Accurizing the Service Rifle

[Rachen]

I just took delivery of my Armi Sport Enfield 3 band two days ago!

Now, before this rifle goes onto the firing line, I am going to have to do many things with it first.

First is accurizing. I have chosen Brownell's Glasbed for the task. Does anybody here have any experience with this particular product? It is supposed to not only accurize, but prolong the life of the stock.

Second, a good scope is needed for long range action. Now, this Enfield is not going to be used for skirmishing or reenacting so the history part can be left out. I have a Tasco Varmint 8-32x riflescope with a Weaver mount, and the thought of drilling and tapping a prized firearm makes me cringe, so I did it 8th Route Army style: first, ropes made from canvas strips are tied around mount base and barrel/stock. Then, a canvas strap is placed over it. The canvas strap is hospital-green and when attached to the rifle, makes it look very similar to a Anti-Japanese War partisan's rifle.

Once the bedding is done and set up, I am going to the field, and put the old Minie ball to the ballistics test. Two types of minies will be used. The first one is the original Civil War minie. The second one is the 530 grain Enfield match bullet sold by Dixie. Ranges are from 300 to 800 yards, maybe a bit more.

I hope to be able to write a whole new and exciting article for Blackpowder Annual or Muzzleblasts magazine! Accurizing service muskets to make them perform like their heavy benchrest cousins.

 

[4v50 Gary]

90% of the accuracy begins with the barrel. If your barrel is no good, the work on the stock, lock, trigger pull will have marginal effect. So, shoot the gun first and do some load developement and see what type of groups are attainable.

Glass bedding a stock isn't hard at all. Using gouges (or some special bedding tools from a gunsmith supply store) you remove some wood until there is a gap between where the wood was and the metal. I would think that it includes the tang area and the length of the barrel channel of the stock. Apply the release agent to the metal. Mix your acraglass and pour it in. Press in the metal and allow it to sit.

Scoping the rifle is another issue. I'm sure you're familiar with the Davidson scope mounting system which placed the scope alongside the barrel. This was done to allow the scope to be adjusted for extreme range. Historically at least one Enfield featured a Davidson Scope. Now, getting a Davidson type scope mount would require a custom maker (and $$$). Your proposed Eighth Route Army method allows for shifting of the scope and that will change your point of impact. Consistency is the key to accuracy. You might want to spend some bucks and get a replica period scope and mounting system. You're going to have to have a machinist or gunsmith mount the scope for you but at least it won't look unauthentic.

 

[Rachen]

Howdy 4v50,

The 8th Route Army type of mounting allows me to take off the scope/mount/base assembly in case I am going to use the Enfield for a NSSA skirmish. Right now, I am not planning to use this particular Enfield for skirmishing, I am mostly going to stick to the revolver part. However, I might try a hand at the musket competition sometime in the future.

I am going to fire about 5 loads each of the two different Minies and compare them to each other. One has grease grooves, the other doesn't, it is rounded and smooth sided like a modern in-line sabot slug, just longer. This particular test will be done with scope before any bedding or accurazing work will be done. With the greater power scope, it also allows me to kind of track the Minie's path and see where does it impact the target. Field of view calculations are helpful when it comes to measuring bullet drop and distance factor.

Thanks for your input about the bedding. I didn't know you had to actually remove wood from the stock in order to use the acraglass. Brownell's literature on their site said nothing about the wood part.

BTW, the barrel is button rifled three grooves/three lands. Twist is 1-48 inches. Just at the "equilibrium" point for both conical rifle slug and your ol' patched roundball.

 

[oneshooter]

On my Enfield there was no need to remove wood. The problem was that it was already missing!!!! I used Brownells Accraglass, the color was real close and the kit includes release agent.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[Rachen]

On my Enfield there was no need to remove wood. The problem was that it was already missing!!!! I used Brownells Accraglass, the color was real close and the kit includes release agent.

Already missing? Do you mean that the barrel to stock is a very loose fit?

It sure is on mine.

 

[bonza]

Rachen, There is alot of good information about getting the most from your Enfield in this link:

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/targets/musketry/enfieldmanagement.htm

 

[oneshooter]

The tang is inletted too deep, when the tang screw was tightened the barrel bore down on the lock plate. The breech was inletted too deep and 1/8" too long. The barrel channel has waves in it. Will repair all with Accraglass.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[Dave Markowitz]

One suggestion I have is to shoot it before you do any work. Then you can compare the results before and after any gunsmithing.

