Patched round balls in an Armi Sport '53 Enfield?

**54thGeorgia** · 02-06-2017

Sorry if this was posted before, I've searched here and on google but not much turned up. Can I safely shoot patched round ball out of my Armi Sport '53 Enfield? I plan on getting minie balls but was wondering if I can shoot these for the time being.

**Ibgreen** · 02-06-2017

Yes. P.S. that answer is too short to post so I am typing this as well.

**Eggman** · 02-06-2017

The long answer is using these .58 cal muskets used to be common in hunting big game, deer on up.Many states required round ball so they have been commonly used in that mode with success. I'm not sure with the advent of the bastardized inlines with their sabot bullets if the muskets are as common in the field now. So back to IB Green's answer -- yes.

**Curt** · 02-06-2017

Hallo!

Yes. Patched round ball is perfectly fine.

Armi Sport/Chiappa Enfields can have 1:48 twists which is actually better for patched round ball than Minies which like a slower twist.

Of course you mean outside of the N-SSA?

Curt

**jonk** · 02-06-2017

A 1:48 twist is a good all round twist for round balls and minie balls, which is why a lot of the importers choose it. It isn't particularly ideal for either, but can be made to work quite well with both.

I'd say you would want to use the usual formula in determining what to shoot; something like a .570 ball and .010 patch. You want the whole shebang to be a bit tight when it goes down, of course. A good place to start is with the caliber of the ball for the powder charge; namely about 60 gr of FFg, or a bit less of FFFg.

Minie balls are in a world unto themselves. As a conical, you'd expect that they would like a very fast rate of twist. In practice, usually not. I think the faster spin messes up the skirts, coupled with the different balistics from a solid base bullet in general- namely so much weight forward, so little in the back, kind of the opposite of a modern cartridge gun or conical ML bullet. That's why you see a fair number of guys shooting 1:50 on up to 1:72 twists for minie balls.

**54thGeorgia** · 02-07-2017

I'll mainly just be using it for hunting for right now, I have a .58 flintlock that loves the .570 ball with .010 patch over 70 grains of ffg. I personally hate inlines and I like cartridge guns I much rather hunt with a more traditional muzzleloader with patched round ball

**gemmer** · 02-07-2017

I don't claim to be an expert, but I think the shorter barreled two band as well as the musketoon need
a faster twist to provide enough spin to keep the minie stable at longer ranges. I have an original
'42 that was cut down to 26". I decided to turn it into a sighted Macon style deer rifle and sent the barrel to Bobby Hoyt for a reline and rifling. I had him do it with three grooves and 1/72 twist to keep it sort of authentic.
I use the Rapine semi wadcutter and 70 gr of 2F Goex. At 50 yards it shoots one big hole off the bench.
At 100 yards it's all over the paper, because I believe, it's run out of gas or in this case spin. It's a good thing I don't shoot much over 50. Years later I built a Richmond carbine from an original '61 that needed a reline. Bobby suggested a 1/48 twist and it shot very well at 100 with a standard length minie.