It's not a group...it's so bad it's not even a shotgun pattern....I need help.

[fireman1]

I acquired a Euroarms 2 band Enfield a couple of years back. I finally got out shooting it in the last few days. As far as I know the rifle was unfired before I got it. At 50 yds it is all over the place. 6" high of the mark, next shot is 6" low of the mark. Most 8" right but then the last shot was right on. It was so bad that I didn't bother with pics.

The details.

I am using 55 grn of Pyrodex RS. Is this too light?

Bullet is a 2 groove design. Drops in teh barrel just past the muzzle and needs just a light push on the ramrod to seat it home.

I am shooting off a sandbag rest.

Screws are all tight.

Any input or thoughts would be appreciated since this is truly embarrassing.

I am sure someone will say use BP. Well given the circumstances in BP supply right now I hate to burn up what I have. Saving it for Flintlock shooting.

 

[Sam squanch]

Undersized bullet? Do the bullets fit your bore?

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I acquired a Euroarms 2 band Enfield a couple of years back. I finally got out shooting it in the last few days. As far as I know the rifle was unfired before I got it. At 50 yds it is all over the place. 6" high of the mark, next shot is 6" low of the mark. Most 8" right but then the last shot was right on. It was so bad that I didn't bother with pics.
The details.
I am using 55 grn of Pyrodex RS. Is this too light?
Bullet is a 2 groove design. Drops in teh barrel just past the muzzle and needs just a light push on the ramrod to seat it home.
I am shooting off a sandbag rest.
Screws are all tight.
Any input or thoughts would be appreciated since this is truly embarrassing.
I am sure someone will say use BP. Well given the circumstances in BP supply right now I hate to burn up what I have. Saving it for Flintlock shooting.

2 groove what? Is it a maxi or a mini? We need more information to help. What size are your bullets? Tell us more and others will help you.
Larry

 

[Sam squanch]

You need to measure your lands and grooves , to see exactly what size bullet your rifle will need.

 

[TreeMan]

25 years or so ago when I first started shooting BP matches the only rifle I had was a euroarms 2band enfield. All the club would allow us to shoot were patched roundballs so that’s what I did. I consistently won match after match with that rifle shooting a .570 RB, a tight pillow tick spit patch and 60 gr of 3F Goex. It would shoot ragged holes at 50 yards. I never wasted my time trying to get it to shoot minies.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Are you using any type of lube?

 

[fireman1]

The bullet is lubed. It has 2 grooves for the lube.

I only have an old cheap set of calipers. However I did use them. The minie bullet does seem undersized compared to the bore.

The bullet I am using is on the left. Another one that I have not tried yet is on the right. They need to sized down.

 

[SDSmlf]

The minie bullet does seem undersized compared to the bore.

How easily does it start without lube in a clean bore? Does it just drop in

 

[fireman1]

How easily does it start without lube in a clean bore? Does it just drop in

I don't have any w/o lube. I bought some molds and the guy gave me the bullets all lubed up. I can clean them off and try one. I do suspect that they will drop in easily.

 

[satwel]

Are your minie balls molded from pure lead? Only pure lead is soft enough to ensure proper expansion of the skirt when the rifle is fired.
I shoot 45 grains of 3F GOEX in my Euroarms 2 band Enfield using the same bullet shown in your photo. I'm not sure if Pyrodex generates enough pressure fast enough to expand the skirt.
It sounds like the minies are the right size based on your statement that light pressure will seat them. What lube are you using? I use a mixture of 50% beeswax and 50% lamb tallow.
IMHO the skirts of your minie balls are not expanding, either because you're shooting Pyrodex or they're not pure lead, or a combination of both.

 

[Gooddaytoya!]

Are your minie balls molded from pure lead? Only pure lead is soft enough to ensure proper expansion of the skirt when the rifle is fired.

I don't know the history of your rifle, and I don't want to talk down to you, but could there be cosmoline in the barrel? It takes quite an effort to remove it completely, and it would really screw up your shooting if any is in there. In addition I have a simple suggestion: use a larger load of faster burning powder and see if that makes the skirt of your minis expand properly. Also if those rounds your friend sent to you are cast from wheel weight lead, the skirts won't expand properly
Good luck, but I think something really simple is going on here.

 

[Sam squanch]

I have shot bullets of that design with bad results.

 

[JHB]

The one on the right defnetly looks like a unmentionable hand gun bullet. My guess is they both are. I will bet the size is wrong and the lead is too hard.

 

[towgunner11h]

You can get an idea of bore size with calipers, the get a few pin gauges from Amazon to figure out bore diameter, then size the Minie’s .001” or .002” below bore size.

 

[rich pierce]

Are the bullets keyholing or are the target holes perfectly round?

 

[PathfinderNC]

Try using a patched round ball !

 

[Loyalist Dave]

The bullet is lubed. It has 2 grooves for the lube.

I only have an old cheap set of calipers. However I did use them. The minie bullet does seem undersized compared to the bore.

So the suggestions of the fit, are they pure lead so they will obturate, and the bore being fully cleaned are good. The powder amount should work. So IF they are properly sized, there may be another factor...,

I was taught that with conical bullets there is a need for length when used as muzzleloading bullets for certain twist rates, and... your barrel is likely a 1:48 or slower.... so weight also helps as the inertia upon firing helps the base obturate onto the rifling...

Here is a comparison of your two bullets to a bullet from LEE that is known to be a good shooter in ACW rifled muskets. It's a traditional design, and quite frankly, it's heavier and longer than your two, and that might be another factor. I adjusted the photo of the LEE brand bullet to be very close to the base diameter of your bullets for this comparison... the green bracket is the area on the LEE bullet that is against the walls of the rifle barrel....

LD

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Get some hollow base minie balls from TOW that are intended for use in this rifle.

 

[GANGGREEN]

I always wonder what the context of these "my gun shoots horrible" threads is. Before knowing how horrible the group is, one would have to know what the poster/shooter is typically capable of. I admit that over the years, at times I've shot terrible groups with this rifle or that and presumed that something was wrong with the gun or the load, but I finally came to the conclusion that at least some of the time it was ME that was failing. I've since tightened things up a lot with my own skills/technique (and have seen friends and family shoot terrible groups with a rifle and load that I KNOW shoot very well). Not calling out the OP or suggesting anything, but what one person can do with rifle X, Y or Z may not be what you or I could do with it. All that said, some good advice here and I'm sure you'll tighten things up a good bit.

 

[bang]

Go with PRB or mini. Don't think those are for BP. If mini from Lee mold start at 65 grns.