Mississippi Rifle. Some questions

[LeadShark]

Hi.

Since I am still thinking about getting a Mississippi rifle, I have some questions.

Currently Pedersoli offers this rifle in .54 and .58, with .54 being the PRB rifling. I have however seen pictures of civil war cartridge packages with .54 minie bullets for the Mississippi rifle (and the Lorenz). Even nowadays there are still people that shoot .54 minie in this rifle.

Shouldn't this cause a lack of accuracy or any other problems since the deep grooved rifling is not made for the minie? Or am I merely overthinking it?

 

[necchi]

Your kind of over-thinkin it,
The rifle/barrel may be better suited to PRB as a projectile,, but military applications of the day required a more rapid fire situation without a need for absolute accuracy..
Thus the re-bore to 58 of existing guns.
It's kind of all about the early development of "rifle" in history and the difference in civilian/military use as we know today.

So It's a matter of personal choice. Do you want the early or late model?

 

[hanshi]

I've had a "Mississippi rifle" from Euroarms (now gone) in the original .54 caliber for many years that shoots nothing but patched round ball. That rifle's accuracy with ball is exceptional and is cheaper to feed than a .58. Since you're not a Civil War soldier there's no need for the .58; a .58 minie takes over twice the lead of a .54 ball. The Mississippi rifle was, in fact, designed to fire round ball and was the last US muzzleloading military rifle built to fire patched ball.

 

[LeadShark]

So It's a matter of personal choice. Do you want the early or late model?

As far as I remember the later versions of the Missi had different sights and a different ramrod. So appearance wise it is always gonna be the early version.

I do however prefer the .58 just because I like minie bullets so much.

I've had a "Mississippi rifle" from Euroarms (now gone) in the original .54 caliber for many years that shoots nothing but patched round ball. That rifle's accuracy with ball is exceptional and is cheaper to feed than a .58. Since you're not a Civil War soldier there's no need for the .58; a .58 minie takes over twice the lead of a .54 ball. The Mississippi rifle was, in fact, designed to fire round ball and was the last US muzzleloading military rifle built to fire patched ball.

This is true, but I just love shooting minie bullets. I don't know why, I just do. Maybe it's the history. I don't know. I just really enjoy it.

How come you sold your Mississippi?

For my PRB needs I got a nice Hawken style rifle. Only got to figure out a patch ball combination that makes it so I don't have to wipe after shot nr. 5.

 

[hanshi]

LeadShark, the rifle I eventually sold wasn't a Mississippi rifle but a Zouave in .58. I used the Zouave for years and fired both minie and ball. The .54 US M1841 simply looks better, shoots better (maybe) and is more interesting to me. No way am I going to sell my 1841.

 

[LeadShark]

LeadShark, the rifle I eventually sold wasn't a Mississippi rifle but a Zouave in .58. I used the Zouave for years and fired both minie and ball. The .54 US M1841 simply looks better, shoots better (maybe) and is more interesting to me. No way am I going to sell my 1841.

Apologies. Didn't see the quotation marks in the previous message.

I do agree. The M1841 just looks so gorgeous.