1862 CS Musket

[bama]

I am thinking about purchasing one of these and being new to muskets I thought that I would inquire here before purchasing.

I will be using this musket for target work out to 100 yards shooting patched round ball. All comments appreciated.:p

[Lou Lou Lou]

I am not an expert on the subject, but rifled muskets were designed to shoot Minie type projectiles. The rifling is shallow. Some folks in the N-SSA can shoot 2 inch groups off hand at 50 yards. The groups at 100 yards are slightly bigger. I am sure someone more knowledgeable will jump in.

[Maillemaker]

Hi Bama,

Do you live in Alabama? I live in Huntsville. You could come shoot N-SSA skirmishes near Birmingham!

I assume by "1862 CS Musket" you are referring to a Richmond rifle or carbine, which are basically clones of Springfields manufactured by the Confederacy using tooling stolen from the Union during the raid on the Harper's Ferry arsenal.

Reproduction Armisport Richmond Rifles and Carbines, per the Chiappa web site, have a twist rate of 1:65. This is said to be on the upper limit of twist rate for round ball, but others say that with careful load development you may find an accurate combination for patched round ball in even faster twist rates. I personally have never tried to shoot PRB out of my muskets or carbines.

Issued ammunition for rifled arms during the Civil War were either Expanding Ball ammunition (Minie balls) or Enfield-style cartridges.

Expanding ball ammunition are grooved, lubricated, hollow-base bullets that were extracted from their paper cartridges and pushed, naked, down the barrel on top of the powder charge. Enfield-style cartridges were smooth-sided and under-sized, designed to be pushed down the barrel while still inside their lube-dipped cartridge case, being essentially a paper-patched bullet. The Union used Expanding Ball cartridges almost exclusively, while the Confederacy used them and Enfield-style cartridges, with the Enfield-style becoming more prominent as the war progressed until being officially adopted as the exclusive ammunition in 1864.

Expanding ball ammunition (bullet is removed from cartridge and loaded with no paper):
http://www.illinoiscivilwar150.org/images/chronos_images/cartridge_balls.png

Enfield-style cartridge (bullet is loaded while still encased in lube-soaked paper end of cartridge:
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/8751/csrefurb.jpg

Steve

[Maillemaker]

Here you can see cartridges I made using the instructions from the 1855 and 1862 Ordnance manuals:

http://imgur.com/a/H5PHo#7

Steve

[bama]

Thanks guys I appreciate your responses. I used to have a 3 band Enfield, I don't remember the maker of the model and it shot very well with round ball out to 100 yards. I tried shooting the hollow based Minnie's out of it and I could never get it to group as well as the round ball. I shoot the NMLRA matches and I am looking for a replacement for my Enfield because it was taken in a robbery sorry to say. I can shoot minnie balls in the NMLRA matches and if I can get it to group that would not be a problem. I have a Lee minnie ball mould in 58 cal that I could use to shoot in this musket.

My guess my basic question is, is this a good quality firearm and has anybody shot one for accuracy?

[Muley Gil]

"...which are basically clones of Springfields manufactured by the Confederacy using tooling stolen from the Union during the raid on the Harper's Ferry arsenal."

I believe this action should be deemed the RECOVERY of machinery found within Virginia and the Confederacy. :D

[Bruce Cobb 1723V]

My experience has been stay away from barrels with progressive twists. Do go with barrels with progressive rifling depth.

[Maillemaker]

Thanks guys I appreciate your responses. I used to have a 3 band Enfield, I don't remember the maker of the model and it shot very well with round ball out to 100 yards. I tried shooting the hollow based Minnie's out of it and I could never get it to group as well as the round ball. I shoot the NMLRA matches and I am looking for a replacement for my Enfield because it was taken in a robbery sorry to say. I can shoot minnie balls in the NMLRA matches and if I can get it to group that would not be a problem. I have a Lee minnie ball mould in 58 cal that I could use to shoot in this musket.

My guess my basic question is, is this a good quality firearm and has anybody shot one for accuracy?

Most of the Deep South Region skirmishes are held at Briarfield Iron Works State Park just south of Birmingham. You should stop by next year and watch if nothing else. Our team, the 4th Louisiana, has members from Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia. Bob Kelly, the commander, lives in Birmingham. A couple of us are in Huntsville. If you ever want to go to a skirmish, let me know!

I shoot a Richmond Carbine and it is more accurate than I am most of the time. But it has a custom Hoyt barrel.

I can't speak for the Armisport repros stock.

I had a Euroarms P53 Enfield and I never could get it to shoot well. It had a .584 barrel which is quite oversized. I replaced the barrel with a Whitacre and it is now quite accurate.

Steve

[glenhunter]

I have an Enfield (P53) 3 bander by Pedersoli and she shoots quite well.



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