New .58 cal '63 Zouave

[Rafsob]

Lately I have been toying with the idea of shooting NSSA. I came across a '63 Zoli Zouave that has seen better days. It belonged to a re-enator who didn't take much care for the outside of the gun. The inside of the barrel is pristine however:

This is how good she shot with the first four shots crowding into the same hole, then a flyer:

I fired five different bullets, all miniballs. The one that did that target was an RCBS Hodgdon 578 mold. This bullet was unbelieveably accurate. Needles to say I will be molding a bunch of bullets soon. This is the bullet:

Still don't know if I will take the blunge and shoot NSSA yet. Just got through with $A$$ and I am trying to save some money for a while.

I plan on reworking the rifle. I will take off the bluing and am thinking of browning the barrel. The re-enactor made a mess with Naval jelly.

I also want to refinish the stock. The lock will get some work also. Oh yeah, it only cost me $200.

 

[gjkershul]

Very nice group! Did you slug the bore or otherwise check out the bore size before going with a .578 projectile?

 

[bingo1952]

Get that group centered and you will break clay pigeons all day long. :thumbsup:

 

[threepdr]

You did great for that price. I've been looking for a similar Zouave project gun. It matters not what the exterior looks like.

Although the Zouave is pretty much shunned in the reenacting world, it is still very popular in the NSSA. It will be right at home there.

I also shoot the RCBS bullet sized to .576 in my Cook and Brothers rifle and my J.P. Murray carbine.

Good luck

 

[jdstrang]

Looks like you are ready for Sunday mornings on the skirmish line! All you need now is a team. If you don't have any N-SSA contacts, you can drop by the bulletin board,
http://www.n-ssa.net/phpbb/
and post a message seeking same, or drop me a pm and I'll give you a hand.

 

[Catof9tails]

Looks like a spittin' image of mine. Nice group. Mine shoots high at eleven'o'clock about six inches off center at 50 yards. They group really well at POI but can't adjust any of the sights.

Looks like you got a good one. If you got any idea how to adjust the sights, let me know.
Cat9

 

[arquebus]

All the Zouaves I've seen (repro & original) have a screw that holds the rear sight in place. They usually have a couple of dimples on the top rather than a slot. If you loosen the screw the rear sight will pivot left/right & can be tightened down at any point in its travel, thus giving you quite a bit of windage adjustment. I ground down a stubby screwdriver to give me two points that fit the dimples in the screw head & keep it in my shooting box.

 

[Rafsob]

All the Zouaves I've seen (repro & original) have a screw that holds the rear sight in place. They usually have a couple of dimples on the top rather than a slot. If you loosen the screw the rear sight will pivot left/right & can be tightened down at any point in its travel, thus giving you quite a bit of windage adjustment. I ground down a stubby screwdriver to give me two points that fit the dimples in the screw head & keep it in my shooting box.

Didn't realize about the rear sight. I have gotten new ladder blades for the rear sight and a friend has a jig that helps you set up the rear blades for cutting the "V" or drilling the holes as in "peep". I will look into the adjustments though.

I have gone and removed all the bluing and it looks better already. A friend said I should brown the barrel, but it does look good as she sits. I am going to Nags Head for a week for our family vacation. Will post a new photo of the gun in the white.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Catof9tails]

Thanks Arquebus. I'm trying to learn the Zoave. Thanks for the info for the rear sight adjustment. I'll get or find a screwdriver that fits the rear sight screw.
Cat9

 

[59sharps]

I'm not sure on the browning of the barrel for NSSA use. If they did not come thru that way you may not be able to do it. Rusted yes browned I do not know.
I am not hat up on the rules. I do know a member w/ a browned mississippi that he uses. :surrender:
Suggest you ask.
oh ya good group.It looks like my groups get a good one going then always one out there somewhere.

 

[threepdr]

I don't think browing with diqualify your Zoli, as Zoli Zouaves are on the approved list and automatically approved for use without inspection. Browning would not be considered a significant alteration.

That being said, I think I would just strike it bright and use it that way.

By the way, I found a 95% Zoli for $225. I'll get it skirmish ready and use it for a back-up to my other guns.

good luck

 

[slowpokebr549]

When you get a minute, load a patched .570 round ball down it. My Zouave is the most accurate round ball rifle I own. 70 grains of 3f graff will put five in a ragged hole at 50 yards, about like your first four. This is my hunting rifle so I dont worry about being PC. I use the .58 when I hunt over the bean field where I have longer shots. My 63 likes a minnie that mikes at .578 or .580 with a really stiff lube.They hit with authority but drop like rocks, hence the roundballs.

 

[Rafsob]

When you get a minute, load a patched .570 round ball down it. My Zouave is the most accurate round ball rifle I own. 70 grains of 3f graff will put five in a ragged hole at 50 yards, about like your first four. This is my hunting rifle so I dont worry about being PC. I use the .58 when I hunt over the bean field where I have longer shots. My 63 likes a minnie that mikes at .578 or .580 with a really stiff lube.They hit with authority but drop like rocks, hence the roundballs.

I like that idea of the PRB. I will try it and pass it on.

As far as the browning goes, I thought the browning finish was a nock off of a gun that has had the bluing rubbed off and had some rusting patina. Like I said earlier, I like the sight of her with white metal and may just leave it that way.

 

[bingo1952]

Browning is a rust that is chemically induced rather than waiting for 50 years for it to occur on its own. If you have the patience to take a month or so; even urine or plain old salt water can be used to brown a barrel but it requires daily application and carding to work.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I was just shooting my Zouave today in preparation for elk season a week form Saturday. With 80 grains 2f Goex and a ticking patched .570 Hornady ball I got five in just over three inches at 100 yards. I could never have done that with the original sights but as this is strictly a hunting rifle I've added a red bead up front and replaced the rear with a step adjustable peep. I still want to try out some heavier charges as I wouldn't mind a flatter trajectory but the round ball already shoots much flatter than a minie.

 

[59sharps]

I'm really not up on our Rules as far as approvels go. So I thought I would throw it out there, instead of finding out later after it was done. :redface:

 

[slowpokebr549]

Mine has adjustable rear sighs and a white bead front. This is my go to hunting rifle.She aint pc.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e245/coyotejoe/peep5.jpg
This is how I did the peep on my Zouave. It's a Marbles open sight with a peep hole replacing the open U notch. Under the Zouave sight base is a half dovetail cut across the barrel which is easily made into a full dovetail to accept a standard sight base.
To get a more visible front sight and also a bit taller, I just folded some thin brass over the military blade so that it wraps over the blade down to the base, secured with solder and painted an orange dot on the face. http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e245/coyotejoe/peep4.jpg

 

[slowpokebr549]

I used a ruger 10/22 folding rear sight. It went into the rear dovetail with only a little file work. I had a local gun smith, Jack Sheilds put a dovetail up front and the white bead also came off of a 10/22 barrel I had laying around. I tried to use the stock sights but they shot low and left no matter what I did with a file.I even bought another set from Dixie so I could start over. I finally thought what the heck, it's my hunting rifle, not a NSSA rifle. Yours sights look pretty nifty, I just wish my rear sight was further down the barrel for my old eyes.

 

[brubincam]

-----dixie gun works has a long leaf open rear sight--think it's a hawken sight-----the long leaf should reach farther back toward the breach-----