Range fun with Miroku 1861 Springfield

[kh54]

I have a few ACW period reproduction muskets and recently I did some load development with my 1861 Miroku. I slugged the bore of this gun when I first got it and found it to be a bit oversized, at .5835. I use a Rapine 583-455 Minié mold that casts a .583, 470 grain bullet that I size to .579. I use a lube of one part mutton tallow to four parts beeswax and Goex 2X powder. All of the results shown here are from a bench rest.

The first pic below is from some time ago when I worked on loads at a 25-yard range. This was my best five-shot group with 40 grains powder. Last Monday I took the gun back to the range for 50-yard load testing. I shot two five-round groups using 40 grains powder. The first group is marked green, the second group is marked red on the second target. Loading was getting difficult so I stopped to swab the bore after those first 10 rounds. I then increased the charge to 45 grains and took my first shot at a fresh target, the third one below. (I had to save that one by itself with the nearly perfectly centered hole!) I finished with the five rounds on the fourth target; those gave me a 2-1/2-inch group. I thought that was a good enough place to stop for the day.

My goal in shooting my guns is to try and achieve the best results casting my own Minié balls that are as close to originals as possible. I know there are other bullet styles that might be more accurate but I like using the same kind of stuff that my ancestors did. I know I'll never be in any competitions, but that's not why I shoot. I just do it for fun.

I welcome observations, comments, criticisms, etc.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I would recommend sizing your Minie' ball to 0.581 for a slightly better fit of bullet to bore. But as a just for fun load, you are doing good.