1863 zouave

[rlsmithjr]

I receitntly was given this rifle it is a reproduction of the 1863 Zouave it was made for CVA by Zoli in 1976 we are you guys thoughts. Good Bad ect

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Surprisingly accurate with prb although I could never get mine to shoot Minnie worth a darn. Gotta fasten the sight leaves

 

[72coupe]

I always wanted one of those but all I wound up with was an 1861 Special Contract Colt's.

 

[mykeal]

I got two, one in good to very good condition, the other in very good to excellent condition. I've only shot the better one. The first time I shot it I destroyed the target frame. I loaded with a .575 round ball, patched with .018 pillow ticking dry lubed with Ballistol/water mixture. I had no idea whether it was sighted in or not, so I aimed for target center at 50 yards. The ball hit the top bar of the target frame dead center, split in two and ripped it off the frame, which then caused the frame sides to collapse. Problem was, the maintenance guy had just repaired the frame and was standing behind me. I don't think he believed me about aiming at target center.

Here's the offending party:


I've never cured the tendency to shoot high; I just use a 6 o'clock hold. It's very accurate with round ball, not as good with a mini. 60 grains ffg is it's favorite charge with either.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

I would like to have one someday, an original that is. If your reproduction is in good shape I would shoot the heck out of it.....

 

[EljaySL]

The Zolis are really nice. You shouldn't have any trouble getting them to shoot well with round ball. With Minies the size is very important. I couldn't hit anything with .575s but .578s are very nice.

 

[PapaG]

On my fourth. First was a Zoli, second was a Zoli for Navy arms, third was a Centennial by Zoli, and now I have a Hy Hunter from the first batch....with add on crosshair sight, taper bore with choke, and the Xed out Remington on the lock. Centennial was my record breaker but I had to put a Numrich barrel on it.
Number one liked minies, two, three didn't, four does but they have to be way oversize and loaded with a false muzzle and starter.

 

[bonza]

I've had a Euroarms of America (I think made by Zoli, as it has 'AZ" on the inside flat of the hammer). I bought it new, direct from EOA in the late 1990s for about $300 if I recall correctly. It is very well made with a nice walnut stock. Bedded with cardboard shims, I used it for competition shooting, including a ten year stint on the USIMLT. Never bothered with RB, always used a Minie & got excellent accuracy of 1-2MOA at 100m consistently. I had a mold that dropped a 610gn Minie that I sized to .579" & loaded over 55gns of GoEx 3Fg & a 3.1cc Lee scoop of CofW. Shot prone with sling at 100m, in practice I was shooting scores in the mid-high 90s on the B-17 target.....unfortunately never quite repeated those scores when it mattered in high level competition, I think nerves got the better of me!!