Poor Boy or Springfield?

[Bowhunter57]

I'm considering building or buying a finished rifle for hunting deer and varmints. Either a Tennessee Poor Boy (.50 cal. or .54 cal.) or a Springfield 1861 (.58 cal.).

I'm interested in the range and accuracy differences between these two rifles. Your opinions and experiences are appreicated.

Thank you, Bowhunter57

 

[Stubert]

A springfield is designed to shoot 505 grain minnies. Not a good varmint gun. I don't think they will shoot a round ball very well.

 

Apples and oranges--a tough comparison. One is a miltary musket designed for minnie bullets and the other a backwoods hunting rifle designed for patched ball. Either would certainly down a deer. The musket is typically heavier and burns alot of powder and heavy lead. Accuracy: most likely a well-made poorboy with a good barrel would beat a Italian Springfield, however there are accuracy jobs available for the Springfield such as at James River Arms...as to range, the minnie ball retains more energy downrange than the rd ball--in fact the huge .58 minnie starts out with alot more energy...apples and oranges...

 

[boar]

Poorboy. Long sight plane for long shots. Looks like a gun. Dilly

 

[Tumblernotch]

Like Mike said, apples and oranges. Most people don't shoot a roundball gun past 100 or so yards. A Minie rifle is accurate in the right hands at 300 yds and beyond. The heavier Minie retains more energy and is devastating at any range. However, the muzzle velocity of a Minie rifle is about half of that of a roundball rifle if you use the prescibed service charge (60grs. ffg for a Springfield, 68 grs.ffg. for Enfield). You can tweak the load and gain some velocity, but too much will hurt accuracy. Also, if you're like me, aging eyes have trouble seeing the rear sight of a military rifle-musket. It is too close to the breech. You can put the rear sight anywhere you want on a custom rifle.

However, a Minie rifle is quicker to load, especially using paper cartridges, and that can come in handy for that rare second shot. It sure helped me one time. I've killed deer with both and they all tasted equally good!

 

[54ball]

A minnie twist is slow. So a gun made to shoot minnies from that era will shoot round balls well also.
With that said I think you would be happier with a LR. Another option would be the shorter smaller CW rifles like the 1841 Mississippi in .54.

 

[J.D.]

However, a Minie rifle is quicker to load, especially using paper cartridges, and that can come in handy for that rare second shot.

Paper cartridges can be used in round ball guns too.
I have successfully used them for several years in a 54 cal flint gun.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I don't know what you consider to be a varmint, but most of us think of coyotes and smaller critters as being varmints. As such, a Poor Boy rifle in .36 or .40 caliber would be a better choice if you are NOT going to hunt deer with the gun, also. If you are not going to shoot coyotes, you could even consider a .32 caliber rifle for the remaining varmints, as the largest varmint east of the mississippi would be the ground hog, or woodchuck, and they rarely go over 25 lbs. The .50 and the Springfield are both large bore guns intended to be used on deer, and larger game. Some Springfield replicas are capable of outstanding accuracy, once they are worked over. I would never consider them for a varmint rifle, however.

 

[Zonie]

What everybody else said plus my own thoughts:
Most of my .58 cal rifled muskets (Parker Hale 2 band, 3 band and Musketoon and a Zouave) have sights that leave a lot to be desired for precision shooting so I would lean towards a .40 or .45 cal rifle if I were going to go after deer sized critters or smaller.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Yes, but loading a Minie ball is still much faster than loading a patched round ball. That was the reason the expanding ball was developed, to replace the patched ball used in military rifles.

 

[rice1817]

Some of the Italian repops have the rear sight further down the barrel. My Richmond Rifle from JRA is a good example. I cannot handle the sights being too close to the breech either, but on the Richmond they are far enough down to give me a good sight picture. Surprisingly, for a rifle designed to give great accuracy with target loads in NSSA competition, mine shoots darn well with the 60-70 grain service charges and a 500 grain minie, so it is a viable hunting rifle.

 

[Tumblernotch]

My tired old eyes don't work as well as they used to on those musket sights. The two band rifles (33 inch barrels) have their sights a little farther out which help but are still too close for comfort. One feller I know has taken the leaf sight apart on his Springfield and put a modified leaf with a hole drilled in it corresponding with the 100 yd. notch. This made a "peep" sight which is easier to view. To me, it's just a leetle too far away from my eye to be real accurate, but I may modify one of my spare sights like that. I don't believe that the N-SSA allow that, though I may be wrong. But I don't shoot at their matches anyway, so it doesn't matter to me.

My biggest problem is seeing the bayonet lug sight in the notch since it is so short. Don't get me wrong, I can see well enough to get a respectable sight picture and can score well enough, but it causes a good deal of eyestrain. That feller I know has also made a modified front sight for some of his muskets, but I can't bring myself to change my front sight from the original style. (Although this is not an original gun).

I had my Richmond built 24 years ago, back before any companies were making them. It has a 6 groove 1 in 48 twist barrel that I can get good groups with whether I use the 60 gr. service charge or a reduced 35 gr. target charge at 50 yds though I prefer the lighter charge @ 50. (I use a 485 gr. Lyman Old Style Minie). I've killed deer with it as well as won a few matches, so I'm satisfied.

 

[Tommy Bruce]

I'd opt for the poor boy in a .40 or .45 cal barrel. If you went with a swamped barrel it would also be a dream to carry in the woods.

 

[Bowhunter57]

Thank you, to all that have replied!

All the information is good and I'm definately leaning toward the Poor Boy. I used to own a T/C Penn. Hunter and it was a very accurate RB rifle. I shot 2 deer and several groundhogs with this rifle.

A good friend of mine has a .54 cal. flintlock Poor Boy that he'll sell me. I'd like to purchase a .36 caliber barrel for it and a percussion lock. I've never cared for flintlocks. I've seen this rifle in action and it's very accurate.

This rifle will be mostly used for deer and a few groundhogs. A smaller caliber would be nice for groundhogs, squirrels and rabbits.

Again, Thank you!!!
Good hunting, Bowhunter57

 

[gacitizen]

You may have trouble finding an off the shelf barrel to swap out with the 54.

Someone could probably mill one for you but I would think it would end up being mighty heavy.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I'd opt for the poor boy in a .40 or .45 cal barrel. If you went with a swamped barrel it would also be a dream to carry in the woods.

Concur, and with a home built, you can put the rear sight right where your eyes need it to be!

Note where my sight is. Sharp as a tack they are