ThunderRidge vs Treso Nipples

Buckshot Mitchell · May 19, 2006, 11:49:57 AM

I asked this on the Open Range, but will ask it here also. I'm interested in changing the nipples on my 51 and 61 Navys. One is a
Uberti and the other is a Cimarron/Uberti. I understand from what I see posted, that the Treso nipples work great with Remington #10 caps and ThunderRidge nipples will work with CCI #11's. The reason I'm interested in your opinions is that I can find CCI's in town with out having to pay the HazMat fee. So if you have used the ThunderRidge nipples does this
hold true in your experiences? If it does, I'll probably go with the ThunderRidge nipples. Thanks for your replies.

44caliberkid · May 21, 2006, 01:15:10 AM

I have two sets of Thunderridge nipples and one set of Tressos. I use #11 Remingtons on the Thunderidge nips, those are the only ones I can get to fully seat on them, CCI #11 's will work with a cap pusher tool to fully seat them.
And yes, Tressos use #10's or #1075's.
While it is a pain, it would seem that having the nipples turned to an exact fit for whatever cap you want to use, may be the way to go if your going to shoot C&B alot.

Fox Creek Kid · May 21, 2006, 09:07:30 AM

I have a set of Treso nipples for an Uberti '60 Army & a set of Thunder Ridge's proprietary nipples for a Pietta '58 and both are a perfect for for Remington #10 caps.

Buckshot Mitchell · May 22, 2006, 06:18:30 AM

Thanks for the info.

44caliberkid, do the #11 Remingtons stay on pretty good or do they have a tendency to fall off? Do you need to squeeze them to get them to stay on?

44caliberkid · May 22, 2006, 08:57:02 AM

The number 11 Remingtons are not what I would call a "snug" fit, but they do go all the way on the nipple, and don't missfire. I only shoot C&B in CAS competion and haven't had one ever fall off. As a concern for taking up time at the loading table, I use them so I don't have to use additional time pushing the caps on with a stick.

44caliberkid · May 23, 2006, 08:29:01 AM

I've never been able to find Remington #10 to try. Remington #11's are the biggest (inside diameter) #11's that are made. I find they fit most Italian made C&B revolver factory nipples well enough to work properly. Since you have already ordered Tressos however, I would try CCI #10 and 11's, or RWS #1075's, if you can find them. I like them to slide (bottom out) all the way down the nipple, then they go off first time every time. To save you from buying 4 different kinds of caps, ask other cap and ball shooters if you can try a few of theirs, till you find the right one. Use one that goes all the way down without having to use a cap pusher. The recoil shield on Colt pattern guns keeps them from coming off.

Fox Creek Kid · May 23, 2006, 09:44:59 AM

I'll differ here. You want to have to push the caps slightly to fully seat IMHO for a sure ignition as well as not having spent caps not falling into the action. CCI #10's fit nothing in my experience as they are too small. Same for the RWS 1075's. I can use Remington #11's in a "pinch" (pun intended). You never want loose caps as that is where chain fires begin, not at the chamber mouth. River City John, give the CCI 10's to your mother in law & get some Remington caps.

Flinch Morningwood · May 31, 2006, 10:43:04 AM

I have the TRM nipples on my 1858 Remingtons and have had no problems with the caps staying on...however, I am having trouble finding a good capper. The one that came with the pistols (Pietta/Cabelas) is too big and the caps flip over/etc...also , it's really too big to fit in the space above the nipple...

Can anyone recommend a good capper???

Arcey · May 31, 2006, 11:26:44 AM

Not knowing any better I bought a Knight straight line thingy. Nothing else was hangin' on the peg board. Works fine with my '58.

Tommy tornado · February 22, 2008, 09:09:08 PM

Is thunder ridge still in business? Do they still have a website?

Ransom Gaer · February 22, 2008, 11:23:20 PM

Here is Thunderridhes website. http://www.thunder-ridge.com/muzzleloading_traditional.php As far as I kniow they are still in business.

Ransom Gaer

Steel Horse Bailey · February 23, 2008, 11:12:18 AM

Howdy!

Talk about resurrecting an old - but still current post. For percussion caps I have some CCI #11s, #11 Ms, and #10s. I also have Remington #11s.

Recently I bought a Colt Dragoon. I found TRESO nips at Thunder Ridge Muzzleloading. http://www.thunder-ridge.com/categories.php?cat=67 When they arrived, I immediately tried the CCI # 10s, since I didn't have any Rem #10s which are recommended. Too little. Both types of CCI #11s - too big. The Remington # 11s fit perfectly, but that leads me to think that the Rem # 10s would be too small! Mine are seated perfectly; snug and secure and won't fall of from firing or jostling, but they fire 1st time, every time. The fact that the cap remnants fall off is due MUCH more to the flash of ignition pushing and/or splitting the cap, rather than from being a tight fit on the nipple. The TRM and TRESO nips, as well as the old Uncle Mike's which I don't think are available anymore, have smaller flash holes than most factory nipples. This minimizes the amount of flash going toward the shooter's face when the charge is ignited and helps the spent cap stay where it should. The spring tension from the hammer does more to keep the spent cap on than the tension of the nipple skirt. By the way, TRM didn't make the nipples I needed, so the TRESOs (which I actually wanted) were my only choice. The TRM nips are stainless steel and the TRESOs are Ampco - a copper, bronze and other metals alloy of recent make. They're also a real pretty golden color - when new.

