Parker Hale 1858 Enfield

[michael noble]

My son has a Parker Hale 185 Enfield, at .581 caliber. I understand at the 2 ban enfields like the heavier bullets, as we have had no luck it hodgdons ad smaller burtons.
My question is, who sells the Parker Hale or RCSB molds that are cal'ed at .580

[Muley Gil]

Can't help you with the moulds, but my English made P-H 1858 shoots pretty good with 500 grain Minies and with the light weight Raphine semi-wadcutter. I can't remember the weight right now.

[Maillemaker]

I have a Pedersoli P58, and agree, with it's fast twist it does not like the Hodgdon nor the Moose Wilkinson. Keyholes with both.

I have had very good success with it using the RCBS-500M, which drops large enough that I can size it to .578, which is the largest my gun will accept. 60 grains 2F Goex. 56 grains 3F did best for 3F Goex.

But 2F did better than 3F in my limited tests.

https://www.n-ssa.net/vbforum/showthread.php/19796-Load-workups-with-the-Pedersoli-P58

Steve

[Carolina Reb]

That?s interesting. Due to aging eyes, I have switched from an M-1861 to a P-58 Army Rifle (Bar-on-Band) with 1 in 48 five groove progressive depth rifling. It shoots the Hodgden very well with 39 gr, of Swiss FFF. It also does a good job with the Lyman Old Style, but likes more powder with the heavy bullet.

[Michael Bodner]

Tony,

With only 39gr behind that Hodgdon, do you ever get keyholes? My experience with the Hodgdon is because of the thick skirt, to get 100% reliability, you need closer to 46-49 grains. True, it will shoot very well in the 42 grain area, but every now and then it throws a flyer because of lack of skirt expansion...

-Boots

[ms3635v]

When I began skirmishing, I used a two band Parker Hale Enfield rifle. I used an old style Lyman Minie (460213 OS) and it shot very well for me with 45 grains of 3F.

[Lou Lou Lou]

You could always get the replacement base plug from Northeast Traders to see if the thinner skirt helps.

[Carolina Reb]

The Hodgdens are expanding well with 39 grains. Haven't had any keyholes. I have dug several slugs out of the backstop and they show no gas cutting. Chrono says 990 fps, so they are getting a solid launch. Heavier loads definitely open up the groups.

[michael noble]

I found and ordered a RCBS 58-500 mould. This gun hasn't key holed, but my Armi San Paolo 1858 Enfield has started key hole'ing every first shot.

[Lou Lou Lou]

Try sizing a half thousandths larger. That might solve the first shot problem

[michael noble]

Copy that Lou. Will do.