Ruger 77/50 Ignition Issue

[emb]

I bought a 77/50 the first year it came out. I have no complaints save one. Occassionally, it misfires because the cap is not seated although you would swear you seated it properly. Cock it again, and it will always fire. It has never misfired at game, just at the range. I'm sure that is due the fact that I'm may not be as concerned about it there, and I'm paranoid in the field.

This does not happen a lot, but enough to keep you thinking about it. I know the problem is the nipple is just a tad too big. I switched from the german #11 to CCIs. The CCIs dramatically improved the issue where I rarely if ever have this issue. But at the range it occasionally happens.

I have heard that the fix is to polish the nipple. Does anyone know how and with what to do that? I would hate to take too much off. I thought of using a dremel with a little valve grinding paste or just a cloth with the paste by hand.

 

[mykeal]

Take the Dremel motor and lock it in the glove compartment of your car. Then give the keys to a trusted friend and tell them to drive the car to the furthest point possible from your location and still be in the US. When they reach that point they are to circumnavigate the US boundary until returning to that point, at which time they can return to your home.

Now, with the Dremel safely out of the way we can proceed.

Purchase the following supplies: a small amount of machinist's Prussian blue or marking dye and a spare nipple or two.

Paint the nipple cone with the dye. Chuck the painted nipple into the jaws of a variable speed power drill; use the flange at the base of the cone rather than the nipple threads. Set the drill to turn slowly and make sure the nipple is evenly supported (it spins in a true circle). Use emery paper, an emery board or a very fine tooth metal file to gently remove the dye evenly. Try the cap to be sure it still fits tightly. Repeat until you can just notice the cap sliding on the nipple a little bit easier. Now it's time to reinstall the nipple and go to the range. If your car has not returned, you may need to use a bicycle.

The spare nipple is in case you find that you've removed too much. You now know how many dye applications is too many, and you can sand the spare nipple down safely by using one less application. Of course, that assumes the spare nipple was the same exact size as the original, which, of course, is unlikely, so you'll need to test the spare nipple in the gun to see if it has the same problem.

And since caps can vary considerably from lot to lot (you don't get 3 decimal place precision repeatably for 4 cents) you've taken the chance that your newly modified nipple won't work with a new batch. It might be time to consider an occasional ftf as acceptable.

 

[arcticap]

Here's an old thread that mentions several fixes including dressing the nipple by hand with a Lansky sharpening stone, switching to a musket nipple or a 209 conversion kit.

http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=6318

 

[emb]

Mykeal, I use that dremel for other things, but I kinda had the same thought without the loss. Thanks and that was funny. I'll give it a try.

 

[mykeal]

It doesn't have to go away forever. That's why I suggested a TRUSTED friend - better chance he'll bring it back. Maybe you need to put it in his car instead...

 

[doc623]

nipple treatment

I call this fix a nipple treatment for a lack of a better description.
This is simple and will not remove too much of the nipple.
Actually a friend did this and told me about this process.
All you need is a bench grinder that you fit with a cotton/muslin polishing heel.
You impregnate the buffing wheel with a polishing compound that is used to polish knives or steel, i.e., jewelers rouge or similar compound.
And you polish - not grind the nipple. It worked for this friend of mine and he has not had any problems since.
Good luck.