Nipple Question

[Bum Steer]

Howdy
My daughter has been having a problen with her 60 Armies. One is fine, the other has 2 cylinders that frequently won't pop a cap. I've indentified the culprits and I found if I back the nipple out about 1/3 turn the work perfectly. They are Tresso with Rem #10. Seems like they need to be shimmed but we got a BP State Championship this weekend. What would I shim with? 1/3 turn can't be over a thousandth. Question is if I leave em backed a just a little will I damage the threads on the nipples or cylinder? At least to get by the shoot

[Adirondack Jack]

One can buy shim washers, but for a short term fix, try wrapping the shoulder of the nipple with a couple of turns of small copper wire and snugging em down on top of it.  Make sure to trim the wire ends so they ain't in the way.

[Singing Bear]

Like AJ said.  Don't know where I got it from, but I gots a big spool of copper wire for electric motor rewinding.  I just give the threads a wrap or two and snug them down.  More or less to match the heights of nipples that fire properly.  Personally,  I would not leave them loose. 

Strange you'd have that problem with Tresos.  I've found them to be on the long side and had to shorten them.

[sundance44`s]

What ever ya do don`t leave those nipples loose .. i`ve had loose nipples blow out before ..bad things can happen . Maybe a hammer spring tightening ? might be hard on her thumb but might help in the going off dept.

[rifle]

I've seen occaisions where the hammer hits the frame somewhere in the frames hammer cut out. A high spot somewhere that stops the hammer from falling far enough. In that case the hammer has to be filed. The spot can be found simply by using a thin coat of grease or Prussian Blue to show where the hammer hits the frame.
There are instances where the hammer would be able to reach the nipples but doesn't because of the cylinder gap being too wide and the hand pushes the cylinder forward. That is a case for checking to see if the barrel wedge is getting to the point of needing replacement. If the gun never did pop caps well it could be that it came from the factory with a wide cylinder gap because the breech end of the barrel was milled a few .001's too much and the arbor(Pietta) is bottomed in the barrels arbor hole so even a new wedge can't bring the barrel back far enough. If that is the case the gun should have gone back to the retailer because some somewhat extensive gunsmithing would need to be done. Work that would set the barrel back a few .001's. That entails milling the barrel lug where it meets the frame,checking to see that the frame pins at the front will not be too long for the holes in the barrels lug,drilling the holes if needed, checking to see if the factory barrel wedge can still get the barrel tight. If not fabricate a new wide wedge or set the arbors slot rearward with a weld and file job. That all seems like a little "much" but you gotta do whast you gotta do.  If things are well enough with the gun and the cylinder gap but maybe the nipples seats were milled a little too deep then to rid the nipples of the copper wire the hammer can be built up with weld to make it reach a little further. Well none of that would be a quicky fix to make it to the shoot but....I figured the insight may be a help to someone not as well versed in the mechanics of a Colt cap&ball revolver as an old timer may be. Of course finding a spot where the hammer hits the frame and stops it from reaching the caps well enough would be easy enough to get rid of. A diamond file to hone down some of the hammer can be used in good time. If the wedge is too used up to get the barrel back that last few .001's and a new spare wedge can't be found then ......the wedge can be put on the anvile part of the vise and have a piece of flat steel layed on it and wanged a good one or three with a heavy hammer to widen the wedge edges back out some. The hammer can be softened and hammer forged to streatch out the nose of it and then be rehardened. That can get the hammer to the caps sometimes. Well this is long enough and may not get read fer the length of it so....

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho the fire,

I've had similar confusion.  After a while I learned the tactile difference between nipples.  Thank heavens, I finally got their names straight. . . .

DD-DLoS

[Montana Slim]

I've purchased several sets of std cones from Pietta for my assorted C&B's. Then selectively fit to the gun until 100% ignition is achieved (or best guess ). Will resort to modify with drill/file/emory paper if needed.

Good lucj,
Slim