hey not sure if this goes here but i was willed a 1861 Springfield rifle civil war not a original this is a euro-arms made in Italy and all the stuff to go with it can any body give me a idea for how many grains of powder i should use i am going to be shooting maxi balls and knowing the guy that willed it to me they are going to be as close as the ones they used then could use some help with this thanks
1861 Springfield
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60-70 grains of FFG powder.
64Springer
75 Cal.
Ditto!
If I remember right 60 grains was the standard "military load" in the day, using a Minie ball. I shoot my Colt Special repro with 65 grains, as 60 seems a little light, but I'm still experimenting with load development.
Brett Gibbons the paper cartridge historian in Gettysburg says that Swiss 1.5FG powder is the closest to the military powder of the 1860s. So a little more than 60 of 2Fg makes sense.
thanks that is at least a starting point
thank you that will be a good starting point
We have been over this ground many times. First off, you'll probably find a maxi ball won't shoot well at all so if that happens, well..... it was designed for minies. Next, even though the "military" load was 60g 2f, that's an approximation since we're not using military powder from the 1860s. Once you get around to minies, let us know.
Not like we don't shoot Civil War arms or anything.......
I find in my 1861 46 grs by weight of 3F with the new design Minnie works very well.
First, ditch the Maxi-balls. Can't imagine it will shoot them accurately with the slow twist your rifle has. Then get a Minie-ball sized .001-.002 under bore size. I get mine from Pat Kaboskey (Civil War Bullet Man), and he will size them to your specs. Using a generic .575 Minie in my rifle, bore size .581, I get "groups" of about 2 ft. at 25 yards. Using a .580 Minie, i get cloverleafs at 50 yards, and around 2" groups at 100. As far as charging goes, 60 grains of whatever reasonably appropriate powder will usually work fine. Mostly nowadays I use Swiss 3f in my original Springfield and Colt Special Musket. I get around 1070 fps with that load. Goex is much weaker, but works to just sling lead, giving about 980 fps. That would actually approximate the original loads from the 19th century. I also use Pyro P with good results, but Pyro RS gives dismal results in my guns, as it seems not to expand the Minie to engage the rifling. PRB's may be an option, as my rifles shoot them very accurately, but they hit 24" above POA at 50 yards.
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I size my minnies and that is what I shoot too.
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I couldn’t get Minies or Maxies to work in imported repros, patched round balls yes.
I was told original Springfields used progressive twist rifling designed for Minies.
So I found an ugly beat up ‘63 Springfield and it groups Minies even better than PRBs.
Who’d a thunk them old timers knew what they were doing?
I was told original Springfields used progressive twist rifling designed for Minies.
So I found an ugly beat up ‘63 Springfield and it groups Minies even better than PRBs.
Who’d a thunk them old timers knew what they were doing?
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The original military loads were. a 405 gr bullet over 55 grains BP for the carbine and 70 grains BP under a 500 gr bullet for the rifle.
64Springer
75 Cal.
You're thinking of the Springfield 1873 Trapdoor rifle and carbine.
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you are correct. I should shut up...not operating on all cylinders since my dog died...
Mini balls?
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Yep the Lyman target Minnie is what we used for N-SSA competition as well. Like 360 grs?
As derived from your use of the past tense, I assume these molds are no longer made? I'd love a lighter bullet for my rifle muskets. I see no point (other than for historical accuracy) in slinging 500 grains of lead downrange just to make holes or clang steel. The less-is-more approach for lead and powder consumption just makes sense for target use.
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