TC Hawken nipple

[Barnstormer]

Dennis here, just want to start off saying that I have been black powder hunting for 25 yrs, but still willing to learn what I can.    I put a musket nipple on my Hawken and have accidently dry fired it in the past, and flattened the bottom side of the nipple a little bit, ( because it does not contact fully square the the hammer). 5   A friend was telling me that the nipple should be sharp but not knife edge to work dependable. 
Is this correct?  Also I have a williams peep sight mounted on the barrel, as my eyes don't like buckhorn sights anymore.  The peep is kinda blurry.  Would a tang mounted sight be better.  I was just wondering if anyone has any better ideas for sights.  A pre thank you for you input. 

[OldMtnMan]

I'd change the nipple.

As for the peep. It will look blurry if you look at it but you shouldn't be looking at it. You should focus on the front sight. Your brain will automatically center the front sight in the peep, so ignore the peep completely. The target will be blurry too. That's a good sign you're concentrating on the front sight.

[smokinbuck]

Dennis,
Your nipple doesn't have to have a knife edge, just a clean edge that is square with the bottom of the hammer cup. You can file the nipple to match the hammer cup and dress it back so the cap fits. If to much needs to be taken off the nipple to allow the cap to fit properly you may have to replace it and start over. All else failing, you can bend the hammer to strike the nipple squarely. If you have a peep sight mounted on your barrel it may be to far forward for you to see it clearly. Peeps are normally mounted around the tang/breech area for best clarity.
Mark

[OldMtnMan]

If you're hitting the bottom of the nipple it could be too long. TC guns use a pretty short nipple.

I might have misunderstood where the peep is mounted. Where exactly is it? Is it where the stock rear sight was? That would be no good.

Lyman makes a peep that mounts on the tang. You'll have to drill/tap a hole(s). Everything I said about the front sight still applies.

[smokinbuck]

Dennis,
If you look for a Lyman 57MLS. It's not cheap but it is made to fit the TC tang and is a darn good sight.
ark

[Daryl]

Dennis - welcome - sounds as if the musket nipple is too long.  Chuck it up in hour electric drill, holding it by the threads or boss, drill held in a bench vise (if you don't have access to a lathe), and with the drill running use a fine file to shorten and true up the top surface.
If the top surface is peened, blunted on one side as you noted from dry firing, it will make the cap difficult to push on, or perhaps difficult to remove.
Perhaps it is easiest to just replace the nipple. trackofthewolf among other places, sells them.