On an historical note ... This is what I've HEARD - I don't know this from 1st hand experience. Back during the (un)Civil War, the Colt pistols were more highly favored for battle use than the Remingtons, even tho' the Remingtons are stronger, and by some accounts, more accurate. It seems that back then, the Colts didn't have many problems from cap remains fall into the pistol action, but the Remingtons did. This is opposite from the experiences of modern shooters, myself included. Why? Apparently, most of the caps back then were made of a metal closer to foil in its thickness and strength and the Colts, have a more open hammer channel were easier to get rid of any cap remains than did the Rems. Nowadays, the caps are much sturdier and thicker, and the Remington design seems to have an advantage.

Adios, amigos! Keep yer powder dry.

Fox Creek Kid · February 23, 2008, 11:19:38 AM

Bailey, the original Colt Dragoons took a #12 cap which is no longer made. I found an almost full box of 1,000 a few years back at a gun shop and bought 'em. They are Remington.

Steel Horse Bailey · February 23, 2008, 11:31:38 AM

AHA! T hat explains a lot. Mine is a 2nd Gen., 1st Model Colt, and when it arrived, the nipples looked odder than ANY I'd seen - and were too big for ANY type of cap I had. They are the LONGEST nips I've seen. Even the TRESOs look odd because of their length. Actually, they didn't even list the Colt 1st Mods. in their chart. I called and talked to their guy. Problem is, I don't remember what I ended up ordering, but it MAY have been the ones listed for the Uberti Walker. It came and was, in fast, about .005" shorter than the originals, but since the hammer actually lightly touched, the slightly shorter length is an improvement.

Ransom Gaer · February 23, 2008, 09:18:19 PM

Steel Horse,

On all of my c&b revolvers except one I have the Treso nipples on them. The one that doesn't has the Thunderridge proprietary ones. All are good. I use nothing but #10 Remingtons on them. I don't have cap fragments in the action with them installed. A definite improvement.

QuoteOn an historical note ... This is what I've HEARD - I don't know this from 1st hand experience. Back during the (un)Civil War, the Colt pistols were more highly favored for battle use than the Remingtons, even tho' the Remingtons are stronger, and by some accounts, more accurate. It seems that back then, the Colts didn't have many problems from cap remains fall into the pistol action, but the Remingtons did. This is opposite from the experiences of modern shooters, myself included. Why? Apparently, most of the caps back then were made of a metal closer to foil in its thickness and strength and the Colts, have a more open hammer channel were easier to get rid of any cap remains than did the Rems. Nowadays, the caps are much sturdier and thicker, and the Remington design seems to have an advantage.

What you said there is interesting. When my Remingtons were still c&b they didn't have fragment problems and my Colt's did. I wonder what size of flashhole nipple of that period had also.

Ransom Gaer

Pettifogger · February 23, 2008, 11:11:34 PM

Kind of a moot point. The guy that used to make the TRM nipples quit making them. Thunder Ridge still has Tresos, however.

Flint · February 24, 2008, 12:47:28 AM

In order of size, smaller to larger, CCI#10, Remington #10, CCI #11, Remington #11. I don't know where the RWS fits in, as I haven't tried them on a Treso or TR.

Oliver Loving · February 25, 2008, 06:48:28 PM

Buckshot, I ordered Tresso nipples from thunder ridge and received them Friday night. I was shooting the "Hot Lead" event at the "Deadwood Marshalls" this past weekend. So I got all ten cyclinders done. I changed five nipples on every cyclinder. On Saturday we shot seven stages. I used Remmington #10's and did not have one cap problem or miss-fire. (Notice I said miss-fire not miss.)

We even had a five round load on the clock. I was allowed to cap an extra cyclinder and have it in my pocket or pouch. I chose to stage it on the rail since the instruction didn't say on your person. Exchange went smooth and had no miss-fires, and a clean stage. On Sunday I had three stages to shoot Not a cap lost until the last stage. I had to load one on the clock on both of my 58's and you may very well guess the Uberti nipple slung the #10 cap. I'm going to order two my packs of nipples tonight and a couple more cyclinders. It was a fun shoot with a lot of moving and swinging targets. See you soon.
Oliver

Flint · February 25, 2008, 08:06:58 PM

Referring to the original question, many shooters, including me have opened up the nipple port on the cylinder to allow a cash or Thompson Center snail capper nose in.

It can be done (carefully) with a Dremel tool and sanding drum (the small one) or on a mill with an end mill cutter.

Major Matt Lewis · April 06, 2008, 11:58:07 PM

I am shooting C&B this year and have some Treso Nipples on the 1851 Navy's. I have been using #10 Remington caps and have am a bit preplexed as they seem a bit too small on one revolver and the other one, they are fine. It is the same story with CCI #10's. They will not fit on one of them. The Remington #10's also tend to split when seated on. They still fire but I bet I need to migrate to the #11 Remingtons. The caps also have a bad tendancy to flower after fire and jam up the pistol and not fully seat. So, I think that is a result of too small of a cap.