3.5 dram Enfield?

[Thundermaker]

I have a Euroarms 1853 3-band Enfield. The listing I got it from described it as a "3.5 dram Enfield". I thought this was a typo, since the original service load was 2.5 drams (roughly 68 grains). It arrived at my door today, and I took it out of the box. Sure enough, the barrel is marked " 3 1/2 drams of black powder only". That's nearly 96 grains. Is there any historical precedence of this load being used? I haven't found anything about it yet.

I'm not entirely certain that the manufacturer didn't intend for it to be used with a patched round ball and 95 grains of powder.

[drago9900]

Check the twist of the barrel, slow twist for RB

[carbine]

Assuming it is a nominal.58 caliber. 3.5 drams is way too much. Most folks in the N-SSA who shoot Enfields don't even approach the 2.5 Drams. All they shoot is real black powder. Any questions go to N-SSA.org

[gnoahhh]

Proof tested with a 3½ dram load maybe? (Although that seems like a light proof load.)

[Thundermaker]

It's a 1:48 twist barrel, which is kind of a catchall twist to use either rb or Conicals. It is a .58

[Omnivore]

One dram = 1/16th ounce. 7000/16/16 = 27.34 grains per dram.

3.5 drams is 95.7 grains. That doesn't seem extreme, and it doesn't seem like near enough for a proof load. My hunting load is 110 grains black and a tight fit patched ball. I'm not seeing anything odd here.

The only question I'd have is; if they're calling it a 3.5 dram gun, then they probably had a specific load in mind, so what's the rest of the load?

[Nobade]

Shouldn't a P53 be 1:72"? Or were they made both ways?

-Nobade

[rmark]

I think the two band 1858 was 1-48, the three band 1853 was 1-72. The North-South shooters use about 40 grains FFFg, while the original load was about 60 grains Fg. With a soft lead minie bullet I'd be wary of heavier loads as you may strip the bullet skirt off in the barrel.

[Col4570]

At the Proof Houses these days they ask what service Load you want then they will add the extra pressure to Proof the piece.The stampings indicate the Service Load.

[dromia]

It is the maximum recommended load by the manufacturer.

[Thundermaker]

Shouldn't a P53 be 1:72"? Or were they made both ways?

-Nobade

They were, but this being a repro, they modernized that aspect. It'll probably shoot a lot better.

[fouronesix]

They were, but this being a repro, they modernized that aspect. It'll probably shoot a lot better.

Don't assume it will automatically or even ever be more accurate than a slower twist. But it may be easier to attain some level of accuracy with less effort or less attention to detail. Some slow twist guns are incredibly accurate and some not so accurate….. for any number of reasons. I believe dromia is correct about what the loads as marked on the barrel mean. I'd just stick with normal type loads.

[fgd135]

Agree with Dromia's comments--that 3 1/2 drams is maximum recommended load, not the proof load.