Zouave 1863 Rifle

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Dellbert

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I happen to get my hands on a Zouave .58 cal rifle last week and have been getting all the things I need to stock up on for it. Now that I have gone over the gun it look like new and I got it at a price that's hard to beat for a gun that is over priced on most web sites anyway. My only question is the rear sight on the rifle has three sights on it the one that just sit there and two that lay behind it, one for 200 yrds, and one for 300 yrds. When you lift them up they just fall down. I read a post that a fella had the same thing on his rifle but no one answed the question. Do any of you guys have a answer to why these sights do like this? I don't think I would want to fire the rifle with one finger holding one of them up. One fella on another site says he replace his with a ajustable sight. I would like to keep mine like it is. Thinks for any help you guys can be on the subject. Dell :)
 
My Zoli does the same thing. They stay in place when I am lining up my shot but either fall down or pop up once the rifle is shot. You could make a small shim out of plastic, or something that would cause a little friction, and place it between the sight leaf anf the base. When you tighten down the screw, through the leafs, it may tighten them up some?
 
I have an Antonio Zoli Zouave with the same problem. In fact when I got it the one leaf sight was scotch taped in the up position.

I found that the gun was darn accurate with 60 grains and PRB's out to 100 yds. I just shoot with the one fixed sight and leave the others down. At 50 yds it is about 5 inches high. I just learned to adjust my aim.
 
mb3 and zimmerstutzen thinks for the reply. I think I will learn to shoot it as is to find out where the gun shoots and find the load that groups the best and try the shim mb3 is talking about once I fine out how the first sight works. Sometimes the powder charge can have a lot to say how high the rifle will shoot. I notice that my .50 cal Hawken would be dead on with 70 grs of powder and every time I would add 10 more grs the rd ball would hit a little higher the Hawken had ajustable sights on it so when I went passed 90 grs to 100 grs the groups would start to open up. I've found that all muzzle loaders work the same way. This shouldn't be to hard to work out. If I can get good groups at 100 yrds for now I'll be happy. Thinks guys for the info. :)
 
I shoot a 515 grain mini ball the old style with 60 grs of Swiss 1.5 does everything I can do, and yes my sight is like the others.
Oh its a Zoli also.
 
I had the same problem with a Zouave I use to own. That's why I now prefer the US M1841 with the fixed sight.
 
I also shoot the colt. simple fix take the scw out that holds the leaf in. Take a pair of channel locks w a rag to keep from maring the sight squeeze the sight a little to create drag on the leaf. I do use a L leaf from S &S firearms. w/ the blank L you can drill a peep or cut a notch where ever you need it.
 
Thinks for all the info. I'll be keeping this rifle like I said I got a once in a life time deal on this gun and the prices I've seen on most all the sites that sale these guns is over kill on price. This gun is in new condition and not a dint or ding on it anywhere. I would like to put a flash cup on it but seems like no one sales them for these rifles. If any of you guys know where to get them let me know. I've been looking and just can't fine them. :)
 
I made a flash guard for mine with a thin piece of aluminum sheet. Sort of an elongeted ellipse about 5/8X1" with a square cutout to lay over the square part of the nipple to protect the wood. I've also used thin rubber but aluminum or brass sheet works best.
 
Bought a Navy Arms Zouave back in 1963, IIRC price was less than a hundred bucks, pretty accurate with a mini ball.
 
Have had a zouave made by Miroku for the last 15 years, sights are friction fit and dont fall over between shots, but the rear barrel band does slip forward every now and then. My flashguard is cut from a softdrink bottle, quick to make lasts over 50 shots.
 
I've had three Zouave replicas, the first a Zoli (about) 1968, the second was from Centennial arms in Chicago which I rebarreled with a Numrich 7 groove NSSA approved barrel. Using 60 grains of FFFg, a 20 Gauge .070 card wad, and a ticking patched .570 round ball, I set a 50 yard record at the Nationals. Stupidly, I sold it to someone who never shot it. I now have one of the first replicas made and imported by Hy Hunter back in the mid sixties....with the Remington markings X-d out, a taper bored barrel and the ability to shoot either minies or RBs quite well. Wish I still had my old eyesight to go with it.
 
You guys have posted some good info here. Thinks fellas I'm sure I will be able to use a lot of the info in these post. I'll get back to you all when I get it out in the back yard and take her for a test drive hopfully sometime this week. I'm dieing to shoot it. Now I have 200 rd ball some patches and 100 hollow base minies to use to get her started. I also had to get a new rang rod to use to clean the gun with. I would like to get a extra nipple for it. I think this one uses a 5/16 x 24. I need to look them up and see if I'm right about this. :)
 
I took a look at my Zouave (circa 1987 vintage, I believe made by Euroarms). The rear sight leaves are attached with a tension pin (roll pin). I know this isn't authentic, but it's effective in keeping the sight leaves from flopping over.
 
I had one years ago, may be why some one put a Lyman peep sight on it,
It was deadly accurate also.
Pop or beer cans every shot at 100 yards all day long with round balls.
 
Lodgewood in Whitewater, Wisconsin sells everything you meed to play with yer new toy. They have replacement rear sites in an L-shape that you can site in at whatever distance you pick. Mine is sighted in for 50 & 100 yards as that what we shoot these in live fire competitions in the North-South Skirmish Assoc. throughout the US.

www.n-ssa.org

Lodgewood 262-473-5444 or www.lodgewood.com

They also carry anything for everything made prior to 1870! From molds to original or repro parts and complete guns.

I shoot the Lyman 575213 new style which is the basic original War of Northern Aggression 3 ring bullet but with a thin skirt. And I put 37 grains of 3F Goex behind it. The gun will put them in the same hole every time if you can hold it.
 
Thinks for the link Raider. I like places to look around and find stuff :D Problem is I haft to wait till next month to buy anything else :banghead:
 
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