Antonio Zoli 58 caliber Zouave

[user 56015]

There is no "handle" that screws to the rammer unless you make one yourself. The threaded end is for accessories like a worm or ball puller. These were not usually included with the gun when new.

Gotcha

 

[Brokenbear]

Now hold on just a sec… somebody makes a brass ball about the size of a ping pong ball or a a tiny bit smaller as I have one that screws right on to the threaded end
Mine “ball knob”has the patena of the brass on my Antonio Zouave

Bear

 

[user 56015]

Now hold on just a sec… somebody makes a brass ball about the size of a ping pong ball or a a tiny bit smaller as I have one that screws right on to the threaded end
Mine “ball knob”has the patena of the brass on my Antonio Zouave

Bear

And you got that where...............???????? While watching many AZ Zouave Youtube videos nobody uses any type of handle, but I'd love to have one just in case, or to complete the gun

 

[hawkeye2]

You might find a ball or handle that matches the rammer threads but none was ever issued by the US Government. If you are shooting minies you won't need one.

 

[Brokenbear]

The fellow I bought the Zouave Muskatoon from included it with the gun when he shipped it ..
Take your ramrod to a hardware store that has a "thread matching" display and see what you come up with thread wise.. then make one ..use wood ..Hobby Lobby get a 1.5 or 1.75 wood ball and epoxy the threaded sleeve or nut you find at the hardware store in place with a bit of a hole beyond the nut for the rod excess This is a steel ramrod you are working with so I know you will be centering the rod with your fingers at the muzzle or using a ramrod muzzle guard ..you just want to push lightly not pull with the steel ramrod ..if you have to pull something and waller things around you would of course go to your solid brass range rod so as to not damage the muzzle
Truthfully I have used my ball handle only in very long shooting sessions where I am testing bullets, powder amounts, combinations there of or have physically changed sights and doing sight in sessions
and when I do use it I leave the "Ball" on it and do not return the ramrod to the gun during the session
As said earlier ..properly fitted Minie balls will seat via gravity (rifle vertical) and just the weight of the steel ramrod will place the Minie against the powder where it gets a slight pop of the palm on the ball ..seated mark on the ramrod confirmed and withdrawn ..needless to say if your Minie does not need the weight of the ramrod to place the bulled against the powder your Minie is too small to to be accurate ..
I apologize if I am sounding remedial but one does not always know the experience level of those listening or participating when chatting back and forth and honestly.. I wished as I was trying to absorb knowledge of muzzleloaders that explanations were in more detail ..
Now I am fairly new to ML rifles but a long time shooter of cap and ball pistols and more modern muzzleloaders but retirement now allows me to study..to delve into traditional ML rifles to the point of I only now own and hunt n shoot traditional ML's ..yet my caliber rating is .40 ..yours is .32 ..there are guys on here whose caliber is greater than your rating and mine put together ..so it is a reasonable bet that the high caliber guys are worth reading twice as opposed to guys like you and me ;-)

Bear

 

[user 56015]

The fellow I bought the Zouave Muskatoon from included it with the gun when he shipped it ..
Take your ramrod to a hardware store that has a "thread matching" display and see what you come up with thread wise.. then make one ..use wood ..Hobby Lobby get a 1.5 or 1.75 wood ball and epoxy the threaded sleeve or nut you find at the hardware store in place with a bit of a hole beyond the nut for the rod excess This is a steel ramrod you are working with so I know you will be centering the rod with your fingers at the muzzle or using a ramrod muzzle guard ..you just want to push lightly not pull with the steel ramrod ..if you have to pull something and waller things around you would of course go to your solid brass range rod so as to not damage the muzzle
Truthfully I have used my ball handle only in very long shooting sessions where I am testing bullets, powder amounts, combinations there of or have physically changed sights and doing sight in sessions
and when I do use it I leave the "Ball" on it and do not return the ramrod to the gun during the session
As said earlier ..properly fitted Minie balls will seat via gravity (rifle vertical) and just the weight of the steel ramrod will place the Minie against the powder where it gets a slight pop of the palm on the ball ..seated mark on the ramrod confirmed and withdrawn ..needless to say if your Minie does not need the weight of the ramrod to place the bulled against the powder your Minie is too small to to be accurate ..
I apologize if I am sounding remedial but one does not always know the experience level of those listening or participating when chatting back and forth and honestly.. I wished as I was trying to absorb knowledge of muzzleloaders that explanations were in more detail ..
Now I am fairly new to ML rifles but a long time shooter of cap and ball pistols and more modern muzzleloaders but retirement now allows me to study..to delve into traditional ML rifles to the point of I only now own and hunt n shoot traditional ML's ..yet my caliber rating is .40 ..yours is .32 ..there are guys on here whose caliber is greater than your rating and mine put together ..so it is a reasonable bet that the high caliber guys are worth reading twice as opposed to guys like you and me ;-)

