Springfield 1863 Musket just joined the Family

[ozark57]

I just picked up a Spingfield 1863 type 2 musket at the Tulsa gun show. I could not believe it when I droped in the bore light and saw shiny rifling! It is in good to very good condition and has the correct bayonet with it.
I'm going to shoot it. Any of you shoot these?

 

[Steve Blancard]

Original or Repro ???

Details man, details! hotoSmile:

Especially if original, be sure to check the cone threads.

 

[varsity07840]

I just picked up a Spingfield 1863 type 2 musket at the Tulsa gun show. I could not believe it when I droped in the bore light and saw shiny rifling! It is in good to very good condition and has the correct bayonet with it.
I'm going to shoot it. Any of you shoot these?

I do. Check the bore size. They vary quite a bit.
Mine is .585.

Duane

 

[AZ Muzzle]

I use to shoot my 1861 Springfield all the time. I used 62 gr. of FFg Goex with a .575 mini-ball. I used CCI musket caps and never once had a misfire.

As someone else mentioned, the bore sizes can differ depending on rifle maker. The rifle I shot came from Master Gunsmith John Zimmerman from WV. His website is http://www.edsmart.com/jz/

I could constantly put lead on the target in the 10 and 9 rings at 100 yards off hand. Really good shooter and easy to maintain.

Mark B

 

[ozark57]

Original or Repro ???

Details man, details! hotoSmile:

Especially if original, be sure to check the cone threads.

It's original.I'll try to get some picturs up soon.

 

[ozark57]

Here she is!
Here she is!

 

[Sekiar]

Great find! If you look hard and long enough, you can find about any gun ever built, at the Tulsa gun show. I hand cuffed myself to the bed post last week end just so I would not get to Tulsa. ha :thumbsup:

 

[varsity07840]

Looks like it's in nice shape. My '63 is the first original I owned and I still enjoy shooting it. Correct minie size vs. bore size is very important and pure lead is a must. Also, don't be surprised if your musket shoots high. Windage can be a problem too. Mine needed a higher front sight that I soldered behind the original so as not to disturb it, and a blank replacement rear sight leaf with a notch cut to correct a "shooting to the right" problem. It'll hit pie plates at 100 yards all day offhand which is pretty good for these tired eyes. Have fun!!

Duane

 

[ozark57]

Looks like it's in nice shape. My '63 is the first original I owned and I still enjoy shooting it. Correct minie size vs. bore size is very important and pure lead is a must. Also, don't be surprised if your musket shoots high. Windage can be a problem too. Mine needed a higher front sight that I soldered behind the original so as not to disturb it, and a blank replacement rear sight leaf with a notch cut to correct a "shooting to the right" problem. It'll hit pie plates at 100 yards all day offhand which is pretty good for these tired eyes. Have fun!!

Duane

I have the Lee traditional Minie ball mold.It makes a .577 bullet which seems pretty loose. I shoot these in my reproduction Lyman Zuave. What do you shoot? I do use pure lead.

 

[varsity07840]

Looks like it's in nice shape. My '63 is the first original I owned and I still enjoy shooting it. Correct minie size vs. bore size is very important and pure lead is a must. Also, don't be surprised if your musket shoots high. Windage can be a problem too. Mine needed a higher front sight that I soldered behind the original so as not to disturb it, and a blank replacement rear sight leaf with a notch cut to correct a "shooting to the right" problem. It'll hit pie plates at 100 yards all day offhand which is pretty good for these tired eyes. Have fun!!

Duane

I have the Lee traditional Minie ball mold.It makes a .577 bullet which seems pretty loose. I shoot these in my reproduction Lyman Zuave. What do you shoot? I do use pure lead.

.577 is probably too small in an original. Bore sizes varied, usually on the large size. The bore on my '63 is almost .586. I use a Rapine .585
510 gr. mould that is an improvement on the old style "issue bullet". I was fortunate to live close enough to Ray to have him check out my musket and find the right mould size. You'll have to slug the bore to get an accurate measurement. If you don't have access to an 3 prong anvil micrometer, you can try wrapping the slug with two wraps of .002 paper, measure it with calipers and deduct .008 from the number. That should get you close. Northeast Trade Co. www.norteasttradeco.com makes sizing dies that fit in a reloading press and a great lubing device. Their lube is very good, too. The N-SSA sight forum has lots of info on shooting originals and the guys who frequent it are very helpful. www.n-ssa.org.

Duane

 

[ozark57]

Thanks, Duane. I will plug gauge the bore, then decide what I need. I have played with Minie's before and know that if they are not right they don't stablize and may even keyhole.

 

[Norinco]

So the bayonet blocks out the front sight completely?

 

[ozark57]

So the bayonet blocks out the front sight completely?

Pretty much. There is a little space under the pinch screw you see in the picture, but you can't see much through it. Bayonets on muskets were a "last ditch" device. You would have a hard time loading one with it on too. Once the order was given to fix bayonets, your enemy would have been close enouph that aiming with sights most likely was not necessary.