Pietta 1858 Remington Navy Nipple - Percussion Cap Question

[bedbugbilly]

I got a Pietta 1858 Remington Navy .36 from Cabelas last summer and finally have had a chance to clean it, polish it, stroke it - all the good things that you do to a Remmie and am getting ready to put new faux ivory grips on it.  I FINALLY got the nipples removed that "Egor" must have installed at the factory.  I am wintering in AZ and I grabbed some tins of caps from my stash and brought them out just in case I had an opportunity to shoot it out here - sadly, I haven't.  I'm getting ready to go back to Michigan for the summer and am looking forward to hearing it go boom.  At any rate . . . .  when I had the stock nipples out, I tried some of the caps on them and they were too big (diameter wise).  I've alwasy used #11 on my longarms and I have a bunch of them to use up.  I'd like to replace the stock nipples with better ones.  I checked at Track of the Wolf and they show a "6-75mm" nipple for the Pietta Remington.  They have them in either stainless or Ampco.  Can I get some feedback on which would be better?  Also, it states that they are for a #11 cap.  I have some tins of CCI, as well as German caps (Vorderlader-Zundhutchen) and I even have a number of tins of Dixie Gun Works #11 caps that I bought way back in the 60s or 70s.  My next question is - is a #11 cap the same size from the various manufacturers?  I know - if it is too big just pinch it.  But, I want to set the revolver up right so that it has a good set of nipples and caps that fit tightly and correctly.  I keep hearing about Treso nipples - are they better than Ampco or the same?  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  I used to have a chart on cap sizes but have misplaced it over the years.  If I remember correctly, caps come in #10, #11 and #12 with #10 being smaller and #12 being larger.  Is that correct?  Thanks for any help annd info.  Sincerely, bdbug   

[Pettifogger]

What you want are Tresos (Ampco) and Remington 10s.  Best combo going, will eliminate most cap related problems.

[Flint]

As Pettifogger said, Remington #10.  (#11 are generally rifle caps).  As to size, in order, CCI#10, Rem #10, CCI #11, Rem #11.  Other brands may fit in between, above or below....

I prefer Ampco/Treso as they are bronze, and won't rust, are easier on the hammer nose if struck, the nipple is damaged first, and is cheaper than a hammer.  A stainless nipple may be harder than the hammer.

As you got the revolver from Cabelas, it is a Pietta.  I have found the Pietta hammer nose seldom matches the angle of the nipples, the hammer usually strikes the top edge of the nipple, denting both hammer and nipple, and causing some misfires...

With a file, adjust the angle of the hammer's nose until it matches the face of the nipples.  Do this after you have replaced the nipples with the Treso or other, as not all brands of nipples are the same height.  Also, check each chamber as there might be a difference in the depth of the nipple wells on the cylinder, adjust for the shortest one, if any.  You want the hammer to just miss striking the nipple face by a hair, so that you don't damage either part striking a capless nipple.  (this does not legitimize dry firing).  Careful you don't shorten the hammer so much as to not fire the caps.

[Cookie]

@Flint - thanks for the info. I didn't realize there was a size difference between Remington & CCI caps. (That should come in handy.)

But I definitely have an issue with the angle of impact of the hammer being off. I've already had to replace the nipples on 2 of the 3 cylinders I own because they are so beat out of shape.

The question is - what's the best method for getting the proper angle. Since the hammer-nipple point of contact isn't really visible, how do I determine the proper angle to file the hammer down to? Other than trial and error, I don't see an obvious way of doing this? 

[bedbugbilly]

I too thank him for the information as it is very helpful!  My apologies for not getting back sooner to extend my thanks!

I haven't looked at my revolver really well but I figured that I might try polishing the face of the hammer, put something like inlet blacking on the nipple and then gently touch the hammer to the nipple to make a transfer of where it is hitting.  With careful filing of the hammer face during a number of "checkings" to see what the contact is, eventually the hammer will be carefully filed until the outline of the end of the cone shows on the hammer face.  Does this sound like a feasible plan?  Anyone have any other suggestions on methods of doing it or what to use on the nipple to transfer the contact points to the face of the hammer?  Many thanks!   

[River City John]

Bedbugbilly, from the archives.


http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,24139.msg316437/topicseen.html#msg316437


As to fancy blacking, just light a candle and smoke the face of the hammer. Beware of too light a hammer spring, also, if you change out the spring for easier thumbing of the hammer. You want a certain amount of strength to avoid rebounding.

RCJ