Antonio Zoli 1803 Harpers Ferry??

[Parzifal]

Gentlemen Hello,

I have just sent away for a 58 cal Zoli Harpers ferry half stock manufactured in the early 70's I believe.

The deal was quite good at $350. shipped so I snagged it.

She looks more stout then the average common halfstocks and after reading Undaunted courage by Ambrose Im kinda smitten by the mystique of the Luis and Clarke expedition.

So all that said, how do you like yours and hows she shoot?
Where can I buy a new frizzen and springs if its needed??
How do you find it for field reliability?

And finally, I would sure like to see pictures of yours.
Im already planning on stripping off the shellac and giving her a nice hand rubbed Raw linseed oil treatment.

Thank you!!

 

[hawkeye2]

Might I suggest that you stain the stock a darker walnut after you strip it.

 

[wulf]

I bought one years ago and re-breeched it and put
on better sights. Re-made the entire lock and
replaced the stock, trigger guard and butt plate.
After that it shot great and I used it for many
years, even hunted with it...was a great rifle.
Wulf

 

[Parzifal]

Thank you guys!

This example looks nearly new. From doing a bit of study I have found the biggest complaint with this pattern and make is that the frizzens were usually soft "kinda like my pedersoil bess" so I imagine if I can source a new heat treated one I should be good to go. I have sent a email to dixie to see if they would sell a new made one from their pedersoli harpers ferry, I imagine I could fit it to the old girl with a bit of file work.

 

[bpd303]

Another option would be to heat treat the frizzen if it's a little soft. I have rescued many by using Cherry Red and a propane torch. Really easy to do.

 

[gunmaker43]

get a sack of "Kasenit" from DGW and follow the dir.s not too difficult & made a real sparker out of my 1803 lock. Tom

 

[bpd303]

Kasenit is no longer available but Cherry Red replaces it and DGW carries it & it works just as good. http://www.dixiegunworks.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=cherry+red&x=8&y=2

 

[Rod Lassey]

Expect to do some lock work. I have an old Zoli 1803, and it sure taught me about working on the lock. I half soled the frizzen with a piece of wood saw blade, and hardened it. The tumbler was also very soft, I used a dremel to cut a notch for a fly, and drilled a hole for the same, recut the half and full cock notches, and case hardened it. The springs were good, though.

As for the barrel, the front site dovetail was canted pretty badly, so the sights have to be drifted in opposite directions to shoot center. The rifling in the .58 barrel had very shallow grooves, and a fast twist---I believe it was the same as the CW rifles that they were making at the time, and therefore more appropriate for a Minie bullet than a round ball. Unless patched very tightly, and used with light charges, the balls could 'strip' through the rifling. I smoothbored it using a rod with a split tip wrapped with emorycloth.

Alot of work, but I ended up with a good shooting gun in the end.

Rod

 

[Parzifal]

Did you ever try her with minies? I have a mould for my original springfield rifle musket....How would a minie work in a flintlock I wonder??

Im pretty handy shooting off the bayonet lug on my bess so sights are nearly 2nd consideration for me at this point.

 

[Rod Lassey]

No, I never did---probably should have, but I was looking for a roundball rifle (now a roundball smoothbore). Don't get me wrong, the barrel would shoot very well, but with very light charges---about 55 grains max as I recall.

Rod

 

[matt denison]

I bought one years ago and re-breeched it and put
on better sights. Re-made the entire lock and
replaced the stock, trigger guard and butt plate.
After that it shot great and I used it for many
years, even hunted with it...was a great rifle.
Wulf

:rotf: :rotf:

:stir:

 

[Rod Lassey]

Sort of like the 'original' axe with two new heads and five new handles....

Rod