 

[Rachen]

Rachen, There is alot of good information about getting the most from your Enfield in this link:

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/targe...management.htm

Wow.......Simply WOW! Thank you SO much Bonza! that is something I had been looking for for so long. I have a whole series of Confederate and Union drill and rifle manuals regarding these muskets, but that site is one hell of a good input from modern shooters' prospective. The ever so elusive marksmanship manuals.

One suggestion I have is to shoot it before you do any work. Then you can compare the results before and after any gunsmithing.

Definitely. I am going to be using two types of balls for the bench testing. One with grease grooves, the other with no grooves, and reported issued to Southern marksmen during the conflict. I heard that the Minies with grooves tend to have problems with the skirts blowing off or something like that, so I am going to use two types of ammo, the grooved one serving as the control.

Oneshooter, which brand Enfield do you have? On mine, the barrel to stock fitting is kind of loose, but the tang is well fitted. Just the tang screw is kind of tight, thats all.

 

[Rachen]

I just read the entire site above. That site is a MUST READ for ANY rifled musket owner! Whether it is a musketoon or a full-size

They even have a nice section regarding bedding stocks, a subject that is only understandable by the most serious marksmen.

 

[Slamfire]

One with grease grooves, the other with no grooves, and reported issued to Southern marksmen during the conflict. I heard that the Minies with grooves tend to have problems with the skirts blowing off or something like that, so I am going to use two types of ammo, the grooved one serving as the control.

I purchased a 58 Caliber Mississippi Rifle Eli Whitney rebuild from James River Armory. It has a Hoyt rifled barrel.

The guy who runs the shop, Mark Hartman, was extremely helpful in providing the right advice such that I got 2 inch groups at 100 yards, first time out, with the rifle.

My barrel is .577. I was told that bullets less than .575 won't give best results. I have been using Rapine molds , 510575 and 510577 old model Minies of 510 grains, of .575 and .577 diameter. Those shoot well. Ray Rapine also makes a 460 "New Model" minie and my mold is 460575. Mr Rapine told me he altered the Civil War molds by thinning the skirts. The bullets shoot expectionally well with 50 grains FFg.

Minie balls are pure lead, you raise the pressures too high, you will blow the skirts on the bullets as they leave the muzzle.

I am curious to know how well anyone could do at 800 yards with a musket. The bullet drop from 100 to 200 yards is around 6 feet, to hit something at 800 yards, I guess a person would have to find an aimpoint in the clouds.

As for no grease grooves, I suspect you will find that you need them. Mr. Rapine told me he used a mix of 50% beeswax and 50% Crisco on his bullets, adding more beeswax as the weather gets hot. This mix worked well in my rifle. Without the lubricant, the barrel will foul quickly.

 

[Rachen]

I am curious to know how well anyone could do at 800 yards with a musket. The bullet drop from 100 to 200 yards is around 6 feet, to hit something at 800 yards, I guess a person would have to find an aimpoint in the clouds.

The old manuals from the War states that the Minies are accurate at 500 yards and still effective at a mile or more. I think it all depends on weight. The Minies have a great weight, from 460 to 530 grains. The weight helps to stabilize it's flight and increase it's energy in terms of foot pounds. The rifling found in these old guns are typically 1-78 inches twist. I am actually surprised that these slow twists would be able to stabilize a Minie out to 500, but the newer Armisports are outfitted with 1-48 inch twist barrels. That difference in the twist would definitely have some impact in the accuracy.

I haven't tried it yet, but according to calculations on paper, the ballistics of the Minie is very similar to the .45-70 Government load used in the Creedmore matches of 1870s to 1890s. The black powder .45-70 loads produce about 1300-1400 feet per second with a 500 grain long conical, thus producing roughly 2000 foot pounds of energy. During these Creedmore matches, Springfield Trapdoors and Remington Rolling Blocks were shot out all the way to 1300 yards or more.

Once I gathered the test results from the shooting with both types of ammo, I might compile them together to write an article for Muzzleblasts or DGW's own Annual comparing the original War Horse of the Plains (the .58 musket) with it's cartridge trapdoor cousin.

 

[Owen]

Rachen, the problem with your mounting method is that it is not rigid. Also, I cringe at the thought of the tube flex that you will impose by strapping the scope down.

 

[Rachen]

Rachen, the problem with your mounting method is that it is not rigid. Also, I cringe at the thought of the tube flex that you will impose by strapping the scope down.

The strap does not involve the scope itself though. The strap is wrapped around the mount in the middle. The left and right parts of the base are uncovered for the mounting of scope rings. Before the strap is applied, thin canvas strips are tied to the base, then strap goes over and gives an added security. Not only tube-flex would be avoided, I can revert to open sights very quickly, just take off scope/rings. Base can stay on, just in case I need to revert back to scope again.

