Richmond Rifle -VS- Enfield?

[Dispatch]

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[Scott Lynch 1460V]

Depends on how you shoot, American style across the body or straight on like the Brits. also how close to your eye do you want the rear sight. both can be made to shoot very well. I used to shoot Springfields, but as my eyes have gotten older I need the rear sight further away from my eye, especially since I don't like peep sights. My two cents. Scott


Comparing the two models overall, which is the better rifle the Richmond rifle or the Enfield musket and why? http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss51/irishrifles2/icon_shrug.gif (http://s561.photobucket.com/user/irishrifles2/media/icon_shrug.gif.html)

[Fred Jr]

As Scott said as you age and your eyes start to fail you it is important to get the back sight farther away from your eye. A 2band enfield does that. Also I like the Enfield due to the pull being a little longer than the S'fields. That fits me better. Both can be made to shoot tens and break pigs!


Fred 1097
12 TH PA

[Muley Gil]

I personally like the Enfield. Others can't stand 'em. If you can, shoot both and see which one you like best. Over the years, I have found that I can miss equally well with either one. :(

[Maillemaker]

I've got a Richmond Carbine and a 2 and 3-band Enfield.

The only real difference I have seen is that the straight-in fire channel in the Enfield bolster makes it less prone to misfires, especially when using the lower-quality CCI caps. My Richmond does not fire consistently using CCI caps and I have to use Dynamite Nobel caps for it to function reliably. I assume this is because of the 90-degree fire channel in the Richmond.

Steve

[Scott Lynch 1460V]

If you are talking about repro guns, accuracy depends on the quality of the gun, correct bullet size, correct powder charge, bullet lube and trigger pull. Ultimately, it also depends on what kind of a marksman you are, eyesight, muscle memory, trigger control, breathing control. Almost any musket can be made to shoot, better than the shooter with careful preparation. Why don't you find someone who has both and try them out. Scott

How about with accuracy between the two?

[Lou Lou Lou]

Where are you located?

[Maillemaker]

Yeah, I'd have to go with what Scott said.

Most guns can probably be made to shoot as accurate as another once you find the right load workup for that gun.

My Enfield with Whitacre barrel is quite accurate as is my Richmond Carbine with Hoyt barrel. They both use a .586 RCBS-Hodgdon bullet. The Richmond likes 44 grains 2F and the Enfield likes 46-48.

I'm looking at a target stuck to my office wall right now with my Richmond using 44 grains 3F Shuetzen (hate the powder by the way, very dirty stuff) from 50 yards off a bench and it has 9 out of 10 shots touching making a single ragged hole about 2" in diameter.

But then when my Enfield had it's original Euroarms barrel in it I never could get it to shoot well. And I still haven't developed a good consistent load for my Pedersoli P58 Enfield.

I suspect that a new in box Armisport Springfield will shoot as well as a new in box Armisport Enfield. How these compare with custom barrels like Hoyt and Whitacre I can't say, other than my Whitacre Enfield shoots way way better now than it did with its original Euroarms barrel.

Maybe a better question is how many people are taking medals with stock Armisport barrels?

Steve

[Muley Gil]

All things being equal, it is the fit of the stock to the shooter that makes the big difference. The Enfield has a straighter stock; the Richmond (Springfield) has more drop. That's why I said that some folks like Enfields and others hate them.

[Maillemaker]

Where are you located?

The Enfield, while used on both sides, was heavily issued on the Confederate side and has somewhat of a reputation of being a "Confederate" gun. If you are surrounded by Confederates that might be why. Or your friends just might prefer the feel of the Enfield over the Springfield.

I've heard that some teams "force" people into using 2-band rifles over 3-band rifles for the improved loading times, but other than that people pretty much shoot what they like.

Around these parts we have enough trouble getting folks who can shoot what they have without trying to impose rules on what they have to shoot. :)

Steve

[Muley Gil]

There were many, many more Enfields used by the Confederacy as opposed to the Richmonds due to the fact that more Enfields were imported than there were Richmonds built.

As to carbines and two band rifles being banned in re-enactments, it is thought that it is safer when shooting in ranks where everyone has weapons with longer barrel.

Please remember that the N-SSA is a live shooting organization. Some of us do both skirmishing and reenact; however, the majority of N-SSA members are only concerned with live firing our WBTS guns.

"With Confederates the variety was so wide spread on just about everything."

During the War, commanders tried to keep weapons uniform within companies, due to supply issues. Companies A and B may be armed with smoothbore .69 muskets, while flanking companies could be armed with .54 Mississippi rifles. And so on.

[Muley Gil]

Hopefully this link works. It shows what types of varied arms could be found in a Confederate cavalry outfit. Note that in late 1863, shotguns could still be found:

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?40134-Inspection-Report-of-Shelby-s-Missouri-Cavalry-Brigade-Oct-1863&p=242182#post242182

[Rich Foster]

Gil, Thanks for that link. It showed that 20 Mississippi Rifles were issued. They probably issued those to the crack shot shooting big boys and gave muskets to the rest. Rich