A mdl 1860 Dreyse needle fire

[elk hunter]

Here is a picture of my Dreyse and a target shot at 25 yards. The 5 shot group is repeatable every time if I do my part.The completed cartridge and components for the cartridge are shown laying on the target. The cartridge consists of a paper tube, 60 grains of FFF-G black powder, a Large Berdan primer or a musket cap glued to the base of a 18 gauge wad and 1/2 of another wad, topped off with a 16 gauge round ball lubed with paste wax. If we had any deer left I would consider hunting with it.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Wow! I am greatly impressed, with your cartridge, target, and Dreyse rifle. I wonder how many of those are left in existence, especially how many that are left in shootable condition. How long have you owned it, how many shots have you fired, and have you had to replace the needle?

I'm wondering where in Central Oregon you live. I live in northern Klamath County at the 4,600 ft. level. We have lots of deer in the summer, but they tend to disappear around hunting season! Honestly, the last deer I saw was in late Sept. They are Mule Deer, and migrate away eastward when the nights get cold. Here's a nice fork horn that was very attentive to my salt block late last Spring. Not the best photo, I know.

Attachment 252570

[hpbear101]

Very nice rifle and group. I shoot a Chassepot and have to admit that needle guns are a hoot to shoot, some day I would like to look over a Dreyse as well.

[elk hunter]

Der Gerbirgsjager;

This is the only Dreyse that I have seen personally. I acquired it about six months ago. Apparently they aren't all that common here in the states but there are several video's of them being shot by folks in Europe. There is a fellow over there, in Europe, that will make you a new one but they are quite expensive. I was lucky on this one that the bore is nearly perfect. As for the needle, they aren't as delicate as they look but I have made some replacement's and carry them with me when I go to the range. It appears that all the different original cartridge variations, there were at least three, used a sabot to support and guide the bullet I finally gave up on the sabot business and went to a 16 gauge round ball that I had the mould for and that was the answer for real accuracy. It is truly amazingly accurate. With cartridge development I've probably put sixty to eighty rounds through it.

I live just North of you in Bend where, during the sixty's, the Mule Deer hunting was outstanding, now there are way more deer in town than in the woods. I've probably shot my last deer, at least in this area.

hpbear101;

I would love to have a Chassepot but they, like the Dreyse, are not all that common in my neck of the woods.

[Harter66]

If this had been 3 yr ago I'd have told you to come to the NCBS and I'd bring my Chessipot .
I haven't rounded up the stuff to load it yet although I have a bullet intended for a similar application . It's an 1866 11mm with an 1871 issue stamp on the butt . There is or was a guy making new seal sets , SS needles and tool kits for loading the cartridges .
As I recall it the loading was a 385 gr bullet for a 43 Egyptian paper patched to the cartridge with a charge of only 45 gr of FFg . I remember thinking it was hardly more than a Colts Dragoon but with a much heavier bullet .

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I've read about both the Dreyse and Chassepot for many years, both significant developments in firearms history, but have never closely examined either. Over the many years I have seen one or two of each at gun shows, but both are uncommon. My main focus in acquiring and shooting was always Span-Am War through Korea, and I guess I had to draw the line somewhere. It was only in recent years that I went a notch farther back and acquired a couple of '88 and then 71/84 Mausers. I've read a great deal of military history of the time period when these rifles were queen of the battlefield, and do recall that each Prussian soldier armed with a Dreyse was issued a spare needle.

Bend-- I was just up there two days ago to visit medical row on 27th St. That city has expanded so much that I can see why the deer would be pushed (and hunted) out of the area. You're welcome to come on down to the Chemult area next season and look around, but I've been told that the USFS holds an assembly for them a couple of days before the season and gives each buck a copy of the hunting regulations. Anyway, about that time they become very scarce, although the does and fawns seem to linger for awhile. I quit hunting back about 1985, just mellowed out I guess.
But more power to those still interested.