Anton Zoli 58 cal Mississippi Rifle

[T-Bird]

I "inherited " the above rifle from an elderly friend when he passed, that he most likely purchased in the '70's. I have shot it a few times with patched ball and black at 50 yds and it does well. I think I shot 575 ball and .015 patch. would like to try minies, but don't know what size is correct for this rifle. I tried a .580 pure lead from a Lee mold the was a loose fit and shot horribly. I only tried it because I thought the skirt was supposed to expand to fit the bore on firing in these guns ( this is my 1st time with minies). Does anyone have one of these rifles and use minies in it? What size do you use? I bought 25 .585 minies pre cast from Track of the Wolf, they are too large. Seems a .583ish might fit? Any Advice? Thanks, and Shoot Straight, T-Bird.

[bob208]

I shoot my minies a little tight. it takes thumb pressure to get them started in the muzzle. then they slide down. you could take one and roll it between some steal plates that will reduce them a few thou. go slow and keep trying till you get one to just fit. then measure it. then see how it shoots. did you lube the bullets ? and with what?

[T-Bird]

The .580 Lee boolits I lubed with T/C lube left over from my muzzle loading days. These .585 boolits, I just got today, tried one in the muzzle just to see about possible fit- it was not lubed, but could not be "thumb seated" I didn't think, so I removed it.

[mooman76]

.001/2 under actual bore size for best fit. The skirts do expand to help fit the bore but they are very limited on size. If you can get the .585 started they may work ok. You can also have a sizer made once you figure out the exact size that will work.

[Nobade]

If you can find a machine shop with a set of big pin gauges, you can have them measure the bore. Minie' bullets should be .001" under bore diameter for easy loading and good accuracy. As close to pure lead as you can manage. That rifle has quite a generous bore!

You may also want to experiment with paper patching to get a good fit depending on what you have available. Probably end up with a custom sizing die as well. You can get them from these guys: http://www.ssfirearms.com/
as well as lots of other stuff for shooting the rifled musket.

-Nobade

[bedbugbilly]

It doesn't surprise me that the bore of your rifle is on the large side. It isn't that uncommon.

I have a Remington Zouave repro. that I purchased probably around 1964 or so. It is unmarked as to any maker/importer but is a very high quality reproduction - beautiful walnut stock, good quality lock, etc. It's not too far off on the vintage of your rifle. My bore measures out at about .583. Shooting a minie ball out of my Lyman 575-213 mold in it does not work well at all - they will "key hole". On the opposite side, I have a Armi-Sport reproduction of the 1855 rifled musket and the same minie ball is perfect - inserts with thumb pressure easily and shoots well.

If you can get your bore measured as suggested already, then find a mold that will drop a boolit that is .001 to .002 smaller, you should be fine. The issue may be finding a mold that will drop the right size.

You certainly aren't alone with the bore on your rifle - check Lodgewood, S & S, etc. once you find the actual size of your bore and see what they suggest as they might be able to fix you up.

You could have your barrel "relined" by such places as Whitacre but that is not a cheap thing - probably close to $300. I am going to go that route with my Zouave as it has a lot of sentimental value to me - my first BO rifle that I bought with my Dad loaning me some of the $$ to buy it until I could pay him back. The cost of the rifle was a pricey $65.00! At that time, new ones were selling for $125.00. I cut a lot of lawns at a dollar to a dollar and a half to pay my Dad back!

The originals of your rifle were .54 and they were loaded with RB so with a RB, you are "authentic". I have shot original Mississippi Rifles - both in .54 and several that were converted to .58 - very nice rifles and accurate.

I just picked up another Zouave - like your rifle it is a Zoli with Navy Arms stampings. I haven't measured the bore yet but I have a feeling it will also be .580 or a little larger. A minie ball skirt will expand but to much oversize is "pushing it" and like any rifle with a poor boolit to bore fit, they'll keyhole. If the bore on my Zoli proves to be unsuitable for my minies - and I also have a .577 minie mold, then I will probably just shoot RB from it as I have other rifled muskets that shoot my minies well.

If the .585 minies were too tight, then you assessment on .583 is probably close. You may have to have a custom single cavity made or if you can find a mold that will drop say .585 - then have push through sizer made to size them down to .583 or whatever you come up with that fits.

Don't get discouraged on it as you'll find something that will work in your rifle - then just go and have fun!

[T-Bird]

Thanks for all the info guys. I was hoping that someone would say " I have one of those guns and I shoot a ... minie, from a .... mold, that I got from ... . Guess I wanted the easy way out. I will play around with it that's part of the fun. Shoot Straight, T-Bird

[T-Bird]

Think I'll do the rolling between steel plates 1st and see how I can make that work

[carbine]

I have a Zoli Zouave and I have been shooting a minie from and RCBS 500m Mould since 1982. It fits with no sizing. ANY questions call or write
Tammany42@aol.com or 917453-0171

[T-Bird]

Took it out yesterday with 5 of the minies I had rolled to about .582 or 3. Lubed'em up and shot'em, they shot pretty well, but low compared to balls. They did seem to do ok windage wise.I got brave, and started one w/o rolling it and stuffed it in with a ball starter and once past the muzzle, it went down ok, and shot well so I didn't roll the rest. Tried both 50 and 60 grains pryodex rs (I used this because I have 3lbs of it and only 1 lb black). I didn't shoot for group, I shot at empty Freon tanks at about 50 yds. I don't know if I'll continue this or not balls do so well. Shoot Straight, T-Bird