Bear

I appreciate any and all info you offer as this is all new to me. I've been learning as I go along (watching and listening). I've always been intrigued about making hunting "as fair as possible" and this is just another stepping stone.

 

[Grenadier1758]

...
I apologize if I am sounding remedial but one does not always know the experience level of those listening or participating when chatting back and forth and honestly.. I wished as I was trying to absorb knowledge of muzzleloaders that explanations were in more detail ..
Now I am fairly new to ML rifles but a long time shooter of cap and ball pistols and more modern muzzleloaders but retirement now allows me to study..to delve into traditional ML rifles to the point of I only now own and hunt n shoot traditional ML's ..yet my caliber rating is .40 ..yours is .32 ..there are guys on here whose caliber is greater than your rating and mine put together ..so it is a reasonable bet that the high caliber guys are worth reading twice as opposed to guys like you and me ;-)

Bear

Let's not get too wrapped up in these caliber ratings. It certainly shouldn't matter especially if your input deserves to be heard, then that comment matters. Often we get new members to the Forum that have many years of traditional muzzleloading experience, but for whatever reason do not participate. They would have a low caliber rating. There's members of my gun club who have far more experience and knowledge than I have. I must learn from them in person as they just won't go online.

Your comments on loading a Minie' ball are to be heeded.

I must admit we often get new members that feel the wheel must be reinvented in a way that just won't work in an optimal fashion. Then guidance is in order. Not to be put down or ridiculed. We need that kind of inquisitiveness to keep the traditions strong. We need to keep the knowledge strong and alive.

Stay with us even when we repeat old information.

 

[springfield art]

Zoli Zouaves are like brass frame revolvers......everyone owns or has owned at least one and you trip over them at gun shows

Ha! You're right!

 

[BP Addict]

Zoli Zouave is made in Italy. but any schematic for such will be essentially identical. I suggest VTIreplicagunparts.com

Thanks for the info!!!!!

Walt

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Hi, thanks for the ad

Restoring a 58 caliber Zouave I've had for many many years and can't locate the old schematic I once had tucked away somewhere. I see a schematic online for a traditions, but wondering if the parts will actually match up to the gun made by a different manufacturer. I believe one of the markings on the gun implies manufactured in Georgia. Any insight would be appreciated. mgfys, thanks

Just FYI, I have a complete lock for a Zoli along with the butt plate, patchbox cover and triggerguard. If anyone is interested, make me an offer.

 

[Gold Grizzly]

You can try scriptd or search for schematics for your rifle ?

 

[Stantheman86]

I just won a Zoli Zouave by accident on GunBroker

I've owned and traded a few over the years

I feel like you kinda have to own a Zoli Zouave , I've seen them for 200 bucks at gun shows with field rash and 0% blue left next to a clapped out looking .44 Brasser Navy for $100...... I'm like that's what I'm talking about......that's a "blackpowder starter pak" if I ever saw one

 

[Stantheman86]

+1 as said above, you won't need any handle or ball to load properly sized and lubed Minie's. Pulling the ramrod back out by the threads and the 2" or so remaining can be a pain, but I use the .58 Jags made by Pedersoli that screw on to the Italian ramrods and they are cupped for loading. So you can use the tulip-shaped end as the "ball" and load with the jag. Just obviously lay the rod on the range table after loading. Taylor's has them. I have 1 but I'm about to just order a bunch of them to have 1 for each of my Italian .58's.

They fit my Chiappas, Euroarms and Pedersolis, so I assume Zoli used the same thread.

 

[user 56015]

Just FYI, I have a complete lock for a Zoli along with the butt plate, patchbox cover and triggerguard. If anyone is interested, make me an offer.

Complete lock? Are you referring to the trigger\firing\striking mechanism?

 

[alcessapiens]

Ha! You're right!

Yup