas is needed. It is also no where as costly as Platinum which may be a bit better. Personally, I find $75 to $100 for a Platinum lined nipple a bit pricey even if it lasts twice as long as an Ampco nipple that coast less than $10 with shipping. I use Ampco nipples from Treso on my long-range muzzle loading rifles that shoot heavy bullets. On average they need to be replaced when the flash hole gets enlarged to .04" using a welding torch wire gauge. This usually takes about 800 to 1000 shots. When the flash hole enlarges past .06" not only does accuracy degrade but the hammer is some times driven back to half-cock when the gun is fired.

Good post curator! Lot of folks dont realize the importance of a nipple, in the sense that they DO wear out, and if you are shooting big heavy bullets and big powder charges they wear out a BUNCH faster. BACO carries the Treso/Ampco nipples, i buy them by the half dozen nearly everytime i am in there, they are less than 5 bucks, or right at it. They are no doubt the most durable nipple i have ever used

[54bore]

And then you got guys that drill them out thinking the small hole isn't allowing enough spark to the powder, when likely they have a corroded Patented breech/Ante chamber they never knew existed

[jjarrell]

After seeing the pic of your two nipples I checked the ones in my rifles as I use the spitfires. I could visually see the flash hole was enlarged compared to a new one. I had almost 1000 shots on the one I checked. I shoot round balls with a fairly heavy 90gr charge of 3f Olde Eynsford. Round balls produce lower chamber pressures than conicals and I attribute that to the longer use I got from the spitfire I was using. It had reached .036" where the new ones are about .026-.028" for the flash hole. I have 4 Accra-Shot primer adapters that use small rifle primers and am going to see how accuracy is with those. I like the idea of a closed breech. I could be wrong but I would think a closed breech would be more consistent. Also the Remington 7 1/2 small rifle primer is very hot (of which I have over 1000 in my reloading stock) with the highest brisance of all small rifle primers, but not quite as explosive as a 209.