1858 enfield

[rayg]

If I recall, when I was shooting my original Enfield 577. I used to load some real light loads of about 30 grs black FFG. as you don't need a lot of powder to expand the skirt of the minnie and I remember it was quite accurate and I used those loads to shoot at the balloons and the axe edge at 35 yds. Ray

[Gus Fisher]

In 1980, I purchased an original Parker Hale 1858 two band musket to use as a Confederate States Marine in reenactlments. My first trip to the NSSA nationals was in 1974, so I was well aware of sizing minie's for it by then. I worked guns at the Nationals, so I never shot there in the 24 plus years I went when I wasn't stationed somewhere else. The Parker Hales were made from borrowed pattern gages from the Tower of London and Parker Hale made a copy of those gages for theiir guns. That's why parts from original "Interchangeable Pattern" Enfields (like the Tower Muskets) and the original Parker Hales will interchange 100 percent.

I decided one day to actually shoot a cartridge box full of cartidges to see what it was like. I used 60 grain charges as I was told that was the original "Service Load." I was iin a reproduction uniform when I shot it without a shoulder pad of any sort. Well, it took about 2 1/2 hours and there were tears flowing down my cheeks from the pain on the last of the 40 rounds I fired. I was able to hide the fact I severely brusied my shoulder and it took a few days to heal up. The straighter stock of the Enfield rifles gives you harder recoil than the more curved Mississippi or Springfield buttstocks. Even when the andrenaline was running in combat, I KNOW they had to hurt bad if they fired that many rounds back then.

BTW, I purchased an original Cutlass Bayonet to wear for "Parade or Dress" occasions and that fit EXACTLY like it should have with no alterations whatsoever.

[noslack 327]

Time to take them out again. I have cast a couple of hundred projectiles, I will be using all the good info I received here thanks all.

[noslack 327]

4,437 views, what a great place for learning, thanks everyone.

[noslack 327]

Now I have to recast or try mice chewed .58 cal minis, seems mice like bees wax/lard lub, they took of all the lub and chewed the lead, wonder if the lead will kill them.

[armorkav]

Dixie Gun Works have always supplied the need for odd and obscure BP accessories. To include BP.

[noslack 327]

Gatofeo a lot of good info here.

[Conductor]

I shot a Parker-Hale "2-bander" 1858 Enfield in NSSA competition for several years with excellent results. The best load for me was the Lyman 575213-OS and 42 grains of 2F Goex. Shooting 42 grains, I could shoot clover leaves at 50 yards. But if I upped the charge to 44 grains, the group would open up to about 4 inches.
For a lube, I used a mix of 2/3 Crisco and 1/3 beeswax. The bore on my gun slugged out to .577, so I sized my bullets to .575 after lubing them.

[QCI Springfield]

The story about the parts being interchangeable with the originals is a myth started by Parker-Hale when they first introduced them. The barrels are slightly heavier, and the other parts all differ enough that they won't interchange without a lot of work. It seems to me that even the lockplates differ. And yes, I did dismantle both an original and a '70's vintage Parker-Hale. Most disappointed....

In 1980, I purchased an original Parker Hale 1858 two band musket to use as a Confederate States Marine in reenactlments. My first trip to the NSSA nationals was in 1974, so I was well aware of sizing minie's for it by then. I worked guns at the Nationals, so I never shot there in the 24 plus years I went when I wasn't stationed somewhere else. The Parker Hales were made from borrowed pattern gages from the Tower of London and Parker Hale made a copy of those gages for theiir guns. That's why parts from original "Interchangeable Pattern" Enfields (like the Tower Muskets) and the original Parker Hales will interchange 100 percent.

I decided one day to actually shoot a cartridge box full of cartidges to see what it was like. I used 60 grain charges as I was told that was the original "Service Load." I was iin a reproduction uniform when I shot it without a shoulder pad of any sort. Well, it took about 2 1/2 hours and there were tears flowing down my cheeks from the pain on the last of the 40 rounds I fired. I was able to hide the fact I severely brusied my shoulder and it took a few days to heal up. The straighter stock of the Enfield rifles gives you harder recoil than the more curved Mississippi or Springfield buttstocks. Even when the andrenaline was running in combat, I KNOW they had to hurt bad if they fired that many rounds back then.

BTW, I purchased an original Cutlass Bayonet to wear for "Parade or Dress" occasions and that fit EXACTLY like it should have with no alterations whatsoever.