Hapers Ferry 1845 What Load?

[freeborn5]

I have a 1845 Harper's Ferry Percussion cap rifle.

It has a 62 cal smooth bore I have some 600 ball ammo and patches.

Question is how much powder do I put in.

 

[Trot]

It should be a .69 caliber musket. If it is an original you first should have it examined by a qualified blackpowder gunsmith who is familiar with antique weapons, then proceed carefully.

 

[Trot]

Just dawned on me, could also have been a m1841 rifle? If so it would originally been a .54 cal, possibly bored out to .58 for the Civil War. If this is the case, if it is now a .62 the barrel may be getting a bit thin for safe use.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Just dawned on me, could also have been a m1841 rifle? If so it would originally been a .54 cal, possibly bored out to .58 for the Civil War. If this is the case, if it is now a .62 the barrel may be getting a bit thin for safe use.

If it is the rifle reamed up to .62, it should be okay if the barrel is sound. Those barrels are heavier walled than the muskets nearer the muzzle. Still should be checked out though.

 

[freeborn5]

The 1845 Harpers Ferry is a Reproduction. So it is brand new.

At the store they checked the caliber with a tool and it read 62. I purchased online from Wolf Firearms a ball of .600 ( I imagine that is a 60 cal ball)


So I got the Ball the patch and the powder. I have read that you should not go over 100 grains so what would an optimum measure be 50 grains?

 

[Trot]

OK, never heard of an 1845 Harpers Ferry reproduction so assumed it was an original. I would try around 60 grains of ffg and see what it does and adjust from there. Who is the maker of your musket?

 

[poordevil]

How long is the Barrel? Is it the one they call the Fremont? with a 33" barrel or does it have a 40" barrel? In both cases it should be .69 cal and if rifled , designed to shoot the .69 cal 720 gr Minnie ball, but one can shoot round ball, but it should be closer to .69 cal than .60.

P

 

[Tumblernotch]

We still don't know what you have. The date 1845 is the date of manufacture on the originals and is not a model. Harpers Ferry made the M1841 percussion rifle in .54 cal. It's also known as the "Mississippi Rifle". It has been reproduced for years. It was never made as far as I know in .62 but in .54 and I believe some were made in .58. In 1845, Harpers Ferry began production of the M1842 smoothbore musket which was .69 cal. In the late 1840's and early 1850's, many were rifled and sighted. None were ever made in .62. I have seen some reproduction Enfields made with smoothbore barrels and about .62, but never a Springfield pattern arm. Does your rifle have a 33 inch barrel or a 42 inch? The HF Rifle has one barrel band middle ways of the barrel and a double forend band at the muzzle. The musket has two standard bands and the double forend band at the muzzle.

The original HF Rifle was originally designed to use a patched round ball over 70 grs. of Rifle Powder. Later, many were reamed up to .58 and re-rifled to be used with the Minie ball. The smoothbore musket load was a round ball over 100 grs. of musket powder. This can be reduced with the percussion musket since part of this charge was for priming the flintlock musket. The rifled musket was used with a .685 Minie over 70 grs. of musket powder. These were the prescribed service charges. For the individual using these guns for target shooting and hunting, you will need to experiment and practice to see what works best in your rifle. Do you know who made your rifle?

 

[varsity07840]

We still don't know what you have. The date 1845 is the date of manufacture on the originals and is not a model. Harpers Ferry made the M1841 percussion rifle in .54 cal. It's also known as the "Mississippi Rifle". It has been reproduced for years. It was never made as far as I know in .62 but in .54 and I believe some were made in .58. In 1845, Harpers Ferry began production of the M1842 smoothbore musket which was .69 cal. In the late 1840's and early 1850's, many were rifled and sighted. None were ever made in .62. I have seen some reproduction Enfields made with smoothbore barrels and about .62, but never a Springfield pattern arm. Does your rifle have a 33 inch barrel or a 42 inch? The HF Rifle has one barrel band middle ways of the barrel and a double forend band at the muzzle. The musket has two standard bands and the double forend band at the muzzle.

The original HF Rifle was originally designed to use a patched round ball over 70 grs. of Rifle Powder. Later, many were reamed up to .58 and re-rifled to be used with the Minie ball. The smoothbore musket load was a round ball over 100 grs. of musket powder. This can be reduced with the percussion musket since part of this charge was for priming the flintlock musket. The rifled musket was used with a .685 Minie over 70 grs. of musket powder. These were the prescribed service charges. For the individual using these guns for target shooting and hunting, you will need to experiment and practice to see what works best in your rifle. Do you know who made your rifle?

I'd bet that the gentleman has a repro model 1842 from Loyalist Arms. They make one with a Harpers Ferry lockplate.
I believe they have an 1844 or 1845 date stamp. If it is an Indian import, that may explain the smaller bore size.

Duane

 

[Tumblernotch]

I'd bet you are right. From what I've been around over the years, the repros sold by EuroArms, Navy Arms, Armisport, &c., (Italian made) are bored out to the proper calibers give or take a thousandth or two. I've heard about some of the Indian made pieces being oddball calibers. Thanks!

 

[Stubert]

I shoot a 62 cal. Lehman flint, 100 grains will blow thru most anything in North America with a .600 ball, You are never going to get it to shoot flat, so back off the powder and go for accuracy. My hunting load for whitetails is 80 gr. 2f and a .610 ball. not unpleasant to shoot. I plink with 60 gr. 3f.