Euroarms P1853 Enfield

[Sim Carstairs]

Three years ago, I acquired a used Euroarms P1853 Enfield rifled musket in pristine condition for $200 from a fellow who had a very short lived hobby as a Civil War reenactor. The musket also came with the bayonet & scabbard, plus cartridge box. He said only about four dozen blanks were fired from it, the musket was carefully cleaned, and it was stored in its original shipping box for a number of years.

I recently started experimenting with this musket and it’s the second time I fired it. I casted a quantity of .577 Minnies from a single cavity mould and ran each one through a .574 resizing die. With three round groups fired at fifty yards using charges from 50 to 70 of 3f, 60 has performed the best so far despite the shooting conditions being highly overcast and misting rain. I believe further experimentation using between 55 and 60 may even produce better results. I applied my homemade lube lightly to the grooves of each Minnie before loading and swabbed after firing three rounds.

I’m looking forward to firing this at targets ranging out to 400 yards. An incredibly well built and accurate weapon that I wouldn’t hesitate deer hunting with.

 

[JPIMBO]

Great purchase, good shoot in’.

 

[AlexanderA]

I had a Euroarms Enfield when I first got started in Civil War reenacting, back in the 1980's. Good rifle. I ended up selling it to a fellow reenactor when I upgraded my impression to a Springfield. The fool stored it in a shed behind his house (in the District of Columbia), from whence it was stolen.

The Euroarms Enfield is known for using the streamlined Baddeley bands, which are not correct for U.S. Civil War usage. I went to a lot of trouble replacing my bands with original Palmer-type bands. Unfortunately they got stolen along with the rifle.

https://www.authentic-campaigner.co...VIL-WAR-ENFIELD-BARREL-BANDS-By-Craig-L-Barry

 

[Sim Carstairs]

I had a Euroarms Enfield when I first got started in Civil War reenacting, back in the 1980's. Good rifle. I ended up selling it to a fellow reenactor when I upgraded my impression to a Springfield. The fool stored it in a shed behind his house (in the District of Columbia), from whence it was stolen.

The Euroarms Enfield is known for using the streamlined Baddeley bands, which are not correct for U.S. Civil War usage. I went to a lot of trouble replacing my bands with original Palmer-type bands. Unfortunately they got stolen along with the rifle.

https://www.authentic-campaigner.co...VIL-WAR-ENFIELD-BARREL-BANDS-By-Craig-L-Barry

That was a very informative article.

 

[SlowFuse]

Sounds like a great deal @Sim Carstairs

When you get into really developing a load use a pin gauge to check the bore size, then size 1 to 2 thousandths under your measurements. Dead soft, pure lead. You may have already done this...

If you're just punching paper out to 100 or so you may even try going a bit lower on the charge. In my experience from 40 to 50 grains of 3F (usually plain GoEx or O.E.) can be surprisingly accurate in 58 cal muskets. Low recoil, a pleasure to shoot. I rotate through 5 minie molds in this caliber, given that and experimenting with lube mixes, sizing and powder charges the possibilities/combinations seem endless!

 

[Sim Carstairs]

Sounds like a great deal @Sim Carstairs

When you get into really developing a load use a pin gauge to check the bore size, then size 1 to 2 thousandths under your measurements. Dead soft, pure lead. You may have already done this...

If you're just punching paper out to 100 or so you may even try going a bit lower on the charge. In my experience from 40 to 50 grains of 3F (usually plain GoEx or O.E.) can be surprisingly accurate in 58 cal muskets. Low recoil, a pleasure to shoot. I rotate through 5 minie molds in this caliber, given that and experimenting with lube mixes, sizing and powder charges the possibilities/combinations seem endless!

I’m pretty confident I’ve established the bore size with a .574 resizing die. I use Goex black powder in 3f. Groups at 50 grains were not very good. 60 grains was pretty good, but I believe the best groups will be achieved with very precise charges between 55 to 59 grains. I love experimenting with these weapons and unlocking their potential and other molds are probably going to be tried by summer.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

That was quite the price. Nice. I love them rifles. I shoot the 1861 Springfield, and I chose it mostly because I think the hammer is the coolest thing I've ever seen on a rifle. But for sure, it was a tough choice between it and the P53. These rifles do require a lot of experimentation, and that's just another thing I love about them. My rifle's bore is spot on at .580", and is showing great promise lately with a plug in the hollow base of the bullet much like some of the early British minnie's. It was a new-in-the-box Armi-Sport, $400.00, but forget anything bad you've ever heard about them, this rifle is perfect in every respect. I'm sure many things about it are not "correct", but I have no interest in that. It too prefers 3f powder, and a minimum of lube. Good results with dipping them in pure bee's wax. I have hunted with it, but never a chance to shoot anything. I normally hunt with a flintlock, but always bring it with me in case of a super rainy day, where I might feel too lazy to keep my pan dry. However, I usually stay in the camper when it rains hard.!!!! Okay, have fun with it.

 

[AlexanderA]

It was a new-in-the-box Armi-Sport, $400.00, but forget anything bad you've ever heard about them, this rifle is perfect in every respect.

Armi Sport (Chiappa) is a mixed bag as regards authenticity. I have one of their M1842 muskets, and placed next to an original, it's a dead ringer. On the other hand, their version of the M1861 Springfield is one of the worst reproductions of that gun -- the barrel is much too heavy, etc. (Actually, the most authentic repro of the M1861 is the long-discontinued Japanese Miroku, with the Euroarms/Pedersoli -- they're the same gun -- coming in second.)

