Minnie Balls

[rickystl]

Great thread here. I too used to own one of the old Zouaves'. 1971 I think. Mine too shot better with PRB. I never knew why, until I heard that 1-72 twist. That answers that question.
I now shoot a Euro Arms 2-band Enfield. It likes the .577 minies better than the .575. The minies don't like charges heavier than 75 grains of FFG. Like all the Civil War type firearms, the front sights are set for 75-yards. I also found that if using thin skirt minies that the lighter bullets and smaller powder charges are more accurate at 25 and 50 yards. I settled for using the standard original-type minie and adjusting my powder charges for 25.50,75 yards etc. Rick.

 

[ResearchPress]

I never really see the point of owning an Enfield and then shooting roundball.

The Enfield was designed to be used with Minie bullets, even the 1:78 twist Pattern 1853 Rifle Musket (three band Enfield). The following target was shot offhand unsupported at 50m in the MLAGB's national Short Range Championships last year.

The rifle is a commercially made model similar to the P/58 Naval Rifle or P/60 Short Rifle and the lock is dated 1866. I used an RCBS Minie bullet with a shallow base and 65 grains of a medium grain shooting powder available here in the UK.

There's 13 shots fired and on the standard scoring of best 10 of 13 to count, score is 96. The ten ring measures 50mm (approx 2") diameter.

We shoot Enfields out to 600 yards in our National Rifle Championship series of matches held in the spring. There is also occassional forays out to 800 yards.

David

 

[n8dawg6]

david, which RCBS minie do you shoot? the n-ssa hodgdon-style, or the ordinary RCBS minie? i'm thinking about experimenting w/ the n-ssa RCBS bullet for my parker hale 1858 rifle.

 

[Charley Hart]

That is some nice shooting, I don't care what you are throwing out of the barrel. Got that load/bullet combo down!

 

[ResearchPress]

I use the standard RCBS mould, albeit the base plug has been modified to cast a shallow base.

David

 

[Viking78]

david, which RCBS minie do you shoot? the n-ssa hodgdon-style, or the ordinary RCBS minie? i'm thinking about experimenting w/ the n-ssa RCBS bullet for my parker hale 1858 rifle.

David, that is some nice shooting!

Judging by the holes it is the RCBS 58-500-M, the RCBS/Hodgdon bullet cut holes like a wad punch. I have shot both the RCBS bullets quite a lot in my Armi Sport Springfield. In my musket the RCBS/Hodgdon gave best groups (one hole groups at 50 metres from a rest), but it is not allowed according to the MLAIC rules. Both moulds are unmodified by the way, except for the RCBS/Hodgdon that is slightly enlarged to fit the bore better. The Armi Sport musket has a 1 in 66" twist.

I cast bullets for a friend of mine who's using the RCBS/Hodgdon bullet in a 1 in 48" twist 1st generation Parker Hale musketoon and it shoots one ragged hole at 50 metres with 70 grains of Wano Fg. The semi wadcutter is quite sensible to wind.

I now shoot an original 1 in 78" twist .577 Tower P-56 Enfield Army Short Rifle and this prefer the Lyman 575213 Old Style.

Below is the RCBS/Hodgdon bullet:

And the RCBS 58-500-M: