Need help on BP accesssories New to BP

[vanderbilt330]

I just bought my first black powder rifle and need any help on what I might need to get started in shooting.

It's an Antonio Zoli .58 Caliber Zouave Rifle. I don't have any shooting or cleaning accessories and any help pointing me in the right direction on what I will need is appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any help...

JB

 

[musketman]

vanderbilt330: I too have a .58 caliber Zouave and it's a shooter with minie-balls...

In the LINKS section under suppliers you will find various companies that sells just about everything you will need to extract the fullest pleasures out of your first muzzleloader...

First off, what you need to shoot:
Musket caps, they are larger than the standard #11 percussion caps and look like little top hats...

You will also need a ball starter, used to start the ball/bullet before the ramrod is used to push the projectile down the barrel...

Another must is an adjustable powder measurer, it measurers 60 to 120 grains of black powder, by volume not weight...

"one of many types sold"

Next you will need something to put your powder in, since you are shooting a Zouave, a flask will accent your rifle well. (never pour powder directly from the can into the barrel)

What's next?
Projectiles...

Round balls require a lubed patch...

Minie-balls do not need a patch, they are seated right on thp of the powder, the picture shows the hallow base... (the part that is against the powder)

Patch/bullet lube is used to help reduce the foulings in the barrel from shooting and it keep the patch from burning through and bullets from excessive leading the bore...
There are many, many types and combo's out there, trial and error will tell you what is best... (I use a paste lube on my minie-balls...)
Typical Liquid patch lube:

Typical Paste patch lube:

A cleaning jag or worm is screwed onto the end of the ramrod and used with a wet/dry patch to clean the barrel, most zouave's come with one as well an extra nipple, look inside the patch box, that's where mine was...
Typical cleaning jag...

My Zouave came with a patch worm for cleaning and retrieving lost patches fron down inside the barrel, it looks like this... It too screws on the end of the ramrod and holds the cleaning patches on by cork-screwing them into place...

Lastly, a nipple wrench should do it for you, you will want one that works on musket size nipples... (The nipple is removed to clean the foulings behind it and down into the breach area...)

Here is a typical nipple wrench...

This covers the basics on what you will need to get started, I will follow up with a load post...

 

[Doc Will]

Hello Vanderbilt,
Since this is your first rifle, and now your hooked it will not be your last, I assume(hate that word) that you will spending some time at the range working up a load for that guns best accuracy. I would first start off with a brass or stainless range rod with a muzzle guide, and appropriate cleaning jag, worm and ball remover. You will dry ball one and have to pull it, I do not care how careful you are it WILL happen :curse:. I would suggest a CO2 ball discharger, they are safer IMHO. Instead of starting out with a finely made wooden range box, start out with a plastic tool box purchased at Home Depot or Sears. Nothing fancy just a handy storage box for all your accoutraments. You will need a powder measure, I prefer the adjustable kind. Nipple wrench, cleaning patches, shooting patches(various thickness for getting your load worked up), Powder(I prefer Goex)in 2F for the .58 cal. There are some that will use 3F, just a matter of preference. You will need to use a little less 3F than the 2F. 3F will have more pressure to volume ratio than 2F. Percussion caps to make it go BOOM.That would be just the basics, and I am sure I am forgetting something, but I am trying to do a mental inventory of one of my boxes. Oh you will need balls. I also have a Leathermans tool in my box and assorted screwdrivers, evan a small flat file for working on adjusting sights. If you plan on cutting your patches at the muzzle a nice sharp patch knife and whet stone. If you are not going to use prelubed patches I would suggest a commercial lube until you get involved in the sport enough to start making your own. You can not go wrong with Lehigh patch lube, or Wonder lube. Eventully you will make your own black powder solvent for swabbing the barrel. I have used everything from Windex to mixtures of Muphy's oil soap and alcohol and water mixtures. Would be easier to start out with B/C black powder solvent or T/C #13. Get a screw on plastic nipple with a cover for your can of powder, makes it easier to pour from and you will need a cover for it. Some ranges do require the can of powder to be capped. Well I am sure I have forgotten something, others will chime in on this thread and add more to the list.
Good Luck with your gun, be patient in getting a load worked up, you will love it. :applause:
Doc Will
Keep Your Powder Dry

 

[vanderbilt330]

Thank you both for replying with just what I needed. I have been looking for the items you both recommended, and was stuck with what was needed to start off with.

I have some CCI musket caps I got at a local sporting goods store but am having trouble finding all the other items you all mentioned. The only powder I can find locally is Pirodex RS and 777.

Now I have a good starting point and a list of stuff needed. That

 

Check inside the patch box- there may be a spare nipple and patch worm already in there. Antonio Zoli Zouaves USED to have these.
: As well, you could check out[url] Trackofthewolf.com[/url] for about all of the stuff you need. They have everything you need and many things you don't, in one store. This is more convenient than shopping in a multitude of stores.

 

[vanderbilt330]

Daryl,

Thanks for the reply. Will follow up on your suggestion.

JB

 

[peter]

Vanderbilt330 Welcome! I don't know about you, but I'm an impulse buyer and I didn't pay enough attention to details, so I now have a tackle box full of rods & ends that do not work together. So I'd say, get a pen and paper and make a plan. Get your rods and ends from one source and check thread sizes. Musketmans right-links page is a great resource. As far as range boxs go, If you can't fit it all in a cheap (20-30$) two draw mechanics tote box then you have too much. Gets heavy too - Got 500 balls - gonna shoot em all today? Oh yeah - when you do need to pull a ball for yourself or someone else, Dixie has a nice ramrod handle/grabbing tool. It has two handles and grabs rod firmly so you can put one foot against trigger guard when you are alone at range. I just had a ball get stuck 6 inches down in my springfield ( I wanted to see how many shot in a row without swabing between shots-only 7 by the way ). In case you don't know, if ball is not all the way you could damage/bulge barrel, and in my case, as large an air gap as I had between powder and ball could have blown off end of barrel. Maybe some one else got away with it once, but I'm not gonna chance it. Pick up a book on Black Powder Basics, Sam Fadala wrote about a zillion of them. Some of it is boring,some of its realy good ,and , the SAFTEY stuff is important. well thats my 2 cents worth - now go out and have fun - thats what its all about!

 

[vanderbilt330]

Peter,

Thanks for the reply. Everyone especially Musketman have given me some great information. I just checked Wal-Mart this morning and they are getting some of the item I need in for BP season. They should be fully stocked by next week.

Hope to have what I need in a few weeks and the weather has really kept me from going to the range in some time.

Thanks again for you insight.

Regards

JB :winking:

 

[wulf]

I bought my Zoo in 1959 and loved it. Used it as my Kick around gun...Also for hunting. But in compition I always relied on my Kentuckys. Well as I got older so did my eyes and I finally switched to the Zoo for matches. This thing has proven a very good match shooter. I use 55 gr Goex and a .o15 patched .570 rb. Off the bench they are all in the ten and tenX.....off hand I am all over the place like anybody else... Mini s shoot slightly lower about an inch or so. Great gun and I always advised them as first BP gun.Good luck....enjoy,,,,,,,,,Wulf

 

[shmrck1]

Vanderbilt
my suggestion would be to find a local b/p gun club & get involved with them. after i got my first couple b/p weapons and thought i knew it all, i joined a local b/p
club & found out exactly how much i did't know. between the members of that club & this forum i am somewhat knowledgeable about the subject of b/p and b/p shooting
snake-eyes
:m2c:

 

[vanderbilt330]

snake-eyes 1000,

Thanks for the feedback. Will check and see if there are any BP clubs in my area but don't think there are any.

Thanks for the suggestion.

JB

 

[Charles/NM]

Here's what has worked for me for 30 years with my .50 caliber Hawken:
Pyrodex RS
Brass Zouave powder flask
Powder measure with swivel funnel on top
#11 Remington "hot" percussion caps
In-line capper
Nipple wrench
T/C #13 cleaner
T/C lube in the yellow tube for PRB and Maxi's
Wood short starter with brass tip on the wood rod and on the side of the ball to start the projectile and a short hole in the ball for the stock ram rod end to fit in.
Aluminum shotgun cleaning range rod with fitted brass bullet/ball tip. I only use the rod that came with the rifle for shooting in the field when hunting.
Patch worm - you WILL lose a patch at the bottom of the bore when cleaning.
20 ga shotgun brush for cleaning. I wrap a cleaning patch or piece of paper towel around the brush for swabbing the bore at home after a shooting session. I have found ribbed cleaning jags to be worthless.
WD-40 to hose down the sights and ramrod barrel rib to remove water if you use water for cleaning.
I never swab my rifle's bore during a shooting session. Just like they say in the Natural Lube ads, I can shoot all day without swabbing the bore. It works. Pyrodex and T/C yellow lube combo eliminates the need to swab. I found that swabbing between shots reduces my rifle's accuracy, so why do it?
Hope this helps.

 

[vanderbilt330]

Charles/NM,

Thanks for your feedback. Man with all this info I've got all I need to get started.

Thanks again

JB

 

[roundball]

T/C yellow lube combo eliminates the need to swab.

FYI...works exactly the same way with real black powder too.