1853 Enfield range fun

[kh54]

I had a great time at the range today doing some load development with my Parker Hale 1853 Enfield, only the second time I've shot it. Today I started at 50 yards with a load of 70 grains and worked my way down. I forgot my own targets, so I used a piece of cardboard left behind by someone who had been shooting with a .22. I also forgot to put a scale of some kind on the target but the first three groups were in the five- to six-inch range. (One 70 grain shot was off the cardboard.) So, working down from 70 grains you can see the first three groups got progressively closer to center in windage but high and still a large group. But at 45 grains I seemed to find today's sweet spot. After only a dozen rounds, it was a good time to quit. BTW, with my eyes 50 yards is about as far as I can reliably see to use iron sights, so I was especially pleased with these results. It was a good lesson in load development.

 

[TreeMan]

If you ever get frustrated with minies or wanna try something different get some .562 roundballs. I tried 570s and they were too big. My Parker hale musketoon will make one ragged hole at 50 yards with the .562 cast balls with 60 grains of 3F or 70 of 2F.

 

[Robin Henderson]

I shot this off the cuff, so to speak, a few months ago. I was using my 53 PH Enfield which I hadn't shot in at least a couple of years. Considering this, I was quite pleased with this offhand group. My load was 55 grains of Goex 2 fg behind a RCBS minie with a modified base plug. Over the years I've found heavier charges are not necessary and as you see the old PH really likes that particular projectile and load. BTW, that target was shot at 100 yards on the same target they use at the NMLRA musket matches at Friendship.