tpelle
Member
I have an 1860 Army replica by Pietta that I bought 15 or 20 or so years ago, shot it less than 100 times, and put it away. I cleaned it, of course, but probably not good enough or using the correct techniques or materials.
Last week I dug it out of the back of my safe, and got the urge to shoot it again. I removed the barrel and cylinder, and gave it a good scrubbing with Hoppes #9, taking special care with the front and rear surfaces of the cylinder, the recoil plate, and forcing cone. I have not taken it apart any further than that.
There is almost no rust evidenced anywhere, except maybe a touch around the nipples. The bottoms of the cylinder bores, however, look like peering into a used porta-potty. When I reassembled it it cycles very smoothly, the cylinder locks and unlocks as it should, etc. (Before my recent cleaning the action cycled very stiffly, which I now attribute to remnants of fouling on the cylinder and forcing cone.)
I would like to remove the nipples to further clean the cylinder bores, but am afraid to try cranking on them as I don't want to break 'em off - besides I don't have a nipple wrench, anyway.
So, to my questions:
1. What nipple wrench is best to use, and where is a good place to get one?
2. What is a good "solvent" to soak the cylinder in to loosen and de-rust the nipple threads?
3. What else do I need to do to put this pistol back in "fighting" shape?
Last week I dug it out of the back of my safe, and got the urge to shoot it again. I removed the barrel and cylinder, and gave it a good scrubbing with Hoppes #9, taking special care with the front and rear surfaces of the cylinder, the recoil plate, and forcing cone. I have not taken it apart any further than that.
There is almost no rust evidenced anywhere, except maybe a touch around the nipples. The bottoms of the cylinder bores, however, look like peering into a used porta-potty. When I reassembled it it cycles very smoothly, the cylinder locks and unlocks as it should, etc. (Before my recent cleaning the action cycled very stiffly, which I now attribute to remnants of fouling on the cylinder and forcing cone.)
I would like to remove the nipples to further clean the cylinder bores, but am afraid to try cranking on them as I don't want to break 'em off - besides I don't have a nipple wrench, anyway.
So, to my questions:
1. What nipple wrench is best to use, and where is a good place to get one?
2. What is a good "solvent" to soak the cylinder in to loosen and de-rust the nipple threads?
3. What else do I need to do to put this pistol back in "fighting" shape?