I recently acquired a Zouave to use the musket caps I picked up on closeout at Wallyworld, I just love saving money. :haha: Anyhow, I'm getting very good accuracy with Hornady .570" balls, .018" pillow ticking patch over 90 grains of Goex 2fg. I don't shoot any formal competition with it so I added a peep sight and an orange dot front sight as the original sights were pretty hopeless, or at least I was hopeless with those sights. Although it was designed for minie balls, I much prefer hunting with round balls for less expense, less recoil, a MUCH flatter trajectory and more than adequate power. That load produces just over 1600 fps and allows one sight setting for all shots out to 100 yards when zeroed 2" high at 50 yards. The standard service load of 60 grains behind a 500 grain Minie only runs 800-900 fps and zeroed at 100 it will be 6-8" high at 50 yards. Such a trajectory is a great handicap for hunting. I suggest you try patched round balls, I think you'll like them.