Zouave loads?

[Eddie Southgate]

The gun hes looking at is .58 cal. Its rifled but looks like 3 band shallow rifling. Hes gonna make an offer on it next week.

What minie balls to buy? I've only ever shot patched roundball out of our traditional muzzleloaders. I've read 60gr 2f powder is good. Do you slather the minie balls with lube(we have bore butter and mink oil)? Tips on lubing??? Does anything go between the powder and the bullet(I dont think so, right)? How did they do it during the civil war, with paper cartridges? Did the paper itself ever go down the barrel?

Ben,

I shoot 575213 most often and always have used 60 gr of 2f . I run my mnnies through a sizing die that leaves them at the AS CAST diameter but straightens and perfectly rounds the skirt while adding just a tad of the old Ideal black powder lube to the grooves . As I shoot them I fill the base with Lithium based bearing grease . The grease I use is so old that all the markings on the tubes are gone so I can't say what brand or grade it is but it was a high speed bearing grease in it's day and was amber colored. When I shoot it with real black I can see tiny red beads of grease left in the barrel . Always shoots clean and 50 5x's at 50 yds are no problem from the long musket . It was shot against rifles all during the 60's and 70's at the Tennessee Gun Collectors matches at Owl Holler range in Franklin Tennessee and gave them a tough run for their money .

Set the minnie directly on the powder , push it home with the muskets rod , drop the rod three times always worked for me . How hard to drop the rod you will have to work out for yourself . I know it sounds odd but it made a big difference in how mine shot .

Eddie Southgate

 

[Ben Meyer]

Thank you Dave and Eddie! I appreciate it!

 

[Oldhickory]

Ok here we go again- For best accuracy out of a musket and minies.
1) Pure lead only minies sized to .001 under bore size. Most "Zouaves" (1863 Remington Contracts) have bores in the 580 range, doesn't matter what's stamped, measure and verify. If you don't cast, go here for quality minies-
http://www.lodgewood.com/Bullets_c_7.html
Be sure you know your bore size for best results!

2) Powder charge 40-45g 3f, ignore the "service charge" you want to get shooting accurately, minies don't respond well to large charges. NOTHING between charge and minie. Some like to fill the base with lube, but I've dug more than a few out of the backstop with base full of lube. If the lube and powder charge are in balance, no need to fill the base and ruin bullet consistency.

3) Use beeswax/xyz lube. XYZ=lard, crisco, tallow, etc. Avoid "bore butter" and anything petroleum based. I dip lube my minies base only to the top of the rings.

During the War, they bit off the top of the cartridge, poured the powder, rammed the minie home, no paper, it's an extra step. HOWEVER, with Enfields and the Pritchett bullets, the cartridge formed a paper patching and as such the bullet wasn't unwrapped, but rammed as is down the bore. That only works with Prichett style bullets.

If you're serious about working up this rifle, check out the North South Skirmish Association (I'm a member). We compete with Civil War era guns, including artillery (yes, I'm on a rifled howitzer crew). We spent lots of time experimenting with these guns getting them to shoot to their potential. There's lots of misinformation out there from folklore to reenactorisms that will lead to frustration. If you're in the eastern US, then look us up, there are lots of members willing to help out a noobie.

Within the last 5 years I bought another Antonio Zoli 1863 Remington replica to shoot. I did find a big difference in shooting a tighter group at 50 yards with the RCBS .576 Minnie over the Lyman .575 Minnie. The .576 slightly engages the rifling at the muzzle, something I wanted to try, and in doing so I was very pleased with shooting a tighter grouping.

 

[dave951]

Within the last 5 years I bought another Antonio Zoli 1863 Remington replica to shoot. I did find a big difference in shooting a tighter group at 50 yards with the RCBS .576 Minnie over the Lyman .575 Minnie. The .576 slightly engages the rifling at the muzzle, something I wanted to try, and in doing so I was very pleased with shooting a tighter grouping.

You have one of the exceptions as it sounds like your bore is probably 576 or 577. All the ones I've handled were 579+. Of the five currently in my possession, the smallest is 579.

 

[McClura]

I have a two band Zouave with three groove rifling. I have been shooting this .58 for 39 years. I have only used one bullet. When I purchased the rifle from a guy in TX he gave me a peanut can full of these and had mold number written on the can lid. I ordered one from the Track back then. The Lyman, # 575494 .58 cal mini, flat nose, hollow base, 315 grain. I shoot 50 grains of 2F Black Powder at 50 yards and 60 grains of 2F at 100 yards.
I have shot some very nice groups with it. Even won some matches. Easy to cast, doesn't take a lot of lead for each bullet.
Here is a link that you can purchase at MidwayUSA. All of the other Blackpowder sites are out of them. Not the best photo but you can
get the idea. It flies true, cuts real nice clean holes in paper and my friend has taken several deer with them at close range from his Zouave.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010239361

 

[bang]

The gun hes looking at is .58 cal. Its rifled but looks like 3 band shallow rifling. Hes gonna make an offer on it next week.

What minie balls to buy? I've only ever shot patched roundball out of our traditional muzzleloaders. I've read 60gr 2f powder is good. Do you slather the minie balls with lube(we have bore butter and mink oil)? Tips on lubing??? Does anything go between the powder and the bullet(I dont think so, right)? How did they do it during the civil war, with paper cartridges? Did the paper itself ever go down the barrel?

Measure the bore first thing. My 58 Zouave wound up with a minimum bore. Have to use .575 mini, .578 will insert but beyond thumb pressure and a .562/020 ball. Recommended military powder load is 60gns.