Questions on repro musket

[wstrayer]

I would like to get a repro musket. Either 1861 or 1863 Springfield. I see the pedersoli 1861 has a 1:72 twist. How does this shoot with a Minnie and a fairly heavy hunting charge?
Is there another source of good accurate musket reporductions?

[dave]

I think a 1-72 twist is too slow for A "bullet' of any kind. It is for a round ball. Accuracy would not be ideal!

[musketshooter]

Dave. You are wrong. The original rifling twist is one turn in 6 feet. They shot mini-balls quite well. They were never intended to use round balls. Some people shoot patched round balls and get acceptable accuracy at short ranges. A reading of page 5 of the Rifled Musket by Fuller will bear me out. It is not advisable to use a powder charge of over 60 gains of ffg since more will probably deform the skirt and be detrimental to accuracy. These old guns do not have to "souped up" to kill any north american game.

[wstrayer]

A bunch of years ago I had an Enfield Musketoon that I never did get to shoot with anything other than patched round ball. That plus the lack of drop in the stock caused me to sell it to a re-enactor. I had tried different diameter Minnie balls and charges from 60 to 90 grains of FFg and FFg.

[Weasel]

Go to Dixie Gun works sight. They have a large selection of muzzle loaders. Musketshooter is right. The Springfield is design to shoot the mini-ball and not round patched round ball. I have shot soft lead cast mini-balls made from telephone lead sleeving with good results. Believe me when that .58 cal slug hits something it’s going to hurt. 60 to 90 grains of 2fg works just fine, anything more is a waste of powder as a lot goes out the end of the bbl unburnd.

[wstrayer]

I also see that Cabela's is handling Pedersoli reproductions as well. Might have to check out a '61 Springfield at their store.

[m1ashooter]

Pedersoli makes a quality product.

[wstrayer]

I keep looking for a used one but either mfgr is unknown or price is as high as new, that is if I can find one at all.

[jeep]

55-60 max with minie is a heavy hunting load. It will kill a elk,bufaloe,moose,horse. You do not need more powder. In fact less is best. To many people today think they need 100-150grs. thats crazy and not true. I use a 40.cal tenn Hog rifle in ohio and have killed dozens of deer with the 95gr. ball and 65grs. of fffg. And in 50 cal ball 80grs in flintlocks to harvest many deer also.

[jeep]

I have shot a repo 1853 3 band enfield with 60grs ffg and minie at 300yds hitting a 2 foot steel gong.

[dave]

Dave. You are wrong. The original rifling twist is one turn in 6 feet. They shot mini-balls quite well. They were never intended to use round balls. Some people shoot patched round balls and get acceptable accuracy at short ranges. A reading of page 5 of the Rifled Musket by Fuller will bear me out. It is not advisable to use a powder charge of over 60 gains of ffg since more will probably deform the skirt and be detrimental to accuracy. These old guns do not have to "souped up" to kill any north american game.

In this case you are probably correct, but the general rule is the longer the 'bullet' the faster twist you need to stabilize it, to a point. Earlier flint locks (Kentucky rifles) used balls and had very slow twist. "Minie" balls are not long (for their dia.) and weight is mostly to the front. Modern hunting m/l have faster twists cause hardly no one uses balls in them. Many, in fact, use hi.pwr.rifle bullets in sabots.

[broom jockey]

I have a Euro Arms 1863 repro rifle. Euro Arms has better quality than most.

[Embalmer]

euroarms closed down 2 years ago. armisport has upped its game in quality since.