Short Minies in Buffalo Hunter?

[RedFeather]

Been meaning to get one of those short Lyman Minie molds for my Zouave and just picked up a Buffalo Hunter yesterday. There being no buffalo around these parts, I'm not intending to shoot full-house loads, just punch paper. Wondering if the short Minie will do as well in the carbine?

While I'm at it, the wedge key was not fully seated, so I snugged it up. Off popped the far escutcheon. Seems they are glued-in on these, not screwed. What might be good to reinstall them with? (I'm going to try another key or trim the end of the present one. Haven't pulled the barrel yet, but it's a slotted key with, apparently, no capture screw. Might not even be the original.)

Thanks in advance :hatsoff:

Red

 

[robinsroost]

I would drill a small hole on each side of the escutcheons and screw them to the stock, with small brass screws. I had the same problem with my key being loose. I put a slight bend in it and that cured the problem.....Robin

 

[badpenny]

the short minnies are made for a slow twist. depending on your twist rate you may want a heavier ( and longer) ball. that 315 grain lyman was made for a 1 in 72 twist

 

[RedFeather]

Why I'm wondering about the carbine, it being essentially a cut down Zoli Zouave. Thinking it, too, may have a slow twist. I'll have to check it with a ramrod.

 

[F.G. Ford]

At 75-100 yards there is not much difference in round ball and minie, other than recoil.
On white tail deer or elk neither will know the difference.
That big old pumpkin ball will slam down anything in it's path.
The bottom line is, which will group the best?
Chances are, the round ball will.
The short mine balls will shoot well, if they are lubed and sized to .001" under bore diameter.
If you consider that your max load with a minie ball is about 60 grains, after which you will blow the skirt on the ball. So, you are stuck with a rainbow trajectory. What is the advantage?
Old Ford

 

[RedFeather]

I know there's not much difference between the ball and short bullet but, since I'll be shooting targets out to a hundred yards, I figured the short number will let me still shoot Minies without the extra recoil and lead.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Shooting minie ball for target can be done. I have seen very impressive targets with minie ball.
But exact loading procedures must be followed to get any degree of consistancy. Then again this is true for all types of target shooting.
A non fowled barrel is paramount to obtain any serious group.
The guys that I have seen shoot real tight groups were very particular in their procedures.
ie: damp swab between shots, precise amount of powder, card or lubed felt over powder, tightly fitting minie ball, and then seated home on powder with measured weight for each shot.
Even the minie balls are carried in individual pill boxes so that they do not damage one another.
It is a sport into it's self.
Not unlike bench shooting.
Fred

 

[RedFeather]

I'm not so critical. My skill level is far below that of those shooters. Probably go with round balls first. Get it on paper and see where it goes from there.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Roundballs are a good idea. As Old Ford said, accuracy with minies can be quite a challenge, heck it is challenging just to cast a good minie. By comparison, round balls come easy. For hunting you can stoke the patched ball up with 80-120 grains for a much flatter trajectory than possible with minies. Basically the only reason ever to fool with minies is to compete in musket matches which require minies and your Buff Hunter wouldn't be allowed there anyhow.

 

[Dphar]

The true Minie will shoot in very slow twists. The gov't twist for the Minie was 1:72.
But unless they have a very heavy skirt its not possible to get much velocity from them. The C.W. Musket load was about 1000 fps maybe less.
The Minies with the heavy skirt might require more twist. But this is a guess.
Dan

 

[Dphar]

As stated above I see little point in using the Minie unless match rules require it. It was, so far as I know never popular with civilians. Velocity it so low its near useless past 40-50 yards for hunting. At 1000 fps its falling very fast even at the muzzle.

Dan

 

[RedFeather]

Well, I don't intend to stuff this gun or my musket for hunting large game. I was talking to an old timer who shoots an original Zouave at the NSSA and he said some of the events used about 35 grains. Must be short distance shooting.

As to the Minie being inferior to the round ball at 50+ yards, well, I would much rather be hit by a .58 roundball at two hundred yards than by the conical, hands down. (Of course, I would rather be hit by neighther. :wink: )

 

[windwalker_au]

Why I'm wondering about the carbine, it being essentially a cut down Zoli Zouave. Thinking it, too, may have a slow twist. I'll have to check it with a ramrod.

if your buffalo hunter is one made by zoli it should have a 1 in 48 twist i took a water buffalo with mine back in the 1980s val forgett of navy arms used one in africa to shoot a lion with a thick skirt 625 grn stake buster mini the load was 125 grn of fff black powder,the story is in the lyman black powder hand book.
Bernie :hatsoff: