Zoli Zouave rifle

[Renegade Dan]

Hey Everyone. I'm thinking about purchasing a Zoli Zouave rifle its a late 60's or early 70's replica in beautiful condition. The owner want's $300.00 for it. Is this a good deal? I really don't know what this gun goes for.I need some help on this. Thanks in advance to all my friends out there, I really value your Input. Thanks again.
Renegade Dan

 

[Mulebrain]

If the bore is good, and overall condition is great, that is a good price!

MB

They are pretty well made rifles, I have the same one

 

[Rick Davis]

I did a partial restoration a 1969 Zoli Zouve about a year ago and sold it in Gun Broker. It went for $225. (link to photos)

 

[mloader40]

I had a Zoli Zouave sold it and I could kick myself. With a Rapine .580 minie it would shoot a ragged hole at 50 yards about 5" high. With a .575 lyman bullet it would be lucky to hit a sheet of paper at 50 yards. Key to success proper bullet size, lube and charge the group will be great. $300.00 in great condition is a good price.
Good Luck,
BPWRL

 

[torn moc]

Thats a good price! I have been watching the auctions for zouaves and it seems they are all bring at Least $300 now a days.....
Antionio Zoli produces well made guns...I had one and traded it...If I could only Kick myself!
You will like the big .58!! It will take any game on the continent....... :thumbsup:

 

[Dillohide]

You are right about the $300 price. That's what I paid for my Armi Jager in excellent condition. It's also well made but don't know if it's as good as the Zoli. The reproduction Zouave's are well balanced rifles and even though the originals were not used in battle they are well representative of the two banded long arms that were. It is the spitting image of the two banded Confederate Fayetteville rifle for example. The early version that had a patch box.

 

[bob308]

the zoli rifle is a good one.

lets clear this up they were used in battle. they were not used by the zouave troops. there is a report in walter clines book. there were 100 remington rifles captured in the fall of columbia s.c. in 1865. that means the rifles were used by the north and captured and used by the south.

 

[Mulebrain]

This one I got from a forum member. I think that Zoli put together a pretty well made rifle.

I will say however, that the stock finish they put out really sucked and is ugly. It doesn't even resemble walnut. I think they used beechwood or something close to it!

I got it, and scraped all the old clear finish off, and went at it. I am trying to get the wood to resemble walnut, it is just going to take more time :grin:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I've tried to make Zoli beechwood stocks look like walnut several times and never quite made it. They do come pretty close to looking like cherry though. I've got an older Buffalo Hunter carbine version of the Zouave and I like the look of the beech on this one. Plus it has some really nice checkering on the wrist, so I'll probably leave it alone.

 

[kgrohs]

we need to clairify something else the zouave is not repeat not an exact copy of the famous fayetteville rifle's from south caroilna, is is a modified vesion of a missippi rifle that is the most copied rifle design of the cilil war era, the Fayeteville rifle utilises the 1855 hardware and locks, I have built 8 rifles from the 1855 rifle parts Original parts,I presently own a 1st model fayetteville that uses both iron and brass hardware which is correct, and includes high humpback lock with paper primer cutter,with out paper primer door and cover wich is also correct,only difference is that it were's a dunlap stock and whiticare barrel, if I was to build another just based on parts alone would cost alomost a grand, not including labor of love.

As for the zouave (just a name),was a missippi rifle that was converted at remongton, during resent digs on battlefield excavations in resent years, they have begun to surface, they are extreamly eye appealing and handle similar to a good old Kentucky rifle I prefer virginian my self. kjg

 

[Dillohide]

Did not mean to infer the the Zouave was an exact copy of a Fayetteville rifle, of which there were several versions. By "spitting image" I meant "looks like". I'm not even sure it is an exact copy of the 1863 Remington Contract rifle it portrays but it is a good representative of the two banded rifles of the era. Therefore a neat rifle to own and shoot.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I got a Zoli Zouave off Gunbroker for the usual $300, although mine did include shipping. It appeared to be unfired, like new. I too dislike the plastic stock finish but at least mine does have a walnut stock, I have seen some which look more like pine. Mine is doing very well with 80 grains of 2f and a .570 ball in .018" ticking patch. I have no interest in even trying minies since I bought it as a hunting rifle and for that use I've replace the absurd rear sight with a simple adjustable peep and added a brass bead up front. Come September I hope to see that bead on an elk.

 

[Dillohide]

I bought it as a hunting rifle and for that use I've replace the absurd rear sight with a simple adjustable peep and added a brass bead up front. Come September I hope to see that bead on an elk.

This is off the original post subject a little but what peep sight did you get and where did you put it? Not saying I'm going to remove the military rear sight but it has crossed my mind. To get mine centered at 100 yards had to go to 60 grains Pyrodex Select and the 577611 Minie. Goex and Pyrodex RS were both shooting a foot left with 60 grains.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The Zoli isn't a bad copy of the 1863 Remington U.S. rifle now commonly called the Zouave. The '63
Zoli isn't exact,but it is close. I remember when it first came out seeing a real Remington and a Zoli side by side and the Zoli didn't miss by much.

 

[Steyr1900]

I recently picked up this rifle for $250 that started out life as a 70s era Armi Jaeger Zouave. The owner modified it to resemble a "Georgia Armory Rife" seen in the book "Echoes of Glory".
The bluing and all modern marks were removed. An Enfield style trigger guard installed, straight barrel bands, and modified the nose cap.

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[Dillohide]

Armi Jaeger is what I have. Really like it. The rear sight installation seems to be a little different on it than other reproductions. There is no retaining screw under the 300 yard sight leaf on mine. There is a hole in front of the 100 yard sight but nothing in it.

 

[threepdr]

the zoli rifle is a good one.

lets clear this up they were used in battle. they were not used by the zouave troops. there is a report in walter clines book. there were 100 remington rifles captured in the fall of columbia s.c. in 1865. that means the rifles were used by the north and captured and used by the south.

Unless the original source on this information specifically said these were Model 1863 Remington Rifles, they are actually most likely Remington made Model 1841 Rifles. Remington was one of the prime contractors for the Model 1841 aka "Mississippi" Rifle.

 

[torn moc]

Hey Bsc !!!! I saw that georgia converted zoo
and hesitated hitting the button...went back to it 1 minute later and it was sold...
...so You got it!!!
Dang....2 days later I bought a 41 Mississippi for $225....so Im happy...dont know bout you though...How do ya like the Georgia Armory??

 

[CoyoteJoe]

This is off the original post subject a little but what peep sight did you get and where did you put it? Not saying I'm going to remove the military rear sight but it has crossed my mind. To get mine centered at 100 yards had to go to 60 grains Pyrodex Select and the 577611 Minie. Goex and Pyrodex RS were both shooting a foot left with 60 grains.

The sight I used is not made for a Zouave, in fact it was not even made as a peep. It is a long leaf Marbles open sight with step elevator. It had an insert which slides up or down after loosening a clamp screw. I replaced that sliding insert with a piece of hacksaw blade, annealed and filed to fit and drilled with a 1/8" peep hole. I used the existing cross slot of the original rear sight and filed that slot to a true dovetail to hold the Marbles sight. The long leaf then extends back so that the peep is just ahead of the hammer. I'd prefer it be a couple of inches closer to the eye but that was and easy way to get a peep on the Zouave so that is where it stands. At age 66 I just shoot much better with a peep and the original open sight was a total POS, much too close to the eye for an open sight. I doubt that anyone past their teens could get a decent sight picture with an open sight so close to the eye but most military muskets of that time were similar, only the two band Enfield had a decent rear sight placement. I know lots of people do shoot OK with the Springfield, Zouave, or three band Enfields, I just don't know how they do it. I see those sights as just a big hazy blob and can't get a real sight picture at all.

 

[twogunjay]

I'm in N.E. Ohio. Our local gun shop gets a few of these traded in every year. The last one I saw was pretty clean and it went for $225 out-the-door. Hope this helps....