Cap Problems

[kbuck]

Hoping for your forgiveness, as this question only partly involves caps. I have a sidelock that  frequently fails to detonate the caps. I noticed that the hammer does not line up squarely with the nipple, sometimes it catches on the rim of the hammer instead of fully engaging the flat face. The lock screw seems to be getting loose and allowing the lock to move out from the stock just enough to cause the poor line up. Even when the screw is tight, the hammer face just barely clears the nipple top. Is there any way to correct this without heating and changing the curve of the hammer? I hope this can clear up my cap problems. Thanks.

[necchi]

What kind of gun is it? Make and model.

[kbuck]

Thanks, Necchi: It is a T/C Seneca. At first I thought I had a weak mainspring. That was before I saw the rim of the hammer face hitting the top of the nipple. Tightening the lock screw pulls the lock tighter to the line of the nipple, but it just barely clears the hammer face rim.

[necchi]

Oh boy,,a Seneca! I never had one, and that they are getting rare, I hessitate to give ya advise. The hammer should line up proper just buy holding lock in the mortise without the screw. Could be someone else before you has messed with it and now your have to figgure out what they did!

I see your new, I'm gonna send ya a PM and that should pop-up a window for ya to read it.,,

perhaps others have some ideas

[DennyRoark]

You might try a "Hot Shot" brand nipple, they are a little longer.  As for the screw backing out, you can wrap 2 laps of thin teflon tape around the threads, that usually helps.  On my first Hawken, I dipped the rear sight mount screws in Kool-aid.  They liked to back out and I never had anymore problems.  I hesitate to say blue loktite, as it is firmer to remove and you could end up with a screwdriver slipping and gouging your stock.  I bet if you dipped the threads in thick koolaid or maybe RC Cola each time you put your lock back on, it will solve that problem.  If you bend your hammer to fit, T/C won't take it back if they catch it.  A longer or shorter nipple will probably solve that problem.  Let us know...

[Hopalong7]

     The Senica uses the smaller size nipple which will limit your choices somewhat.  If it's out of alignment perpendicular to the barrel you may have to look at shimming the hammer in or out a little bit
Walt

[Cuts Crooked]

I've run into that problem before and it can be fixed with a dremal tool iffin yer carefull. I've opened up the "cup" of the hammer face with a small grinding head on a dremal tool on a couple of guns that weren't hitting prezactly square and were striking on the edge of the cup just a little bit. If you try this, go slow and use the "cut 'n try" method.

[S.S.]

     The Senica uses the smaller size nipple which will limit your choices somewhat.  If it's out of alignment perpendicular to the barrel you may have to look at shimming the hammer in or out a little bit
Walt

+1

[kbuck]

Pulled the lock and noticed that the screws holding the lock parts were loose. Tightened them all up. There were three - I think. Anyway, replaced the lock and could tell that the hammer face was still coming down off center to the nipple. There is just barely enough room for the cap wall to pass between the nipple and the inside of the hammer rim. Rifle doesn't seem to have any FTF problems, so I'll leave it alone. Thanks for the advice. BTW, still have 26 days of squirrel hunting here.

[gcrank1]

This is often caused by inletting of the lockplate too deep or someone torqueing down the lockplate screw like a Chevy headbolt, thus compressing the wood deeper or even bending the lockplate. If the lockplate is pretty well flush with the wood mortise and otherwise fits around the bolster correctly you wont need to 're-bed' the plate (if it is flat). Bending the hammer isnt hard if heated properly and then does provide the impact in the hammerface cup.

[AtlLaw]

+1 on what gcrank1 said!  This is probably one of the easiest things to screw up when building a rifle...    Don't ask me how I know...    I always thought bending the hammer was pretty drastic though... 

[Winter Hawk]

You could always contact T-C.  The last I checked, they still have a lifetime warranty and all it would cost you would be shipping.

-WH-

[gcrank1]

Bending a hammer is anything but drastic, just a little intimidating the first time. You have to have the lockplate and all corrected first and really know just how much and which direction(s) you have to move. I like to clamp the hammer in the vise with another piece of metal at the hammer backside to use as a measuring guide rather than trust to eye and luck. Heat it (a good big propane torch head will do it) to that orange color past red and it will tweak over nice. Have a wrench or vise-grips that is ready and preset for when the heat is right. If you have to force the bend you arent hot enough.
FWIW, I like my guns too much to send them anywhere (Ive experienced as receiver the breakage and insurance problem), though Ive heard that the USPS is much better than UPS in this regard.