zouave rifle

[odfairfaxsub]

im about ready to make my purchase. the rifle is ultra attractive and i like the length of the gun and the bulkiness of the lock area. i already got the minie mold (ORIGINAL design) lee not improved, and i got some ffg and fffg powder. the gun is a navy arms import and believed to be purchased around the late 60s. bore is shiney and wood is really great. 350 dollars. not bad price. holds all the case color too.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Go fer it. Post pics when you get it.

 

[odfairfaxsub]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=285624193

 

[odfairfaxsub]

use the item number at the end, its a gunbroker auction ended

 

[ericb]

I think the Zouave is one of the nicest Rifled Muskets ever. And if you get a good one, they're shooters too, by Gum. I remember when I was a kid, and the Navy Arms catalog was just a 5-6 page 2-tone brochure, I wanted one in the worst way. But being a teenager with a summer job I simply couldn't come up with the tremendous asking price of $85(!) Do let us know how it goes, and please post Range reports...

Eric

 

[odfairfaxsub]

not a prob, i already got my lube made (1 lb crisco, l lb beeswax, 4 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 teaspoon johnson wax paste for carnuba) and a ton of pure lead and that bullet mold on the way. i need some bp bad all i got right now is pyrodex but ill try to find liget bp. ill try and post picts in 2-3 weeks when it goes shooting.

 

[ericb]

Look forward to it - sounds like you won't let us down...

E

 

[RedFeather]

First gun I ever bought myself, early '73. Still have it. Think it was about $140 back then.

 

[odfairfaxsub]

yeah, today i got musket caps today. hard to find on the web. 5 dollars a tin and the mold is on the way so its a big picture comming together. shout be shooting next fri/sat

 

[ericb]

Go Man Go.....

 

[odfairfaxsub]

just got the rifle, when i find out how to post the picts ill send em on here. perfect rifle. i took the metal outa the stock and sprayed some cva bp bore solvent in the bore and then threw it into a hot hot solution of dial and water and brushed away. the bore is perfect looking and shiny. i patched it dry and blew high pressure air through the nipple and its dry deff. until the ballistol comes in i wiped the bore with tc bore butter but will shoot it on friday and tell you how it goes. its not a 3 groove rifled barrel it has many more than that. the gentleman that sold it to me gave me a extra musket cap nipple and a 11 cap nipple so i appreciate my options. the .575 dia minie balls fit the barrel perfect without movement just fits snug in the muzzle. i have a good feeling about things.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

The Zouaves made by Antonio Zoli were pretty good. Another Italian company made some Zouave repros which weren't nearly as nice. My Zoli is marked Sears rOBUCK ON THE TRIGGER gUARD.

The standard charge, whether with minnie ball or PRB was between 58 and 70 grains of powder. Too much powder causes the skirts of the minnie balls to blow out at the muzzle. If you plan to go nuts with super charges, use a solid base bullet My Zouave is quite accurate and came with both a No 11 cap nipple and the musket nipple. You will want a range rod to use for swabbing the bore between shot strings at the range. The "correct" ram rod does a lousy job.

 

[odfairfaxsub]

yeah your right it does do a lousy job. i heard one can blow a skirt in the barrel too lol. what such luck. wonder how that happens. anyway its shiney down there and theres no skirt. can't wait to take it out.

 

[Leatherbark]

I've seen several mini ball skirts stuck in the breech area before. Gun got to where it wouldnt fire. Got to digging around in there and pulled out 3 or 4 mini ball skirts LOL. When you are at a re enactment you will notice the guys bouncing there ramrods down the barrel. This is so they can hear the steel to steel ringing sound so they know they wont shoot a mini ball skirt out and hurt a bystander in case they have been shooting live rounds at the range before using it at a reenactment

Bob

 

[Cascade Pete]

Picked up the shorter version called the "Buffalo Hunter" This weekend...Could not get the Zouve sitting next to it for $175, as I had spent all My cash. My hunting partner picked it up though. Paid $100 for the Buffalo Hunter....Very Nice rifles. They have a strong lock and great case color to them. They are a well built rifle and feel nice and solid in the hand. They snap right up to the shoulder. In My honest opinion are one of the Nicest Italian BP rifles made..Great find...

 

[odfairfaxsub]

no kidding about the snap up to the shoulder. this gun is probably 12 inches longer than my inline (just making a reference to the superiority to the tradtional) and the zouave or 2 band rifle is better balanced.

how did you remove those 3 mini skirts? sounds dangerous lol.

 

[odfairfaxsub]

well i replaced the nipple and took it to da range. i was using the lee minie standard style and 3 f powder. at 25 yards i shot 50 grs of the 3f and got a terrible terrible paper plate group. i was sooooo scared. i was even kinda sweaty lol. said to myself "self, add ten more grains" so i did. 25 yards all in the same hole. i was like whew. i put a target out at 50 yards and shot a 3 shot 2 inch group. i shot that one group and said no need to do anymore today because i know im shooting right on and its 90 degrees out here lol. this gun shoooots awesome.

 

[ericb]

Atta Boy....post pics pleez....

 

[odfairfaxsub]

http://imgur.com/1XAeg thats the link to the good group

 

[ericb]

Looks promising - keep at it...