Removing Maynard Carbine Nipple

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  • Last Post 29 August 2020
Rescuerandy2 posted this 22 August 2020

Good Morning,

Preparing my newly purchased Maynard Carbine for the range this Sunday. Looks like the nipple has been there for some time and I am having a hard time getting good purchase on it as it is heavily shrouded by the receiver. Any suggestions on a nipple wrench, a small 4-Point socket, and techniques. Thanks, Randy

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RicinYakima posted this 23 August 2020

With a threaded piece this old and unknown since last removal, I would consider making a clay impression and having a real machinist make you a proper wrench. Maybe three inches long and drilled for a cross handle. HTH

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Bud Hyett posted this 23 August 2020

Have you bathed the nipple in a penetrating oil and allowed at least 24 hours for the oil to penetrate? You can heat the nipple with a propane torch several times to cause it to swell slightly, one or two thousandths, and then let the nipple cool. After a few heat and cool cycles, the rust might be moved enough to allow the nipple to move. The fitted wrench is needed.

The final course of action may be a reverse twist carbide drill, slightly larger than the flash hole, down the center of the nipple. set in a drill press and take your time, carbide drills are fragile and costly. Feed the drill slowly, plenty of lubricant and with a gentle touch. pull the drill out and clean the chips and refresh the lubricant. This action will often break the nipple free and back it out. Also, when the nipple breaks free, the drill is most susceptible to breaking.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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Rescuerandy2 posted this 23 August 2020

Good Evening,

The nipple is partially shrouded by the receiver to the point that I cannot get an open-end wrench on the nipple.  If I try to fit a box-end wrench there is very little clearance between the sides of the nipple and the receiver.  To get at that nipple, it appears that I will have to come in from the top with some kind of a very slim, 4-point socket.  I do have a cheap 4-Point/1/4" diameter socket on order and will grind it to fit.  

If someone can provide a picture of their Maynard's nipple, I would greatly appreciate the help.  Thanks, Randy

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RicinYakima posted this 23 August 2020

You are never going to get it out with mechanic's tools.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 23 August 2020

....first i would do the above mentioned heat and soak in Kroil/Rustbuster trick.  6 or 12 cycles.    tap on the nipple during the heat/soak cycles.

then since you have a wrench on the way try that.  the left-hand drill bit is good too ...

as a last resort, weld a 3/16-1/4 good steel bolt to the nipple and unscrew the bolt.

find a welder that does gentile welding .. mig or tig.

ken

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RicinYakima posted this 24 August 2020

 Just remember that if you mess up the threads on the barrel, you are looking at major dollars for a repair. Been there and done that!

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Rescuerandy2 posted this 24 August 2020

Good Morning.  Agreed, my greatest fear in messing with frozen nipples is damaging the threads in the barrel/block.  From what I can see on the weapon and from the various posts, I am going to wait on the 4-point socket and attack the problem from the top.  Will grind down the socket as much as possible and see if I can get at the nipple from above.  Thanks, Randy

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R. Dupraz posted this 24 August 2020

Image result for Maynard Carbine Nipple

maynard carbine nipple

Patience is a virtue here. I would try the simple easy way first. I have removed badly rusted nipples and breach plugs from modern ML's with repeated soaking in Liquid Wrench. a little heat. and a modern purpose made ML rifle nipple wrench over two or three days time. Moderate steady even pressure and tapping here. Heat can do wonders some times.  

Save the drilling for an absolute last resort. Broken drill in the flash hole and it's game over.  

 

R.

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R. Dupraz posted this 24 August 2020

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Rescuerandy2 posted this 24 August 2020

Good Afternoon.  After having major dental work today, I went home and tried my dental tools on the Maynard and got the nipple out.  It took two hours to scrape off what appears to be years of fouling that had become rock solid.  The fouling had bridged the spaces between the nipple and the surrounding receiver to the point that I could not get the wrench around the sides of the nipple.  The fouling was so hard that I broke two of the dental picks.  Eventually, I cleared enough fouling that I got a descent bite with my open-ended 1/4" Craftsman wrench to get it out.  

Did some major cleaning and applied a liberal amount of anti-seize to the nipple threads.  This shall not happen again!  Thanks all and will have a range report this Saturday.  Randy

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RicinYakima posted this 25 August 2020

Love shooting the old guns!

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M3 Mitch posted this 28 August 2020

(Realizing that the original poster has already solved his problem, but just posting up my own experience for whatever benefit it might be to the collective on here.)

I like Kroil for a penetrating oil, it seems to work the best of what I have tried. 

A way to apply a little heat in a situation like this is to use a soldering iron.  The soldering iron trick works very well on the screws that hold old school sealed beam headlights into their adjusting socket, with only a moderate amount of heat applied, and it all goes to the part that the iron is touching. 

A guy could apply some Kroil, then heat it and let it cool several cycles, if he is patient.

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cfp4570 posted this 28 August 2020

The soldering iron idea that M3 Mitch suggested is an excellent way to apply localized heat, and Kroil is hard to beat. In a pinch, a person can make a decent penetrating oil by thinning a small amount of light oil (auto trans fluid, hydraulic oil, 5w30, or 3 in 1) with mineral spirits or kerosene until it's as thin as water and apply a few drops with a medicine dropper or pipette. By all means though, every man should have a can of Kroil on hand.

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beagle6 posted this 29 August 2020

You can get a Maynard nipple wrench and combination tool from S&S Firearms in Queens NY. Pricey, though.

beagle6

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Rescuerandy2 posted this 29 August 2020

Good Afternoon,

Just back from the range with the Maynard and it was amazing.  This is my first carbine in 44 years of shooting and it is now my best antique BP shooter.  Yes, I see that wrench at S&S but am not in need of it right now.  Thanks, Randy

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beagle6 posted this 29 August 2020

When I was shooting in the North- South Skirmish Assn. there were a lot of original Maynards in the carbine matches and many considered them the most accurate on the firing line. Glad it worked out for you.

beagle6

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