Accuracy of Zouave Rifles

[SPQR70AD]

I just got a Zoli from a GunBroker dealer for $400, they are sleepers

I had a Buffalo Hunter that shot very well

GunBroker has dozens of them but some of the sellers seem a little too optimistic with their prices.

new Zouave rifles are 1200-1400 new. why would they be sold for 400?

 

[64Springer]

new Zouave rifles are 1200-1400 new. why would they be sold for 400?

Maybe I don't understand your question, but the going rate for used Zolis is 425 to 475 on GB.

I paid 450 for my '63 Zoli. And it looks like a brand new gun inside and out.

Depending on condition, 400 is a great buy.

 

[SPQR70AD]

Maybe I don't understand your question, but the going rate for used Zolis is 425 to 475 on GB.

I paid 450 for my '63 Zoli. And it looks like a brand new gun inside and out.

Depending on condition, 400 is a great buy.

can you name another 1200-1400 dollar rifle in great condition that sells for 400? M-1 carbine? garand?

 

[dave951]

If it's all you can get, the CCI caps work on Enfield type rifles. On repro Springfields , forget it , they suck.

Nope. I shoot a Parker Hale and CCI are an exercise in frustration

 

[Madbro80]

new Zouave rifles are 1200-1400 new. why would they be sold for 400?

One thing I learned when civil war reenacting, both long arms and short arms sell really high brand new and the resale value rarely ever comes close to new purchase value.
For example, it was early 2000's when I started, my Euroarms 3 band Enfield cost me $375 brand new from Regimental Quartermaster in Gettysburg. The same rifle now is about 3 times that new and the used value is in the ballpark of what I paid for it new back then.
I just picked up this Zoli yesterday from a local shop that does monthly online auctions. It's in great condition and I was able to snag it for $220

 

[dave951]

I just won a nice Zoli tonight from a local shop that does online auction. Snagged it for $220.
I used to be a reenactor & always had Euroarms Enfield muskets & a cook & brothers .58 carbine. This is my first Zoli. I don't have the time or resources to go back to reenacting but have missed the weaponry & am looking forward to getting to learn this gun & target shooting with it. Might even use it for deer come muzzleloader season.
Is there anything I should know about zolis compared to the Enfield's I had?

The art of getting minies to shoot well isn't rocket science. I've posted it many times along with others. If you choose for some reason to follow what some Utoob expert says then, bless yer heart, good luck.

Enfield, Springfield, doesn't matter. The basics are the same.

 

[DimWitworth]

Dave951 has some good advice. I got a Zouave many years ago and found minnie diameter to be critical. After finding the recommended .577 Minnies going thru the target sideways (keyholing). I had a custom bullet maker make cast me some small batches varying the diameters by.001 each. Rifle shot pretty well after I found the right bullet. Unfortunately for me it never realized my expectations. I thought it would be really cool to get a deer with a 58 cal CW rifle. It only took one day of hunting to realize it wasn't one of my better decisions.

I’m still looking for the magic minni to shoot in my Remington Zouave. Best I found is a patched round ball @ .585 . I need a minni @ .583 , but I can’t find anything.

 

[dave951]

I’m still looking for the magic minni to shoot in my Remington Zouave. Best I found is a patched round ball @ .585 . I need a minni @ .583 , but I can’t find anything.

You'll have to get a custom cut mold OR ask around in the N-SSA. Not like we haven't seen this problem before.

 

[DimWitworth]

.575 is the "nominal" size but with repops, I've seen the bores going from .574 to .584 and everything in between. I've even seen originals at .579+. And yes, I shot an original 61 Springfield last weekend and it took .579 minies to be accurate. At 160+ years old, with issue sights and trigger, it'd still put 5 shots into 2in at 50yd all day. The bore size on the original doesn't surprise me one bit as it's not the only one I've seen larger than .575. BUT it was shooting my match ammunition for my 62 Colts.

