Loyalist Arms Tower/Enfield?

[Musketeer]

http://loyalistarms.freeservers.com/1861Ecarb.htm

I think this is one of the niftiest little guns I've seen in a long time. I was wondering if anybody's bought one of these yet, and if so, how they like it? I didn't have too much luck with the search function, so I figured I'd just outright ask. :haha:
There's just something mighty appealing about a 25" barrelled, captive-ramrod, .65 cal. smoothie. :thumbsup:

 

[David Teague]

My first black powder firearm was the same model... back in 1973. I'm sure it was not made as well as the current fireams... :hmm:

It was a "POS" if you know what I mean. :grin:

BUT it was my POS and my first BP gun... it cost me $49.95 and my Mon had to sign the form to buy it for me. :redface: I was only 13 years old at the time.

It was a hoot to shoot.

My brother sold it on me when I moved to Alaska.... :cursing:

I've handled the some of the firearms that L.A. carries and I'm sure that that will be a cool little smoothy.

Cheers,

DT

 

[Musketeer]

My brother sold it on me when I moved to Alaska.... :cursing:

Show him the link I posted and tell him, "Here's your chance to replace that gun you sold on me." :grin:

I'm thinking this would be a great little close-range coyote gun. :thumbsup:

 

[paulnfld]

I worked for Loyalist for a bit awhile back, and I KNOW that this is a good gun, having worked on one like it more than once.

Paul

 

[Musketeer]

I worked for Loyalist for a bit awhile back, and I KNOW that this is a good gun, having worked on one like it more than once.

Paul

Thanks, Paul! :bow: I've read some pretty good stuff about Loyalist and their products, but I still like to hear from folks with first-hand knowledge.
Here in my neck of Arizona, the terrain is mostly varying degrees of hilliness, covered in fairly dense brush and cacti, and full of sand washes, so most shots are close range. Also, coyotes are as plentiful as rabbits out here and are open season as long as you've got a hunting license, plus they're pretty challenging and fun to hunt. This looks like an almost ideal gun for these conditions: short barrel, smooth bore (for ball OR shot), light weight, decent caliber, etc. A heavy duty little brush gun. :bow:

 

[David Teague]

and a ramrod you can't shoot out and lose in a hurry. :haha:

 

[Musketeer]

and a ramrod you can't shoot out and lose in a hurry. :haha:

That's definitely a big plus. :grin:

 

[jim gray]

I have been looking at these too. They really do look like a cool little gun and I would really be sold if it were a flinter.

 

[Musketeer]

I'm sorta partial to flinters as well, but this little gun is cool enough that I'd be willing to lower myself to shooting a "cap" gun... :haha:

 

[The O'Dea]

Gentlemen,
The carbine in question is a very good copy of the India pattern cavalry carbine issued to sepoys in Indian army, British yoemanry. The reason for it being a smoothbore is that the British government, after the mutiny, wanted Indian troops to be armed with arms that were inferior to the regulars troops on active service in India.
the service charge is 2 1/2 drams FG ( 70 grains)I have two originals which I shoot quite regularly. These will be quite enjoyable to shoot.

-The Irish Mick
Arizona Territory

 

[Musketeer]

Thanks, Mick. 70 grains of Fg? What granulation do you use in your originals? I mostly use FFFg for everything (including flintlock priming). I see it as the best all-around granulation. :hmm:

 

[The O'Dea]

I have always used Fg in anything with a bore larger than 60 calibre. Since I also 'roll my 'own for all of my guns (military issue), I tend to use the the powder in the main charge to prime the pan. I have an original M1816 that I can turn upside down, pull the trigger 'an light 'er off!

The Irish Mick
Arizona Territory

 

[David Teague]

Hello All,

I'm a bit old school on powder size.

FFFFg for priming flinters, matchlocks and cannons.

FFFg for up to 54 cal(or FFg in 54)

FFg for 54 up to 80 cal

Fg for anything bigger.

:thumbsup:

(Tried Fg in my 58's in years past and was never happy with it. Bought 25 pound of it in the mid 70's and still have a pound left. :shocked2: )

 

[Musketeer]

Hey, David. Sorry i took awhile to see this, I've been down the past week with the MOTHER of all colds... :cursing: Fortunately, I'm almost fully recovered as we speak. Anyhow, your powder-to-caliber list above is pretty dead on as far as conventional wisdom goes, and those numbers are good rules of thumb, but we had quite a discussion here a long while ago about priming flinters with the same granulation as the main load, and it seems like most people had pretty decent luck with this method, whether using FFFg or FFg (apparently, in Mick's case, he even has good results priming with Fg).
The renowned Jim Chambers even chimed in back then and told us of tests he'd done with some of his own locks in which there was no discernable difference between priming with FFFFg and some of the larger granulations. I had good luck using FFFg for main and priming charges in both my 20 ga. fowler and my 16 ga. British Heavy Dragoon pistol.
It's perfectly safe to use FFFg as both main and priming powder even in a big bore musket, as long as the greater pressure produced by FFFg in relation to FFg or Fg is respected, and the main charge is reduced appropriately.
Personally, as I said, I' like FFFg best overall, since I can use it in anything from a .32 pistol to a Bess. Just my personal preference though. :hatsoff:

 

[linkstrap]

The carbine in question is a very good copy of the India pattern cavalry carbine issued to sepoys in Indian army, British yoemanry.........
I have two originals which I shoot quite regularly.
-The Irish Mick
Arizona Territory

Irish Mick, could you please tell me the barrel length of your originals? I've encountered a few of these carbines over the years, and found that, (at least in the ones I've seen), there appear to be some models with a 25" barrel and others with a 21" barrel. I sold the one I owned last year, and that one had a barrel length of 25". The rifled versions in .577 calibre that I've seen all appear to have a 21" barrel. I know that some of these were used by Confederate cavalry, but I've not heard of any of the smoothbored 'sepoy' versions having made it across 'the pond' at that time, so if anyone has any historical knowledge of these carbines, or any ideas as to where I could learn more about them, I would be most grateful.

Regards from the UK, Jim Smith.