[AdmiralB]

After about a year of C&B revolvers, I've taken the plunge into rifles - have a Miroku 1863 Springfield on the way.

I'll need minies, and musket caps I reckon. Is 2F powder mandatory, or will 3F do?

[mykeal]

2F is better for the big bores, but 3F will do just fine if that's what you have.

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

I can't really add anything. I use .45 caliber inlines and fire Triple Seven 3fffg. I get good chamber pressure, good muzzle velocity and plenty of foot pounds way down range..Plus using 3fffg save's me from having to keep up with two different powders..

[jim147]

As soon as I run out of 2f I'm not getting anymore.
Just work up your loads safely.

jim

[AdmiralB]

I've got lots of 3F.

Am I correct in assuming that the flanges on musket caps are for ease of identification of 'the business end'? I see that RWS makes both flanged and flangeless, and the latter are significantly less expensive.

As I have no plans to engage enemy infantry or cavalry, flangeless sounds fine to me.

[Rebel Dave]

I shoot my 1862 Fayetteville Rifle with 35 grns of 3f under the Lyman wadcutter, shoots better than I can hold it.
Same for my built 62 Richmond rifle, I use 40 grns 3f under the original minne.
Nice comfortable loads, and don't use powder as fast as a full (60grn) load.

Rebel Dave

[Pancho]

AdmiralB, The flanged cap is a lot easier to remove if you don't shoot the gun. That might not make a difference to most people but the deer hunting method we use in southeastern Ohio requires setting up drives which means repeatedly loading people and firearms in vehicles to set up the drives. So in our case it is an advantage to be able to easily remove an unspent cap.
Also they are easier to handle with gloved hands.

[Pancho]

AdmiralB, I assume you know about Friendship Indiana's Spring and fall rendezvous.

[AdmiralB]

I actually lived in Greensburg until last April...got into BP about the same time I moved away.

[AdmiralB]

UPDATE...

Well, the Miroku came and went...back to Dixie. Workmanship wasn't too hot.

Been doing a lot of looking, was back in Tennessee last week and spent a couple hours at DGW.

Couple items of interest:

Pedersoli 1861 - by far the best fit and finish of any Springfield...almost as nice as some of the custom guns they had.

Pedersoli 1857 "Mauser". REALLY nice gun, neat-o rear sight, closest military repro I've seen to a target shooter. Downside, other than price, is the odd caliber (.547).

However, I think I prefer the shorter 2-band styles. I liked the Zouave rifles in terms of feel and function...but I'm a little put-off by the looks, which seem a bit garish (brass patch box? In 1863?).

I think I liked the 2-band Enfields the best, the short drop didn't seem to bother me and the look is 'right' IMO.

It also seemed that the Euroarms stuff looked a little better-finished, and had somewhat nicer wood, than the Armi Sports. And the Euroarms 2-band has the 5-groove barrel, which I think the Armi lacks.

Any thoughts/observations?

[AdmiralB]

I can't really add anything. I use .45 caliber inlines and fire Triple Seven 3fffg.

You know, I've handled some T/C Omegas with that laminated thumbhole stock...and I really like those. Maybe I should just go modern?

[4v50 Gary]

AdmiralB - I like the short 2 band guns too. They're handier and the 2 band Enfield was the weapon of choice for the sharpshooter battalions of the Army of Northern Virginia. I've got a repro Springfield, but I've never shot it. As for the Enfields, I use a Parker Hale mold to cast my minie balls. I'm thinking of getting a Rapine Pritchett mold. It's a smooth sided bullet that was made by the British for their Enfields. For any minie gun, use 60-65 grains 2F powder.

Check out Conner Prairie living history museum in Fishers, Indiana. They're hosting a two day Civil War demonstration and there'll be plenty of reenactors, many of whom belong to the North-South Skirmish Association. The N-SSA are shooting competitors who go out and blast away with Civil War type weapons. Hook up with those guys for first hand advice. You might even want to join the Union Army (or the Corn-fed Army).

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Can't answer that. Never had my hands on one. I do know they are given up to be some damn good rifles if it's the one I'm thinking of. (I don't try to read about or keep up with all the different makes and models and so forth. It would drive me crazy. I'vd got what satisfy's me and that's all I'm really interested in) I have also heard that the stocks with the thumbhole help a lot in dealing with long range accuracy and that they are very comfortable. Sir, you're the one paying for the piece. You're the one that's got to shoot it. Get what you like. Don't get what someone tell's you they like, or what they tell you that you need to get. You get what you like and what you want and don't pay any attention to what other people tell you when the subject of the matter start's drifting past casual conversation..Great White Hunter....

[Hawkeye748]

I was surprised to learn your Miroku was unacceptable. Usually, they are better than the Italians. The fit, finish and feel is usually closer to the originals than the Italians. You may have had one of the ones Dixie put together from one of the kits they offer.

That being said, you indicated you liked the 2 banders best so check out these sites.

Lodgewood Mfg. at : www.lodgewood.com

S & S Firearms at: www.ssfirearms.com

James River Armory at: www.jamesriverarmory.com

These offer skirmish grade guns that are set up for shooting. They have been tuned to really shoot well if you do your part in working up the load.

The James River folks take an Italian Repro and rework it. They will also have a wide variety of choices for you. I think, but not sure, they harden the internals on the locks, which is necessary on ANY of the Italians if you are going to shoot it regularly. One thing I know they do is have Bobby Hoyt bore the barrels. This prevents having to deal with the extremely wide tolerances the Italians consider acceptable on the guns they ship over here.

If you have "old eyes" like I do, you may want one of the models with the sights further down the barrel.

Good luck on finding what you like.

BTW, where are you. I noticed you said you had spent some time in DGW on one post. Must be close enough to drive. If so, you are likely near one of our N-SSA teams. We host one small skirmish in Hornbeak TN just west of DGW and a large skirmish at NBF State Park, near Camden TN. I think you would like what we do. The Midwest Region have skirmishes scheduled for Batesville, Indiana and Centerburg OH in June. They might be closer. I would like to invite you to attend one.

[AdmiralB]

The biggest problem I had with the Miroku was the lock fit. The inletting was fine but the hammer *just* barely hit the nipple - the lock was rearward to the point that the hammer recess edge very nearly came to rest on the trailing side of the nipple. And since it was fore-aft alignment at fault, no way to shim to correct.

Also I didn't care for the DIXIE GUN WORKS stamped on the lockplate and barrel.

I dunno what I'll do, I'm not in a terrible hurry. Might wait and see if the economy shakes some decent used stuff out of the woods, then have JRA or someone tune it up.

I'm in central Indiana, but I travel to Jackson TN fairly often - about an hour from DGW. I actually worked in Batesville (and lived fifteen miles from it) from 2000-2007.

[Hawkeye748]

There might be a good pick up of a inexpensive, already tuned musket at one of the skirmishes. Would not hurt to check it out.

[arcticap]

Cambell49T has listed several ads for this Euroarms Zoave and the price is very reasonable. :)

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=449644

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=443230