Okay So right now I have 4 original rifles dating back from the 1840s & 50s. Some seem to have the original nipples in them as they are rusted in solid with more than likely, no chance of removal. My shotgun for example, the bore and nipple are both in great shape and original from the 1840s-50s flintlock to percussion conversion. This nipple uses a very obsolete #9? nipple and guess what? It uses a 1/16" flash hole that's drilled straight though. No funneling down into a tiny .028-.030" flash hole as we see on today's nipples. I go back to my other 12ga shotgun, another 1840-50s percussion, again... 1/16" flash hole through and through. 1850's J&D Little .38cal half stock.. 1/16" through and through again... There is no possible way, all 4 guns were drilled out at some time! I've never once read about the nipple flash hole size in any book, concerning original guns say from the 1830s-1860s.
Even with that 1/16" flash hole, I get no blow back into my face with my 10ga shotgun. All of the rifles/shotguns that have this large flash hole, do however, have heavy main springs in the locks.
So do we have anything written down in a book somewhere that mentions the flash hole size on nipples from the era stated above? I've been reading through the Muzzle Loading Cap Lock book by Ned Roberts and I haven't even stumbled across flash hole size or even replacing a "worn out" nipple, in this book. I did however come across a page where they mentioned switching over to a Berdan primer for better ignition.
Even with that 1/16" flash hole, I get no blow back into my face with my 10ga shotgun. All of the rifles/shotguns that have this large flash hole, do however, have heavy main springs in the locks.
So do we have anything written down in a book somewhere that mentions the flash hole size on nipples from the era stated above? I've been reading through the Muzzle Loading Cap Lock book by Ned Roberts and I haven't even stumbled across flash hole size or even replacing a "worn out" nipple, in this book. I did however come across a page where they mentioned switching over to a Berdan primer for better ignition.
