How many grains are most using in their .58?

[Unionboy Mike]

I am shooting a 1861 Springfield w/Hoyt barrel and my girlfriend is using a early model Zoli Zouave. How many grains would you recommend us using in each? I have been playing around with 40 - 42 grains of fffg goex. Any help would be greatly appreciated to us both. :D

[george7542]

40 grain fff geox 510 lyman minie out both my 74 zoli zouave and hoyt relined 61

[Twrea]

I shoot 39gr 3f goex with a 407 gr Hodgdon out of my Zoli. Seems to work pretty good

[Harry Gaul]

I use 36 grains of 3F Goex by volume but if you place the charge on a scale, it is 40 grains of mass (weight?) in my Hoyt and Withacre barrels.

Good luck and have fun. Fun is a good score with the least recoil.

True Blue and Diamond Hard,
Harry Gaul
3rd US
03626v

[Maillemaker]

46 grains 3F Goex with RCBS Hodgdon in Whitacre P53 barrel.
50 grains 3F Goex with Moose Wilkinson in Whitacre P53 barrel.
44 grains 3F Goex with RCBS Hodgdon in Hoyt Richmond Carbine barrel.
60 grains 2F Goex with RCBS-500M in Pedersoli P58 barrel.

Steve

[Mike McDaniel]

45 grains of Goex 3F by volume. This 40-50 grain range seems to work pretty well across the board for rifle-muskets.

[Eggman]

I've shot 35 grains fffg behind a Lyman .575 old style mini in a Euroarms three band Enfield since like 1990. Very accurate combo in a low cost musket. Have always been able to call every shot. The Escort won the musket in Class 2 last year this gun included.
A couple thoughts - heavy charges have the down side of rattling your brain often leading to jerked triggers and a propensity to flinch. Occasionally they will even blow out a mini skirt. I apologize to everyone out there blowing skirts.

[Muley Gil]

I use 45 grains of Goex FFFg with all my bullets-Rapine, Lee, Lyman.

[Lou Lou Lou]

Bench the gun, try different loads. Try for a one hole group at 50 yards

[Rob FreemanWBR]

45 gr of 3f Goex pushing a hodgon round made of pure lead, with fresh lube...

Results may vary.

[Kevin Tinny]

Hello:
Agree w all of the above based on my two.

But, am using between 43 and 47 of SWISS 3F.
Must test one-half grain ABOVE and BELOW to fine tune grains.
A half-grain can make a visible difference.
Q-Tip coat insides of plastic tubes with any talc powder to reduce static cling.
Try to achieve light to moderate bullet pressure on powder.
Banging rod on bullet changes lots of things and can raise impact an inch or more at 50.

One thing, when benching: "benching" infers front AND rear bags.

Be sure the bench AND FRONT REST, IF ANY, have NO movement.
KEEP CHEEK AND BODY PRESSURES ON RIFLE LIGHT AND CONSISTENT.
Wind can deflect up to an inch or a bit more at 50, so shoot same flags.

Please report results.

Respectfully,
Kevin Tinny