Coaxing accuracy from Pedersoli .58 barrels

[OregonBill]

Just wondering what Minie mold/ patched round ball combinations have given you decent accuracy from any of the Pedersoli guns with their 1:72 three-groove barrels.
I am assuming the barrels will share similar preferences, whether in an 1861, 1863 or 1841 in .58 caliber.

[Lou Lou Lou]

You should concentrate on minie ball 1-2thousandths under bore size. Suggest using real black powder work up loads starting at 35 grains and increase in 5 grain intervals. Use "MCM" lube

[OregonBill]

Thanks Lou. I wouldn't use anything but real black. Will look up that lube. I have at hand SPG, home-made Matthews and rendered bear fat.

[iron brigade]

Just wondering what Minie mold/ patched round ball combinations have given you decent accuracy from any of the Pedersoli guns with their 1:72 three-groove barrels.
I am assuming the barrels will share similar preferences, whether in an 1861, 1863 or 1841 in .58 caliber.

I thought Pedersoli barrels are 5 groove?????

[OregonBill]

Iron: I believe they are -- but only in the P-58 and Enfield musketoon.

[Maillemaker]

I've got a Pedersoli P58 but have not yet found an accurate load for it. It's 5 grove, 1:48 twist.

Steve

[Southron Sr.]

Back in the old days of the British NRA in the early 1860's, the British NRA sponsored rifle matches that were open to members of the British army and "Volunteers" in the militia. One of the rules was that the competitors had to shoot their issue weapon.

Any competitor that showed up with either a P-58 Naval Rifle or a P-60 Army Short Rifle (the Army Rifle had a barrel identical to the Naval Rifle barrel) had to have a letter from his commanding officer that the P-58 or P-60 was indeed their "issue" weapon before they were allowed to compete using a Naval or Army Short Rifle.

However, the British rules also required that any competitor that used a Naval of Army Short Rifle had_10% automatically deducted from their final score because those two rifles were acknowledged to be much more accurate than the standard issue P-53 Long Enfield.

Then in early 1862 the Army of Northern Virginia ran a series of accuracy experiments using representative arms of all the arms issued to that army. The results were that just about all Minie Rifles like Springfields, Richmonds, P-53 Enfields, Austrians were about equally accurate out to 500 yards. The Enfield Naval Rifle and the Army Short Rifle were accurate out to 900/1,000 when using imported British made ammunition.

Hence, the Naval Rifles and Army Short Rifles were the weapons issued to Confederate Sharpshooters when available. However, there were never enough to go around. There is just something "Magic" when it comes to the 5 Land & Groove Barrel with the 1 in 48" Twist.

Here is what I recommend:

1. Polish the inside of your lockplate and the parts that rub together during the lock's firing cycle and drop your trigger pull to between 3 and 4 pounds. BE sure to polish your lockplate with progressively finer grades of Emery Paper wrapped around a FLAT sanding block of metal. Recommend you polish it until the inside is as bright as a mirror. By polishing your parts you are increasing your "Lock Speed," and hence potentially increasing the accuracy of your rifle.

2. Glass Bed the breech area of your barrel and tang. Full length Glass Bedding is even better.Always shoot with a TIGHT Tang Screw.

3. Use a Lyman 575213PH mould:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/609127/lyman-1-cavity-minie-ball-bullet-mold-575213ph-58-caliber-575-diameter-566-grain-parker-hale-style

Many people report good groups in Enfields using this particular bullet.

You will have to cast your bullets out of PURE Lead. Inspect your bullets and any bullets with holes, folds or any other casting flaws should be recycled back into the lead pot.

Then weigh your "Perfect Bullets" on an electronic scale and separate them into "Lots" of Plus or Minus 1 Grain. Recycle your "Light" bullets back into the lead pot because no matter how good they look-they have hidden air bubbles in them.

4. Then run your bullets through a Sizing Die that is exactly 2 THOU of an INCH UNDER BORE DIAMETER.
This is VERY IMPORTANT because the Pedersoli barrels Do Not Have Progressive Depth Rifling.

5. Load up 5 cartridges with 45 Grains, another 5 with 47 Grains, another 5 with 49 Grains up to 65 Grains and shoot them off the bench at a target 100 yards downrange. Somewhere in there you will find a powder charge that delivers very tight groups.

GOOD LUCK!!!

YOU ARE LUCKY TO HAVE A PEDERSOLI NAVAL RIFLE - Now go and have some more fun with it!!!

[Maillemaker]

Use a Lyman 575213PH mould:

I bought this mold to try with my Pedersoli P58, but it drops at .575, and the Pedersoli needs a .578 bullet.

I had some success with the RCBS-500M but except for one string of fire where all 5 shots touched at 50 yards I have not gotten fantastic accuracy out of it and have not been able to repeat that feat. The 5 shots that touched were done with 60 grains of 2F Goex.

Steve

[iron brigade]

Iron: I believe they are -- but only in the P-58 and Enfield musketoon.

bill, I shoot the 575602 minie in my 1864 Bridesburg springfield. 40 grain charge of 3fffg.

[Steve Weems]

bill, I shoot the 575602 minie in my 1864 Bridesburg springfield. 40 grain charge of 3fffg.

Iron Brigade--I've shot the 575602 with 40gr at 50 yds and was very pleased and will now try at 100 yds. How is the 40gr charge
doing for you at 100yds?

[iron brigade]

Steve-
I shoot the 575213 NS 510 grain Minnie at 100 yards. charge is the same. I shot at a gong last year at 250 yards using the 577611 minie. took five shots to hit it. using the 300 leaf it hit about a foot low my spotter said so I just aimed a foot over the target or so and hit it.
I should have upped the charge some.

[Muley Gil]

Try 42.5 grains of Goex FFFg under a Rapine New Style Minie, sized .001 under bore size. That combo shoots very well in my Parker-Hale '58 Enfield Naval rifle.