What size ball?

[m-g willy]

Just won an auction on a 1841 Mississippi 58 cal rifle,,,,Now,,,what size round ball should I get,,and what are some of you all favorite Minnie ball bullets?,

 

[Larry Akers]

The .58 cal Mississippi barrels are rifled to shoot a minnie ball (three wide, shallow grooves) but do a credible job with a round ball. The correct barrel for a Mississippi rifle is a .54 cal round ball barrel (6-8 deep grooves). You will have to experiment to see what the rifle wants. I start with a ball .005" smaller than the bore size (ie. .575) and a .018-.020" thick patch.
I have no experience shooting minnie balls so cannot give an opinion there.
Enjoy your new gun.

 

[m-g willy]

Thanks for the info...

 

[tenngun]

I've had two Zouaves that have that same pattern of rifling. Both shot well with .562 and thick patch. .570 with thinner patch shot well with lower charges.

 

[nkbj]

m-g willy,
Do you know what the bore diameter is yet? I've gotten .577, .580, .582... :shocked2:

 

[nit wit]

You didn't win, you were high bidder!
NW

 

[Pete G]

I use the Lee traditional Minie in mine in front of 65 gr. FF. Works just fine. Getting a load to shoot to the sights is a different story. I had to make a new rear sight to replace the one from the factory.

 

[m-g willy]

m-g willy,
Do you know what the bore diameter is yet? I've gotten .577, .580, .582... :shocked2:

Not yet,,,waiting for gun to arrive,,,I do know it is a Zoli barrel.

 

[m-g willy]

You didn't win, you were high bidder!
NW

Well I didn't really bid,,,I used the "BUY IT NOW" option

 

[m-g willy]

I've had two Zouaves that have that same pattern of rifling. Both shot well with .562 and thick patch. .570 with thinner patch shot well with lower charges.

Thanks ,,I'll try the .562 mold

 

[tenngun]

Buy the ball first, you can get bags via Sevel supplies like track Dixie or log cabin. But several ball sizes first and try them out.

 

[m-g willy]

Good idea,,,exspecialy since log cabin is less than an hour away from me.