Nipple Snap Caps

[il.bill]

Is this dumb, or clever, or somewhere in between?

I had some difficulty seating the caps on my 'new-to-me' Remington 1858 on a wintry range visit, so it will likely be sitting at home until the weather warms up some.

I cut some pieces off of a 5/32" rubber automotive vacuum hose and slipped them over the nipples so that I could dry fire it without damage from the hammer striking the bare nipples. It makes it a bit more fun when I take it out and pet it, while waiting for spring. I will be stripping the revolver to clean the storage oil off before going out to shoot it, so any rubber bits hanging around will be taken care of.

Here are a couple of pictures. Does this seem goofy?

 

[mykeal]

Excellent idea. It has been done before, but congratulations for figuring it out on your own.

 

[44 Dave]

Another reason not to live "some places"! I like to shoot most every week, at least a cylinder full. Having my Wisconsin Concealed Carry, I load at home put the pistol under my coat then stop at the range I pass going to town.
You have to like cleaning guns to do it this way.

 

[Hellgate]

That was the first time I've seen a substantial amount of rubber around the nipples to cushion the blow. As long as the hammer face doesn't touch the nipples and the hammer can fall far enough for the bolt arm to reset you oughta be good to go. Your fix is the best one I've seen so far. On colts I just take the nipples out and put a strip of cut rubber band (the kind around the broccoli stems from the grocery store) in the hammer cutout on the back of the frame to cushion the blow. More often that not, when I want to dry fire I get out my "suppository shooters" (cartridge guns who's chambers load from the rear) and snap caps to do dry firing in prep for shooting real guns (my C&Bs).

 

[PainlessWolf]

Bill,
That's something I had been meaning to ask about. Your fix sounds better than what I was considering: rubber vacuum caps. I just wanted to avoid peened nipples.
regards,
Painless

 

[il.bill]

Bill,
That's something I had been meaning to ask about. Your fix sounds better than what I was considering: rubber vacuum caps. I just wanted to avoid peened nipples.
regards,
Painless

A vacuum cap was my first choice, but the rounded head of a cut 1/8" cap seemed to stick out a bit too far. When I looked down at the piece I had cut off, I had my 'eureka!' moment. The vacuum hose is way cheaper, too.

Hellgate summed it up well: "As long as the hammer face doesn't touch the nipples and the hammer can fall far enough for the bolt arm to reset you oughta be good to go."

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

1/4" od, 17mm I'd clear poly aquarium hose works well too for this; also for sealing ill fitting caps to the cones and keeping shredded caps from dropping into the frame clockworks.

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

I came across a bunch of vinyl vacuum caps in my son in law's toolbox, well at least enough to equip a few revolvers with to practice draw and dry fire technique. If necessary, I cut them down so the domed part clears the recoil shield during cylinder rotation. There is enough meat in the dome to not damage the cone face.

I had some DIY bits like this using the aforementioned aquarium tubing plus a dab of hot glue in the opening to provide additional protection to the cone.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Thanks IlBob. Added to Black Powder Essentials.