1853 Enfield **very new to BP**

[WinchesterM1]

I just picked up a ARMI sport 1853 enfield 3 band and this is my first BP gun ever, never shot them, never watches videos on them, nothing!. As far as I can tell it’s a .58 cal with a 1/48 twist, I want to hunt with this during my black powder season here in Ky. I have a lb if real GOEX 2f and a can of that pyrodex 2f stuff also, I have no projectiles (almost said balls lol) for this thing. Can someone please help me out with this? What mold would be best? How much powder? I’m hoping to get 3” at 100 yards

FYI for anyone who asks I did try the search engine and it’s not working for me and I even went back 6 pages and didn’t see anything

Thank you

[Texas by God]

Not the same rifle but same caliber; I hope this ( from Lyman 45th) helps.
Make sure there's no deer behind the one you are shooting at- a single deer won't stop that .58 chunk of lead!

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[30calflash]

If you have the mold TbG posted it would work, that's what Lyman called the new style Minie.

I've used an old style minie in my P-H 53 Enfield. It's about 460 grains, has a heavier skirt than the new style. Would probably work better with stout BP loads than the new style. Do some testing with heavier loads before taking afield. Thinner skirt on the NS could blow out giving you accuracy issues.

3" at a 100 yds will be possible, but if runnig standard sights that may prevent it. Others may chime in but I'd say 5" or less likely doable.

There are other molds, many lighter and a few heavier but 460-500 grains should do what you need it to do.

[Shawlerbrook]

I have a beat up bubba’ed original 1853 decorating one of the walls of my cabin.

[Nobade]

If you want to try different bullets before buying a mold, check out papercartridges.com he has several designs for sale as well as ready to load cartridges for it. The masters of the rifled musket are the N-SSA or north south skirmish association. They develop those rifles into serious target arms, but they shoot very light loads in competition not what you'd use for hunting. There is a lot to learn about shooting the rifled musket but once you figure it out they are sure a lot of fun and very effective hunting arms.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I think you will find the twist on a 3 band s 1:72" Mine s a Parker-Hale,.

[toot]

why were they considered a superior weapon to our SPRINGFIELD MUSKET?

[GregLaROCHE]

Some people can shoot a 3” group at 100 yards, but don’t expect to right off. If I were you, I would be thinking of taking a deer at 50 yards or less this year.

[Eddie Southgate]

I use the Lyman 575212 , fill the base with crisco and rub a bit on the skirt over 65 grains of FFG. Always worked for me and hits anything I aim at at 50 and 100 yards. Hits a small gong at 200 yards , most of the time. With the round ball I use the same load . Both kill deer very well.

[barnabus]

why were they considered a superior weapon to our SPRINGFIELD MUSKET?

cuz the blue bellys cant make nothing without organizing a union...

[toot]

barnabus, ORGINAZING A UNION! now I rely like that!! I take it that you are a REB?

[Gtek]

I hope you don't mind but I will be using that at the first and following opportunities.

[toot]

not at all, go for it!

[Adam Helmer]

WincheterM1,
I suggest you buy and read the Lyman, "Black Powder Handbook" before you shoot. My M1853 Enfield is my reenactment Civil War Parade Musket. It was set up to use the CW charge of 60 grains 2F and a Minie. My Enfield shoots that load to the battle sight at 100 yards and kills deer.

Happy range time is in your future after you read and understand the .577 Enfield.

Be well.
Adam

[barnabus]

barnabus, ORGINAZING A UNION! now I rely like that!! I take it that you are a REB?

yep and PROUD OF IT!

[LIMPINGJ]

Some helpful reading material.
http://researchpress.co.uk/index.php...ng-the-enfield

[dave951]

I'm a N-SSA member. There is no "magic" to getting one to shoot if you follow these steps.

1) MEASURE your bore size. This is critical information. What stamped on it, what somebody says, what a reenactor says WILL NOT SUFFICE. You'll either need to go to a machine shop and let them do it or get 3 plug gauges off Amazon in .575,.577, and .579, cost is about $5ea.
2) Get a selection of minies from Lodgewood in the correct size, and that is .001 under your MEASURED bore size. They are cast by a N-SSA member who knows how to cast quality minies. There is NO other source for quality minies commercially. Track and other may be really good on round ball, but minies are a world unto themselves.
https://www.lodgewood.com/Bullets_c_7.html
Do not purchase a mold until you know the bore size. Lee molds are attractively priced, but use a quality mold like Moose or NOE and you'll understand why Lee is so cheap. If you look at the winners in muzzleloading musket competition in minies, you won't find anyone using Lee. There's a reason.
3) Use only quality real black powder. Swiss is best by far. Start with 3f, 2f is ok but may well have more fouling than 3f. With a proper load and lube, you should be able to shoot until you run out of ammo, shoulder, or daylight with no loss of accuracy or having to wipe or otherwise clean your rifle.
4) Use only quality musket caps, RWS and Schuetzen are fine. CCI reenactor caps are designed for blanks and not consistent.
5) Use only natural base ingredients for lube. I use beeswax/lard with some lanolin. Do not fill the base unless you just want to destroy accuracy and create fliers. Simply dip lube the rings.

It was mentioned earlier that the loads we use are "light". With 3f, powder charges must be cut a bit from 2f. Swiss is a bit more energetic than any other black powder and loads can be reduced and still keep the same accuracy and velocity that less energetic powders yield. In switching to Swiss, I cut my powder charges by about 2-3g across the board and still have great accuracy and sufficient power. A load that works great with 3f Swiss will be about 40-45g 3f but to get anywhere near the same velocity with standard Goex, you'll have to up that charge to about 50-55g 3f. To replicate either with 2f, you'll be up around 55-60g. Now are these loads sufficient for deer hunting? Well you're looking at a 58cal 450-500g pure lead bullet still moving at about 800+fps on target. Compare that to the the 44mag at the muzzle. Yeah, that poky, slow load will absolutely put bambi in the freezer. Many in the N-SSA hunt with the very same load and musket they use in competition.

But hey- what do we know about shooting minies-

[quilbilly]

At one time I also had a Parker Hale 1853 and had molds for both Mini's and round ball. It shot so well with patched round ball and 70 gr of 2F Goex powder that I rarely used the mini's. Casting round ball is much simpler. The rifle would easily shoot 4" groups at 100 yards off a rest with PRB. It accounted for several deer and even one cow elk but it was too pretty to take out in the pouring rain during our "monsoon" season in December. I eventually traded it for rifles less "treasured" for taking out in the late season rain.

[carbine]

FWIW an N-SSA "target load" of approx 40 grains will drop a deer DRT.

[carbine]

P.M. sent