1861 Springfield mold help?

[barnabus]

anyone here shoot a 1861 Springfield and could recommend a mold that will work from 100-300 yards?

[dave951]

anyone here shoot a 1861 Springfield and could recommend a mold that will work from 100-300 yards?

Search function is your friend. We’ve been over this multiple times. Search for North South Skirmish Association. We shoot these in competition.

[Nobade]

I like the NOE Pritchett bullets in mine. Moose Molds make several good designs. And as mentioned above, lots of data points available through the N-SSA.

[barnabus]

Search function is your friend. We’ve been over this multiple times. Search for North South Skirmish Association. We shoot these in competition.

anyone else.....

[dave951]

Ok here’s the Cliff notes. Read then use the search function and get on the N-SSA or CivilWarTalk boards.

1- KNOW your actual bore size, not what it’s marked, what some reenactor on utoob says
2- Cast and size minies to .001 under that size
3- Use REAL quality black powder and caps. Avoid reenactor garbage.
4- Use a good lube, usually 50/50 beeswax/lard,tallow,Crisco
5- Only pure lead
6- Not all molds drop at what is marked. Not all minie designs shoot the same.
7- Reenactors and Joe Blow on utoob rarely know what they’re talking about. Get in contact with N-SSA or NMLRA people.

Get some samples from Lodgewood. Then are cast by an N-SSA,member who knows what he’s doing, not some source on the net who doesn’t understand that wheel weights won’t work.

[carbine]

Everything Dave said is correct. With rare exceptions, they are limited to around 100 yards. Couple You tubers have shot at 400 yards but they are rare.

[barnabus]

Everything Dave said is correct. With rare exceptions, they are limited to around 100 yards. Couple You tubers have shot at 400 yards but they are rare.

are you saying that all minnies are pretty much 100 yard bullets?

[Nobade]

While the N-SSA is a wealth of knowledge, keep in mind their competitions are rather specialized and have rules that you aren't required to follow if you're not doing that. Like my mention of Pritchett bullets. They're not allowed in competition but I have found them to be exceptionally accurate, easy to use, and effective to rather long range. There is a reason they were used for warfare back when these guns were state of the art.

[jaegerstutzen]

Barnabus, I've been shooting a Rapine 578 510 grain minie sized to .577 w 45 gr 2f for decades in all my Hoyt and Whitacre relines going from 1/56 to 1/72 . Jim Leinike in his exellent articles cronies that load at 950 fps. Pretty much the service load. Now from memory sited in center mass at 50 she will drop 9" at 100. So we NSSA shooters that use the Springfield will have a leaf dedicated to each range. Sited in for 200 yds the mid range trajectory is around 48 ". That bullet will indeed fly far but your site settings on the 61-64 series don't adjust so are good for one range only for each leaf and you will have to hold over or under for other for ranges. Whew! I am a poor typest (and speller) and am wore out. Hope this helps. Jaeger

[dave951]

Nobody said that minies are limited to 100yds.

One further word on muskets. Not all muskets are alike. There are originals that are capable of outstanding accuracy. There are other originals best relegated to wall hanger status. There are some great reproductions. Many are so so. More than a couple are just garbage. You can’t just ask a question like your first post without more information to even hope to get more than a generalization in response.

To shoot extended distances like 1k yds, the Pritchett paper patched bullet is superior to a greased minie, all other things held equal.

Shooting muskets is riding herd on a bunch of variables at once. One answer doesn’t fit all guns. What DOES work is using concepts I’ve mentioned and applying a methodical approach while experimenting.

[Deadeye Bly]

It is hard to beat the Lyman 575213 minie for an all around bullet in the Springfield rifle. If it's an original you may need the larger version of it, the 580213. Ebay is generally a good place to shop for these. The 575213 OS a lighter bullet patterned after the original bullets used. OS means old style.

[barnabus]

nobade,jaegerstutzen and deadeye bly thanks so much for your response.

[iron brigade]

Civil war skirmisher here, I have several .58 caliber muskets and shoot the Hodgdon .576 minie. Bores are .577. Accuracy is excellent with 43 grains of 3f old eyensford black powder.
I started at 40 grains and once I hit 43 that was the accuracy load. For longer range you want a heavy minie, research press has some great information on long range shooting with muzzle loaders. As stated above, find the size of your bore diameter and size 1-2 thousands under. Use pure lead, anything else will key hole.

And then there's the sights...you may get lucky and it will shoot to the sights, but not likely. Normally a higher front sight is needed.

[carbine]

iron brigade
Since he wants distance, he should leave the front sight alone, and get an "L" leafy rear sight that may give him the hight he needs

[barnabus]

iron brigade
Since he wants distance, he should leave the front sight alone, and get an "L" leafy rear sight that may give him the hight he needs

can you tell me what that type of sight looks like sir?

[iron brigade]

Tis true chum, I mainly shoot at 50 and100 yards. Those repro muskets rarely shoot to the sights. If it is a repro that is. And it should have the leaf sights already factory installed. I think the tall leaf sight is a 600 yard sight.