 

[Ugly Sauce]

That is true, the barrel, and the rifle is heavy, and heavier than an original 1861, 1863 or 1855 Springfield rifle. I've handled an original 1863 and was surprised at how light it was. But what I'm talking about, (!!!!!) is the fit, finish and quality of the one I have. The wood on it is to die for, all the metal work is perfect, fit and finish, perfect, the lock is absolutely a precision instrument, etc. Bore and rifling...work of art. ! Perhaps all the negative things I've ever heard was based on it's authenticity and not quality. I have two Miroku 1863 Remington Contract rifles, not bad rifles, (and within six or seven digits of each other in serial number)(and both 3-didgit numbers) but the bores and rifling on both are awful. Actually the rifling not so bad, but the boring reamer must have been stopped and started multiple times, every couple of inches or so, making for a "lumpy" bore. Getting those to shoot decently is frustrating, and I'll take accuracy over authenticity any time. I'd love to have both rifles bored out and rifled to .60" or .61-62", round ball rifling, but I'm not sure if the people/smyths who do that would work on an old Miroku barrel. The cost of the work would certainly exceed the value of the rifle.

By the way Sim, if you search you-tube, there's some good video of a guy shooting an 1861 at very long ranges, well over 400 yards. (seems like in the video I watched, he was shooting and hitting at 600 yards) Amazing how far, and well these rifles will shoot, especially with loads and bullets carefully put together for that purpose.

 

[Sim Carstairs]

That is true, the barrel, and the rifle is heavy, and heavier than an original 1861, 1863 or 1855 Springfield rifle. I've handled an original 1863 and was surprised at how light it was. But what I'm talking about, (!!!!!) is the fit, finish and quality of the one I have. The wood on it is to die for, all the metal work is perfect, fit and finish, perfect, the lock is absolutely a precision instrument, etc. Bore and rifling...work of art. ! Perhaps all the negative things I've ever heard was based on it's authenticity and not quality. I have two Miroku 1863 Remington Contract rifles, not bad rifles, (and within six or seven digits of each other in serial number)(and both 3-didgit numbers) but the bores and rifling on both are awful. Actually the rifling not so bad, but the boring reamer must have been stopped and started multiple times, every couple of inches or so, making for a "lumpy" bore. Getting those to shoot decently is frustrating, and I'll take accuracy over authenticity any time. I'd love to have both rifles bored out and rifled to .60" or .61-62", round ball rifling, but I'm not sure if the people/smyths who do that would work on an old Miroku barrel. The cost of the work would certainly exceed the value of the rifle.

By the way Sim, if you search you-tube, there's some good video of a guy shooting an 1861 at very long ranges, well over 400 yards. (seems like in the video I watched, he was shooting and hitting at 600 yards) Amazing how far, and well these rifles will shoot, especially with loads and bullets carefully put together for that purpose.

It’s funny you mentioned those videos. I’ve watched them all, including for the Springfield and Whitworth. I almost ordered a Whitworth from Dixie several days ago with all the accessories. The price would have been +$2500 without the brass scope and mounts. I believe my Enfield is going to be very accurate at long ranges. I think it’s capable of very long range shots by using the clay plug inserted into the base of the Minnie in conjunction with paper patching precisely matched to British specs. Some highly technical data has been published on this stating the most minor deviation reduces extreme accuracy at long ranges to almost nothing. This will keep me busy through the summer for sure.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I hear ya. ! I just started playing with plugs, using bondo. It's interesting. I have a mold for a 500-510 grain minnie that comes out of the mold at .575", and drops right down my clean barrel. With the plug, and dipping the slug in bee's wax, it rams down the clean barrel normally, the wax taking up the windage, and shows great promise. Shooting those slugs bare, with no plug and with just lube, they go all over the place. Talk about minor variations, I've found already that one type of bondo (with fiberglass) shoots better than regular bondo. Of course an actual clay plug would be better, but I think I'll get great hunting accuracy with bondo. Or not. A major stumbling block for me is working around a heavier hunting charge of powder, and getting that first shot bulls-eye from a cold clean barrel. Obviously I need a slightly larger bullet. Who would guess? I think the Enfield will be more fun, or at least just as much fun as a Whitworth. Save your money for all the different bullet molds you'll be buying.

 

[Sim Carstairs]

I hear ya. ! I just started playing with plugs, using bondo. It's interesting. I have a mold for a 500-510 grain minnie that comes out of the mold at .575", and drops right down my clean barrel. With the plug, and dipping the slug in bee's wax, it rams down the clean barrel normally, the wax taking up the windage, and shows great promise. Shooting those slugs bare, with no plug and with just lube, they go all over the place. Talk about minor variations, I've found already that one type of bondo (with fiberglass) shoots better than regular bondo. Of course an actual clay plug would be better, but I think I'll get great hunting accuracy with bondo. Or not. A major stumbling block for me is working around a heavier hunting charge of powder, and getting that first shot bulls-eye from a cold clean barrel. Obviously I need a slightly larger bullet. Who would guess? I think the Enfield will be more fun, or at least just as much fun as a Whitworth. Save your money for all the different bullet molds you'll be buying.

Read this. He tried the Bondo. Very extensive research boiled down into one short how-to article.
https://www.papercartridges.com/shooting-the-p1853-enfield-rifle.html