Author Topic: Loads For 58  (Read 5029 times)

Offline Frizzen

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Loads For 58
« on: December 30, 2010, 01:40:10 AM »
Got two hours tomorrow to find a load for my 58 caliber Musketoon. This will be with a .570
round ball and .015 patching. Goex either FF or FFF. The twist is 1-48 which to me is a little
fast for a .58 roundball. I will be looking in the 40-60 grain area. The lighter the better. Can
any of you give me some help. This is just for target work. Tomorrow is suppose to be 60 and
after that back down in the 20's.   So I have to file down the front sight because I put a taller
sight on and get it to hit right on at 50 yds. I will have about a 2 hr. window. So give me some
help. I will post a range report Friday.
The Pistol Shooter

roundball

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Re: Loads For 58
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2010, 02:04:19 AM »
Wish I could help...smallest powder charge I've ever used for a .58cal PRB was 80grns Goex 2F...that being listed as the entry level charge on a published chart of 80-120grns.
Seems like 60grns could be a good plinking load in that big bore, dunno.

BrownBear

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Re: Loads For 58
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2010, 02:23:29 AM »
I've been using 40 grains of 3f Goex for head shooting snowshoe hare with a TC Big Boar.  It's 1:48 and wickedly accurate.  Only difference from your getup I see is that I'm using .018 pillow ticking and mink oil grease with .570 balls.  I'd be tempted to take along a little thicker patch material for part of your trial, but I don't know anything about bore diameter and groove depth on a musketoon.

Daryl

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Re: Loads For 58
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2010, 07:26:24 PM »
My musketoon has the normal .003" rilfing at the muzle and .012" rifling at the breech (.008" increase in depth - standard military specks).

I used a .562" ball (DC Lee Mould) that cast .565" X .570" in both cavities. I've since stopped using that mould and use Taylor's Lyman .570" mould which casts .570" X .570".

The Lee mould produced a number of 1" to 1 1/2" groups at 50 yards for me using the Lee balls, the noted patch and 75gr. 2F GOEX.  It has very little recoil, but barks a bit.  This load produces 1,308fps in my rifle.   slightly larger Lyman balls do not load with any more difficulty but seem to shoot better at longer ranges - 100 yards and farther.  They are both easy loading.  I use a .0215" ticking patch, lubed with WWWF and Neetsefoot oil on precuts.

Incidently, the bore of my rifle is .574".

Of course,  the sharp factory crown needs much help.  This rifle is very accurate and shoots much better than you would think it's short barrel, short sight radius should shoot.

Offline LynnC

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Re: Loads For 58
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2010, 08:24:15 AM »
I'm shooting a musketoon with a 24" .577 bore / .589 grooves.  With 60 gr goex 2fg .024 denim patch and .565 ww balls I can keep most in or cutting a 3" square mark offhand at 50 yds
Its pretty comfortable shooting even with the too straight stock
Have to shoot heads up and way back on the comb.  Otherwise it can be a cheek bruiser.  Have not shot it farther than 50 yds.  60 grs works fine for plinking - probably between 11 and 1200 ft/sec
What Daryl said about the too sharp crown is right on.  Mine cut patches on loading.  Emery cloth and thumb helped the crown a bunch - really could use abit more polishing......Lynn
The price of eggs got so darn high, I bought chickens......

Daryl

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Re: Loads For 58
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2010, 06:15:43 PM »
I forgot to mention working on the comb a bit when I did the re-finish.  It was impossible for me to cheek the stock before modification- normal thinning and reduction in width. I even had to dish it a bit.

Offline LynnC

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Re: Loads For 58
« Reply #6 on: December 31, 2010, 08:31:39 PM »
Daryl
Good to hear the stock can be fixed.  Its on the list for comb rework and refinish. It shoots pretty good so I'd rather not trade it off........Happy New Year All !
The price of eggs got so darn high, I bought chickens......

Daryl

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Re: Loads For 58
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2011, 03:17:14 AM »
Yes - happy new year - The stocks are easily 'lowered' in the comb and can be dished slightly.  Mine is an Armi San Polo, Italian, I'd expect, had a shelac/varnish/blonde finish of a rather blonde stock - brass furnature- seems to be an Italian copy of a Southern copy of the Enfield. Read somewhere the South used brass furiture where possible sometimes to save on iron. Could be true. I stained mine dark reddish brown and it looks more like an Enfield with brass furniture.

Anyway - mine has a tight bore - but proper progressive depth rifling - .003 to roughly .012" - saw it with a bore scope. The military specs were .008" deeper in the breech than at the muzzle.  Bore looks nasty-horrid just back form the muzzle about 4", but shoots very well & cleanly at that, for all the rough looking insides - go figure.  Managed a second place on the veggie trail at Hefley Rondy with it, using the .565"X.570" oblong ball and .0225" denim patch but upped my charge to 82gr,. for some odd reason - WWWF/neetsefootoil for lube.  The added elevation from the 7gr. increase in powder charge is slight, maybe 1" at 50 yards is all - didn't matter and oh my, did it shoot well. 

Oh, did I mention that it shoots better and better, the more powder I put in - funny - all my rifles do this except for the .32.   I suspect it will too, if I increase the ball size or patch thickness.

Interesting tools, these muzzleloading rifles and smoothbores.

Due to the .574" bore, I suspect they were round by the time they were flush with the muzzle. They load easily with the steel rod - of course, helped along with a short starter for the final seat on the powder- same way, say pressure every time.

Offline LynnC

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Re: Loads For 58
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2011, 05:30:02 AM »
Honestly I never miked the bore - just assumed the factory specs to be close and they seem to be.  Mines a Euroarms of America copy of the Confederate Enfield style Cook and Bro carbine. A sized .575 minie is a snug fit in the muzzle.
Yeah - it requires a short starter for sure an spit for lube - remarkably accurate.
Question - Were the original enfield style stocks that straight or are the repros just skimping on walnut?
Lynn
The price of eggs got so darn high, I bought chickens......

Daryl

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Re: Loads For 58
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2011, 07:16:41 PM »
Unlike some of the productions rifles made today which have little drop in an effort to save wood, the original Enfields did have stocks identical to the reproductions.  Men were generally of smaller stature then, than today - 'could' be a reason.  Just cheek a Bess stock- the deisgn of which shows a gunt o be pointed,not aimed. It is quite possible that later on, with a rifle that WAS meant to be aimed, the failry short stocks with high combs continued. Even the #3, #4 & #5's held that tradition in stocking, although the .303 Enfields have sufficient drop.  That is my take on the situation.

Offline LynnC

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Re: Loads For 58
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2011, 09:50:21 PM »
The one original 1853 model I handled years ago looked pretty straight though I don't recall shouldering it.  It seemed rather svelt for a military rifle - slim well defined comb and well rounded wrist.  I have a lot of extra wood to take off from the lock pannels back.om my repro.  Perhaps I can make a comfortable shooter out of it yet ;)
The price of eggs got so darn high, I bought chickens......