Author Topic: musket cap (Read 565 times)

ms · « **on:** December 14, 2004, 06:04:51 AM »

A friend of my has a hawken rifle can he take the # 11 nipple out and put in a nipple for musket cap? :lol:

S.S. · « **Reply #1 on:** December 14, 2004, 07:41:37 AM »

If the threads are the same I don't see why not.
I did in my Hawkin and it works great.

Ramrod · « **Reply #2 on:** December 15, 2004, 11:07:28 AM »

Depending on the gun the hammer might need some modification. If the musket nipple is a different height, the hammer might have to be bent to contact it squarely. The nose might also have to be opened up to the bigger diameter of the caps.

Shorty · « **Reply #3 on:** December 15, 2004, 12:11:37 PM »

If the rifle is threaded for a nipple with 1/4-28 or M6 threads, you'll need a musket cap size nipple with the same threads. A regular musket nipple has 5/16" threads. Also, the musket nipple will have a larger hole, which is OK with the heavy hammer and mainspring of a musket. To big of a hole in the nipple could cause a weaker hammer to blow back.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #4 on:** December 15, 2004, 12:25:06 PM »

Musket nipples are made in a variety of the threads whether it is 1/4x28 or 5/16x18 or metric, one is available for your rifle. It's just a matter of knowing the size and as Ramrod pointed out, making sure the impact is square and the hammer cup is big enough. I've converted every hammer gun I've got to musket nipples with no problems, metric or SAE.

lostid · « **Reply #5 on:** December 15, 2004, 01:35:31 PM »

All the answers above are correct,,but Shorty touched on the meat of the issue,,
,, it's seems folks want to use a musket cap because they feel it will deliver a hotter mor sure fire ignition. And of course,, they do.
But musket caps are made for muskets,large open bore long guns and short rifled pistole,,generally moderate to heavy loads of powder and projectile required for short range accuracy aka;50yrds and under.
There is an issuse about longer range,, higher pressure loads that is sum tymes refered to as "gas cutting",,and it's the reason #11 nipp's have a small, little, teeny, tinny hole in the bottom and why theres are several "paten" on different nipp chamber profiles.
Think about it,,your touchin off an explosive in a confined area,( a "caustic" explosive at that) it's going to try to find the path of least resistance..( it should be pushing everything down the bore ,right?). Well some of that pressure wants to go out that litte hole in the back of the gun, the nipple. That's why the hammer and lock spring and all it's components need to be cared for also, if the hammer won't hold down that cap,,then gasses are released rearward and there is no consistant pressure forcing the projectile down range,,aka ("jeez"!,I wish I could get better accuracy.)
With proper care and cleaning,,the #11 nipple and cap, can and will provide reliable ignition and shot to shot accuracy..Sure you can get musket nipps' to fit just about anything,,bend the hammer,,grind the nipp, and/or get everything to fit proper so it drops just right,,. Why? I mean, why do it??