Enfield Musket for hunting?

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

My friend wants to hunt Elk with his 1858 Enfield and was wondering if a mini or round ball would work best? What are the best hunting loads for this rifle ?

 

[musketman]

A .58 caliber round ball (.560 diameter 260 grain) is no push over, but the 1858 Enfield will shoot the minie ball very well, sight it in and get use to shooting it at various distances...

I believe the Enfields shoot low, I can't remember where I read that, have your check it out and see...

Loads listed are for the .58 caliber, 32 inch barrel and are from the Lyman black powder handbook...


Round ball (.560 diameter 260 grain) .015 patch and Crisco lube, FFg powder and musket caps...

50 grains FFg, 944 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 314 FT/lbs.)
70 grains FFg, 1115 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 392 FT/lbs.)
90 grains FFg, 1238 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 436 FT/lbs.)
110 grains FFg, 1352 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 478 FT/lbs.)
130 grains FFg, 1451 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 519 FT/lbs.)
150 grains FFg, 1560 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 567 FT/lbs.)
170 grains FFg, 1669 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 623 FT/lbs.)


Old style minie ball (.575 diameter 460 grain) lubed with Crisco, FFg powder and musket caps...

50 grains FFg, 744 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 453 FT/lbs.)
70 grains FFg, 842 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 569 FT/lbs.)
90 grains FFg, 1022 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 778 FT/lbs.)
110 grains FFg, 1219 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 990 FT/lbs.)
130 grains FFg, 1343 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 1133 FT/lbs.)


Minie ball #575213 (.575 diameter 505 grain) lubed with Crisco, FFg powder and musket caps...

50 grains FFg, 568 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 301 FT/lbs.)
70 grains FFg, 753 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 549 FT/lbs.)
90 grains FFg, 924 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 776 FT/lbs.)
110 grains FFg, 1072 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 971 FT/lbs.)
130 grains FFg, 1194 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 1123 FT/lbs.)
150 grains FFg, 1291 fps (energy @ 100 yards: 1247 FT/lbs.)

 

We've developed very good round ball Target loads for the Enfield's 48" twist in the past. Use a .570 ball and a substancial patch(.020") as the rifling SHOULD be progressively deeper towards the breech. (.015" each side). The Parker Hale Enfields have this original-type rifling.
: A short, light minnie with a THICK skirt, or perhaps a Lee R.E.A.L. bullet might be best for this rifle. Most minnies have too thin a skirt to withstand a hunting load. You want to be shooting at least 110gr. 2F, and preferably 130gr. 2F for Elk.
: For round ball, shoot what is accurate to a max range of about 100yds. and at least 120gr. 2F. Personally, I'd use a round ball with 150gr. 2F & .020" patch and if that isn't accurate, I'd use a flat nosed bullet, possibly a REAL or short minnie with thickened skirt with at least 120gr. of 2F. I would change the sights to suit. The closer to the barrel the sights are, the longer the point blank range will be.(where the ball/bullet is within 1" above or below the line of sight). The lighter the bullet the more stable during penetration. Something between 300 and 400 would be closer to RB trajectory.
Daryl

 

[Crow-Feather]

I tried using a 58 Enfield three band musket hunting deer. I couldn't see the front sight as it was dark metal, thin and far away from my eye. I would bring up the front sight until the front sight base was visable. I thought the base was the sight. I missed so many deer on that trip, that for a few years afterwards, every time I sighted on a deer, I would begin to shake. I later learned that many shooters of this weapon change the front sight with a brass sight. You cut the old one off, slice the base and solder the brass blade in the new slot.

Good luck

C F

 

[Zonie]

I think before I messed with replacing the sight, I would buy a little bottle of flourescent orange paint at the local hobby shop and paint the rear of the front sight blade with it.

I used this method on my High Std Trophy with excellent results.

If you do this and you ever want to sell it or use it in re-enacting, just scrape off the paint with a razor blade and your all set.

I have a PH (English proof) 2 band and 3 band and I have trouble with getting used to the large (to me) rear V notch. The front sight just seems to get lost in that big V every time I take it out for serious shooting.

 

Zonie- try banding the back face of the rear sight with a couple thin lines, and fill them with low temp silver solder, or white-out used for typing errors. This can give a couple sight settings for various ranges.

 

I have a two banded Parker-Hale Enfield, English proofed, and used it for NSSA competition.

As others have noted, use flourescent Day-Glo Orange paint or white paint for the front sight to make it stand out.

Use Silver solder in the rear-sight and a fine jeweler's file with a knife edge to cut the rear "V" in the silver solder. Be carefull where you put the "V". You may have to accomodate to the left or right of center, and the depth of the groove will effect your elevation.

I found the Old-Style Minnie works best in mine.

Also, check out the diameter of the miniball you use. They vary from .577 to .578, etc. Each barrel is slightly different and each gun performs best with the right caliber mini-ball. I'd suggest buying a few bags of commercial mini-balls of different sizes, test each of them from a bench, using the same load, and buy a mold for the size that produces the best group at the range you normally shoot.

Then work up a load for that range. You'll find that the groups get tighter as you reach the best load for that gun, then widen up again. For hunting, your not after the same accuracy as target shooting. Also, the type of lube you use can effect the performance of the gun, and the type of lubricant you use in say, warm weather, should be different than the type you use in colder weather. The colder weather lub should be moister.

I used melted crisco in the hollow base. Then I waited until the crisco solidified and dipped the base and the lub rings on the sides of the ball into a melted mixture of beeswax and commercial lubricant. I used more beeswax in summer and more commercial stuff in the mix in the winter.


When you cast your own balls, discard any, of course, that have ANY irregualrities in them, especially if there is any flaw in the skirt, as the pressure of the discharge can blow away the skirt as the ball exits the barrel, causing a "flyer".

One more thing. Mine came out of the box with an incredible trigger pull. I had it reduced to what the NSSA minimum was - either 2 1/2 or 3 lbs - I can't remember.

My most accurate load was about 45 grains of FFF for 50 yards using a 6 o'clock hold. But again, accuracy is sacrificed in hunting to killing power. I believe the official Army service charge was 60 or 70 grains of FF - again I can't remember exactly.

You might want to invest in some plastic shotgun gizmos. We would put the pre-measured charge of black powder into the plastic shot gun gizmos and then stuff the ball in hollow side out. After you put in the liquid crisco, dip the base of the resultant cartridge into the lube and make sure the lube covers the point where the ball and platic meet. It will seal the black powder in. Such cartriges can last a long time.

When its time to load, pull out a cartridge, grasp the ball in your teeth, pull it out, pour the charge in the barrel, place the ball in, ram home, raise, cap, aim and fire.

Like Colonel Shaw said in "Glory" a good man can get off three aimed shots a minute like this.

Also, make a mark on the barrel with a punch at the point where the tang screw slots line up when they are tightened up right. Do the same on the stock for the two lock-bolt heads. Make sure, if you pull the piece apart for cleaning, that you never over- or under- tighten the lockplate or tang screws when you reassemble, as it will change your point of impact when you shoot the thing.

My Enfield is one of the most accurate pieces I own. It shoots better than I do, and I'd trust my life on it.

Good hunting.