The issue with the rigidity, I solved the problem temporarily by using canvas to wrap around the area on the stock where my hand will be holding it, and that is right in front of the scope mount. This strap partially goes over the scope base as well, and gives the base an added layer. The strap is there also for another reason. When shooting the rifle, or simply sighting in and aiming, the fingers on the barrel can create unsightly blemishes. The strap eliminates that problem since I would be holding the gun with my fingers over the strap, and not directly on the steel.

 

[Artigas]

You need to tie a feather to the barrel, like the Confederate sharpshooter at the beginning of Dacnes With Wolves. This will automatically bring your accuracy down 2 MOA.

 

[Rachen]

You need to tie a feather to the barrel, like the Confederate sharpshooter at the beginning of Dacnes With Wolves. This will automatically bring your accuracy down 2 MOA.

Is that because it allows the shooter to measure wind direction?

I know that many modern varmint hunters using blazing fast rounds such as the .204 Ruger and match shooters using spitzer loads(these bullets pack a lot of velocity but tends to be most affected by wind drift at longer ranges) tie strips of ribbon to their muzzles to help them calculate wind direction and speed, therefore, allowing them to make precise adjustments to their windage reticle.

 

[arcticap]

I'm curious about the shooting range where you'll be able to shoot at the extra long distances past 200 yards or so.
There may be only 1 "shooting range" in the whole state of CT where high power shooters can shoot past 200 yards and reach out to 300. I've heard that there are some 600 yard high power ranges somewhere in New York state, but do you have a place where you could try your hand at shooting your rifle at longer ranges or would you need to use something akin to reduced 600 yard high power targets?
Do you have access to land for shooting farther?

 

[Artigas]

Is that because it allows the shooter to measure wind direction?

I just thought it was a cool decoration, but now that you mention it, that may just be why.

 

[oneshooter]

Rachen
Mine is a Euroarms Sea Service ( 2 band) that I picked up on Auction Arms, for a mear $275 incl. shipping. At that price I can afford to do some work on it! I am also going to lap the barrel. If I can get off of these 10-12hr days at work!
The smooth sided slugs are called "Pritchert Bullets" (sp) and were loaded with a greased paper patch that was part of the cartridge paper.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[Rachen]

I'm curious about the shooting range where you'll be able to shoot at the extra long distances past 200 yards or so.
There may be only 1 "shooting range" in the whole state of CT where high power shooters can shoot past 200 yards and reach out to 300. I've heard that there are some 600 yard high power ranges somewhere in New York state, but do you have a place where you could try your hand at shooting your rifle at longer ranges or would you need to use something akin to reduced 600 yard high power targets?
Do you have access to land for shooting farther?

I am going to have to make a drive really really deep into the countryside where the real shooting ranges exist in Pennsy. I love trips out to real farmland, but now, with all these gas prices, it's ridiculous. I wish the Creedmore area in Long Island was preserved as a shooting range, not some stupid teeny beach party place shuddering with Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake music at night. If Captain John Bodine, Creedmore rifle champion of the 1870s, see this place today, no doubt he will vomit from all that disgust.

Sometimes I really fear for the continuing preservation of this nation's culture because all these young kids these days could care less. Right after I am done with the Black Powder protection legislation campaign, I am going to start a political campaign to REINSTATE CREEDMORE, LONG ISLAND, back to what it was once, and what it is supposed to be. If I am going to have to resort to pay campaign money out of my own pocket, then it is really worth it. If a long range place can be reestablished around here, it will help attract hundreds of thousands, if not millions of long range rifle enthusiasts back to the NY area, and hopefully even change the political atmosphere around here. Enough with the teenybopper music, it's time to bring the Spirit of the 1870s back home here.

Rachen
Mine is a Euroarms Sea Service ( 2 band) that I picked up on Auction Arms, for a mear $275 incl. shipping. At that price I can afford to do some work on it! I am also going to lap the barrel. If I can get off of these 10-12hr days at work!
The smooth sided slugs are called "Pritchert Bullets" (sp) and were loaded with a greased paper patch that was part of the cartridge paper.

Aha! Thats the name of that particular slug, the Pritchert. I heard from other shooters that the hollow bases of these minies were also filled with grease for maximum lube effect. Euroarms are usually priced higher than Armisports, but on a lot of the Civil War skirmishing forums, folks tend to prefer Armis better, but 275 for a 2 band is one heck of a good deal!

I just thought it was a cool decoration, but now that you mention it, that may just be why.

Yeah, I seen many modern high power guys using brightly colored ribbons tied to the front end of their barrels. Windage can be a really really tricky issue for high velocity spitzers, especially the lightweight ones.