MMA1991 said:
Any idea where I may be able to find a replacement nipple? I have some nipples from a Colt 1851 Navy I thought would fit this rifle....they don't. Original rifle nipple has fewer and larger threads.
Being able to find a replacement nipple should be a consideration when buying an older, used gun. We can't even see the size of the nipple compared to a standard Spanish nipple or revolver nipple.
There are several suppliers that stock many nipples and perhaps if contacted, they are experienced enough to know which nipple size fits the FIE Pietta Kentucky that you have.
Those suppliers include:
1. The Log Cabin Shop
http://www.logcabinshop.com/
2. Track of the Wolf
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/
3. Dixie Gun Works
http://dixiegun.com/
If they don't know which nipple it takes, then you could try to measure all of it's dimensions and possibly identify the threads. A trip to the hardware store might help if you can find a bolt with the same threads and you may need to bring the barrel or the nipple. It probably has coarse metric threads as you mentioned.
If none on the suppliers listed knows which nipple your gun needs, and you can't match up the threads, then you may need to send it in somewhere to have them match it up.
Of course that's risky, because once you send it in you won't have any sample nipple left if it gets lost.
I would inquire with each company about what it is that they need to know to be able to match it up, or what they can do for you, and how they want you to proceed.
There's one other supplier that's a replacement nipple manufacturer that supplies Dixie and others, and that's
Ron Blomquist at Blomquist Percussion Works. He might also know which nipple it takes or can match it up personally.
When his website went down, it listed an incorrect phone number. AbitNutz has talked to him at one phone number and I was able to find another phone listing for him which both numbers are shown in this post:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=8349805&postcount=10
There have only been a few reports about the same FIE Pietta Kentucky rifle that you have. And besides that model, I've only heard of a double barrel shotgun that was made by Pietta which was sold by Navy Arms. It may have a common nipple size or it may not. But we can't see it, and I don't know if the other FIE Pietta owners know it's size, or if the suppliers know it's size, but you need to call them to find out if they know or not. And then go from there about trying to identify the threads yourself, obtaining the dimensions and/or finding out which one of them can match it up for you.