Bore Size for Armisport 1842 Springfield?

[Gary Van Kauwenbergh, 101]

I have a new shooter coming to our next skirmish. He's a re-enactor who owns a Armisport 1842 Springfield smooth-bore, but has never live fired it.

I'd like to bring some round balls and loads to the range so he can shoot his gun when we meet. Can anyone tell me what the bore sizes on the 1842 Armisports usually run?

I'm going to load 60 grs FFFg GOEX unless someone recommends something different.

Thanks in advance.

[Francis J. Miller Jr, 02601]

Gary,

I'm not a smoothbore shooter (yet), but I'm pretty sure it is 69 Cal. Hopefully guys that shoot smoothies will jump in here to verify that.

[pastore]

I shoot a .678 ball with 45 grs of FFF.

[S.Sullivan]

I have used a Lyman round ball at .678 as well, and 48 grains of Goex 2F, and have a silver team medal from the Nationals (which only proves someone from PA who was a pick-up for us was really hot that day)
S.Sullivan
formerly w/46th Illinois

[Minieball577]

Gary, I use a ball that is .682 in an Armi Sport bore that is .686.

If that works, I can mail you some or bring some to Bristol. :)

[Rick R]

Gary,

If you can get your new guy to slug the bore and send me the ball I'll measure it. I have an extreemly precise micrometer that measures to the millionths.

Rick

[Walt Magee]

I shoot a 678 Lyman ball with 70 grains of fff and have a Gold Medal at 50 yards to show for it. It's all your experimenting that tells you what works.

[Gary B]

Gary,
In my limited experience, most Armisport 42's have a bore dia. of
.693 +/-

Gary B.

[Walt Magee]

Mine is 690 but I bought it when they were selling for $475 that was 8 or 9 years ago. Everyone I know who has bought one recently has a bore of 692 or greater.

[paulmarcone]

Just curious -- when shooting the .69 caliber smoothbore, do you use a patch with the ball?

[Edwin Flint, 8427]

Patches are illegal per N-SSA rules. However, tinfoil wrapping is legal.

[R. McAuley 3014V]

Paul,
You should be able to find several threads here on this BB addressing this issue, but if you will take a 2 inch by 2 inch piece of aluminum foil, and wrap your round musket balls in much the same manner as a Hershey's kiss is wrapped, leaving a twist tail so you'll have something to hold on-to when you dip the wrapped ball in your favorite musket lube. If you use one of the melted beeswax recipes, you can dip the ball multiple times to build up layers of lube. However, most shooters only dip the ball three times. It is this built-up coating that helps to form the gas-seal. In fact, I've had some rounds when loading, the gas seal was so good that they built up a head of pressure and pushed the ball back up when I went to ram the ball the second time. This can be a little frustrating when you're in rush like during a skirmish when every second counts.

Richard McAuley, 3014V
37th GA

[Terry Davis 10639]

Mine is 690 but I bought it when they were selling for $475 that was 8 or 9 years ago. Everyone I know who has bought one recently has a bore of 692 or greater.

Bought mine last year at Spring Nationals. Armisport. Barrel seems tightest in the last 3 inches near the muzzle. Measures .691-692 ish.