58 Cal load

[stomper]

Hello, I am new to the group. What is the general conscious of members as to the correct load of FFg for a 55 cal Minnie ball appx. 525 grain bullet? I am using 60 grains and it seems to shoot fine with that load but some of my friends seem to think it is too small a charge. The rifle is a 1960's vintage Antonio Zoli repo.




Thanks in advance
Bob

[jdfoxinc]

If it is accurate it is a good load. The standard load at the start of the war of northern agression was 60gr, 65gr towards the last 2 years.

[RED333]

I shot mine at 100 grans, WOW let ya know you are alive.
I backed off to 70 and things are all good.

[Outpost75]

For target shooting in N-SSA most folks use 40-50 grains to cut down on the recoil. For hunting purposes the service load of 65 grains is quite adequate. Above that you will blow the skirt on the original "old style" Minie bullet, especially in barrels shorter than 30 inches.

[bedbugbilly]

stomper - I have used 60 gr of 2F with the 575-213 Ideal/Lyman in both a Zouave and 1861 rifled musket for 50 + years with great accuracy. When shooting N-SSA, I would often cut it back as Outpost75mentions. If you Zouave is shooting well with the 60 grain load, why change it? Loading with stout loads not only is a waste of powder but you run the chance of blowing the skirt. Over the years, Lyman changed the profile of the hollow base pinned some form a more stout skirt. My mold is 50 so years old and my base pin forms a more traditional/historic skirt. YMMV - but again, if your 60 grain load shoots well and is accurate, there is no need to change - all you'll do is waste powder IMHO.

[stomper]

I realize I made a mistake in my original post but I assume you fellows are aware that the caliber is 58 not 55. My mold is also at least 50 years old ( I am 80) its a Lyman 580-213. My reason for asking is that I was finding some rounds were tumbling and just not grouping well. The problem was that somewhere along the line I molded maybe 20 rounds with some lead that I don't remember where it came from and it was too hard. I went through some 40 rounds and scratched them with my thumb nail and separated the pure lead rounds from the hard rounds and things are good again.
Thanks for the reply's.

[Texas by God]

Good on you stomper. I hope I'm fooling with 58s when I'm 80.........

[flint45]

In my .58 mine I can get to 80 grs.ffg then acc. suffers. But 60 grs. gives best accuracy.Gun is a Confederate Artillery carbine repo.

[D Crockett]

I have been using 70 gr in my 58cal. even killed a 350 lb hog with it the first day I had it. seems to me some where around there you will find the sweet spot for you . keep up the good shooting D Crockett

[bedbugbilly]

stomper - that mold of yours, like you, is just as good today as it was 50 years ago! LOL So you don't feel so bad, I'm still using my 575-213 Lyman 505 grain that I bought about 55 years ago - and it's still dropping good ones!

I'm guessing with the hardness of the few you had cast out of known, the skirt just wasn't expanding enough. As a result, you'll get "key holers". Same results if your minie was undersize for the bore.

Glad you got it figured out - now go and have fun and enjoy that rifled musket!

[trapper9260]

In my 1864 brigesburg it dose good with 60gr of FFG. That is with a mini and round ball and patch.