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Thread: 1861 Springfield

  1. #1
    Boolit Master Mark Daiute's Avatar
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    1861 Springfield

    I'm looking for loads for my 1861 Springfield. I just had it relined by Bobby Hoyt and it's just come home. I have lubed up some minnieballs with black gold using my lubrisizer. 70 grains FFg seemed pretty hot and did not group well 650 grains worked pretty nicely and showed promise. I'm looking to the experienced Rifled musket shooters for advice.

    Thanks,

    Mark

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Baron von Trollwhack's Avatar
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    Many competitive shooters in the N-SSA. org shoot 2 or 3 F charges in the 35 to 50 grain range with the standard minies or some of the modern target style minies. BvT
    Every lawbreaker we allow into our nation, or tolerate in our citizen population leads to the further escalation of law breaking of all kinds and acceptance of evil.
    Since almost all aspects of our cultural existence are LIBERAL in most states, this means that the nation is on a trajectory to dissolution by the burden of toleration and acceptance of LAWBREAKING as a norm, a trajectory back to the dark ages of history.

    BvT

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy opentop's Avatar
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    The original charge during the Civil war was 65 Grains of black powder. Now, some others here will be able to tell you waht current powder offerings are the closest to 1861 powder.
    Appalachian American

    When told the reason for daylight savings time the Old Indian said, “Only the Government would believe that you could cut a foot off the top of a blanket, sew it to the bottom, and have a longer blanket.”

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy 59sharps's Avatar
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    hodgens minnie w/ 38 of 3fffg swiss or 42 of 3fffg goex. works best for mine

  5. #5
    Boolit Master oldhickory's Avatar
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    I've tried a lot of boolits, new and old in rifle muskets over the years and always find the Lyman 575213OS, (pure lead) to be my old stand-by. Sized to .001" under bore dia. and lubed with nothing but good old bees wax and crisco mix. Between 45-55gr. of FFFg will net me around 1-1.5" groups off the bench at 100yds. from just about any rifle musket I care to shoot that day.


    The off hand shooting is a matter of practice! Good luck!
    Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

    Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Baron von Trollwhack's Avatar
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    Those "others" that tell you that 65 grains was the charge are right. Except that during the whole war the Union quartermasters fought with suppliers over the crummy powder of widely varying strength and quality the various contractors loaded into the issue musket cartridges. So it was really "65 grains of what"? BvT
    Every lawbreaker we allow into our nation, or tolerate in our citizen population leads to the further escalation of law breaking of all kinds and acceptance of evil.
    Since almost all aspects of our cultural existence are LIBERAL in most states, this means that the nation is on a trajectory to dissolution by the burden of toleration and acceptance of LAWBREAKING as a norm, a trajectory back to the dark ages of history.

    BvT

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master


    missionary5155's Avatar
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    Good morning
    Another aspect of the Cival War charge is that there was not a concern for absolute best accuracy but to fire at a mass of men standing in rows two at a max range of about 100 yards. One shot would complete penetrate one man and seriously injure the fellow standing behind. But yes the powder of that day was not what we take for granted today.
    You just have to shoot the rifle and find out what load is more accurate. I found with my Zuoave a patched RB at 85 grains 2Fwas the MOST accurate of all.
    "Behold The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world". John 1:29
    Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check