The real problem here is there are far too many armchair types who believe everything they read about these guns and take it as gospel that with the marvel of replaceable parts, they'll all be the same. Problem is, we're dealing with wartime frenzied production by various companies, all of whom were trying to cash in on the arms race while being the lowest bidder. Couple that with the Europeans dumping their "old" stuff in the the American scuffle and you have a logistic nightmare with no real standard at all. The average person will pop on to utoob and believe what some reenactor says cuz "he's a Civil War guy" and then go to the range with his minies cast from wheel weight scrap sold by a round ball outfit, load his Civil War gun with .575 cuz "that's what they take", use modern Bore Butter cuz "that's what works in a T/C" and use lots of Pdex to roughly equal a 60g service charge and use questionable CCI blanks caps and then log into his favorite muzzleloading forum and whine about bad accuracy. This happens so often it's almost like a script.

I agree. Where on earth do you get bullets or molds .579? I need a.584
and I can’t find it.

 

[DimWitworth]

Funny, I’m on your N-SSA team. And I’m “ asking around “. Dave.

 

[nkbj]

Tom's the man.
He can tweak the diameters for you.
https://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=30#catalog-anchor

 

[dave951]

Funny, I’m on your N-SSA team. And I’m “ asking around “. Dave.

Ok, I'm pretty sure I know you then reverend. Try Amos at Moose Molds or Steve at Brooks-

Brooks Molds
Call us at 406 782 5114
Email at [email protected]

Brooks primarily caters to BPCR guys but they do make some minie molds for some in the N-SSA for odd size bores. I used Brooks to make the special .50cal minie based on the .474 Enfield pistol minie. He increased the diameter to fit the camp guns and made an adjustable base plug so I could tinker with the bullet weight. When you speak to Steve be sure to tell him you're N-SSA and need a minie at .584 from pure lead. You won't need an adjustable base plug but you may need to discuss the size of the base plug since it can control the weight and skirt dimensions.

 

[DimWitworth]

Ok, I'm pretty sure I know you then reverend. Try Amos at Moose Molds or Steve at Brooks-

Brooks Molds
Call us at 406 782 5114
Email at [email protected]

Brooks primarily caters to BPCR guys but they do make some minie molds for some in the N-SSA for odd size bores. I used Brooks to make the special .50cal minie based on the .474 Enfield pistol minie. He increased the diameter to fit the camp guns and made an adjustable base plug so I could tinker with the bullet weight. When you speak to Steve be sure to tell him you're N-SSA and need a minie at .584 from pure lead. You won't need an adjustable base plug but you may need to discuss the size of the base plug since it can control the weight and skirt dimensions.

Thank you David.

 

[hanshi]

It's been decades since I owned a Zouave, and as best I can recall it was pretty accurate. I especially liked prb in the rifle for the best accuracy. I used that .58 rifle on squirrels...yes, squirrels, and head/neck shots were the rule.

 

[springfield art]

Save your money and buy a nice used Antonio Zoli Zouave/1863 Remington from the 1960s.

They are twice the firearm for half the price.

You can't visit Gunbroker without tripping over the ones being offered for sale there.

My Zoli Navy Arms Zouave seems to be real well assembled, tight, great fit and finish. Have not shot yet. All Zouaves are not equal, some are kind of sloppy. I've had about 3, til this one came along and is now permanent. Good luck, and it's true about Gunbroker and tripping!

 

[springfield art]

I got to hold and examine an Original Zouave couple years ago, and the workmanship and materials on it, were superb! Not to knock the replicas, but the originals, which a lot of early N-NSA used, even re-enactors in the late 50's-early 60's, are really high quality. They were never issued, so many were around cheaply as the Centennial approached back in 1960.

 

[towgunner11h]

This from a Zoli Zouave I bought a few years ago for $175.00. Load was an RCBS Hodgdon Minie sized .002” under bore size. Charge was 50 grains Goex 2F by volume. Just a load I picked out of the blue. 100 yards from sandbags.