Musket quality?

[jumbeaux]

Background first....I am disabled and don't walk very well or very far so my muzzleloading is for whitetail deer hunting from a blind that is on a friends place. I can park really close in a wooded area and a few steps later I am hunting. I also plink alittle at a range. I almost always have my son with me. I own a T/C White Mountain Carbine and a Lyman Plains Pistol both in .50 caliber. Thought about a Colt Navy or a '58 Remington but have decided to investigate a musket. I have always loved the muskets used in the War between the States and the .58 Minnie. I am trying (with y'alls assistance) to sort out the current offerings. Dixie has a few Euroarms in stock and Pedersoli is suppose to be bringing more to the country. Armi and Taylor also seem to be in the field. My question before I spend $850 up on a musket is how do they rate as far a s quality goes ? Any assistance would be appreciated....rick

 

[Rifleman1776]

Glad you are sticking with the ml madness despite limitations.
I can't help, CW guns are out of my area of experience. I do know I owned an original once but sold it. Not smart, I have always regretted that move.

 

[R-71]

Not sure if you are looking for a smoothbore or not. Either Armi Sport or Pedersoli will be good choices for a CW Musket. If you are leaning Smoothbore then the 1842 is your gun, for a rified musket I think I would go for the 2 Band pattern 58 Enfield. It will be a bit shorter and lighter for hunting purposes.

If you want to go Flintlock I would get a Pedersoli Bess either full length or a carbine.

Not sure if this is acceptable or not. Check over at the NSSA Forum in the for sale section you can often pick up a used Musket for a lot less than new. Additionally it will likely have been worked a little to make it hit closer to point of aim. My past experience with CW Muskets is that they need a little tweeking to get them to hit on the sights.

 

[musketshooter]

Just search the word musket on gunbroker.com and you will find a variey of CW type muskets. The best buy currently is the "zouave" replica type. A Zoli made gun is about as good as the repros get. DO NOT buy any spanish or jap made Zouaves. The Armi-sport muskets are OK shooters but are completely out of "spec". If you can find a Navy Arms Model '61 or '63, they are the ones that are closest to orignal specs. Muskets are fun to shoot and are very effective hunting guns.

 

[Britsmoothy]

The Zoli Zouave is a fine gun, smooth or rifled.

The Enfield p61 is the lightest!

Most muskets IMO shoot high so you may need to alter the sights, front or back and lower the stock even!!!


Glad you still at it :thumbsup:

Brits.

 

[jumbeaux]

Men I sure do appreciate y'alls help. Am trying to work a deal on a Enfield from Navy Arms made by Euroarms (I think)....it is an earlier model....however, I am gonna look at the other recommendations also. This had got to be the friendlist site about firearms on the net....Thanks again to all....
rick

 

[satwel]

A word of advice! If you plan on buying an Enfield repro, make sure you shoulder it first to see if it fits. The stock configuration on Enfields is not for everyone. I bought a Euroarms Model 1858 two-band Enfield from Dixie Gun Works. The quality, fit and finish is great and I love the accuracy, but I have to "crawl the stock" to align the sights. As Britsmoothy said, out of the box, almost all CW repro muskets shoot high. I have to aim 3 - 4" inches low to hit the bullseye at 50 yards. I'm trying to figure out how to install a taller front sight. I've never hunted with mine, but I think you'll find the shorter two-band length will be handier in the field than a full length rifle musket. My Zouave repro fits me much better, but is not as well-made or accurate.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Somebody good with a TIG welder could build a front sight up.

I replaced the rear sight with a fixed insert made by me. Trial pieces were used to determine zero. This solid secure sight was so low I had to press my cheek hard on the stock, that makes for bad shooting, folk here know that.

After a few attempts trying to heat the stocks wrist and bend it and getting nowhere I removed some comb. Now it all lines up nice without any crowding, I love it :thumbsup:

Brits.

 

[Grandpa Ron]

When I first started shooting muzzleloaders I really wanted a Zouave. Unfortunately I was not shooting CW events.

I shoot a lot and soon dicovered that even casting my own balls lead was expensive or hard to get. I traded my Brown Bess at 12 balls to the pound and built a trade gun at 20 balls to the pound. My rifles are 54 cal.

If you have a lot of lead, money or both; or perhaps you do not plan to shoot a lot, it may not be an issue. Unfortunately I seem to go through 100 balls rather quickly and I am back to the melting pot.

If hunting not target shooting was my primary goal, I would indeed choose the Zouave. The miniball would be quite effective.

Just a thought and remember muzzleloading can be very addictive. :grin:

 

[satwel]

Britsmoothy,
Yes, that is exactly my problem. To see the sights at the lowest setting, I have to mash my cheek into the comb. If I raise the rear sight to the 200 yard setting, I can align the sights comfortably, but of course, the minie balls print above the paper. My plan is to lower the comb of the stock and raise the front sight. I'd be interested in learning more about your rear sight modification.
Thanks

 

[Britsmoothy]

I replaced the Peabody assembly and fitted a solid steel fixed rear, the measurements were taken from a rear sight made of thin steel banding, this helped me determine the correct POA and then the measurements could be taken to make the solid one.
By keeping the groove very fine it allowed me to make fine final adjustments. The thing was then heated to a dull red and dropped in old diesel engine oil to black it some.
I rounded the sides off either side of the groove, if you like the opposite way to a buckhorn. This I find helps me see more.

Hope the pictures help.

Brits :thumbsup: