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Thread: Pedersoli Enfield 1853 quality

  1. #1
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    Pedersoli Enfield 1853 quality

    A few years ago I was really disappointed in Pedersoli?s quality on their 1853 Enfields. Does anyone have a view as to how they are doing now?

  2. #2
    Southron Sr. is offline
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    Pedersoli probably makes the "best barrels in the business." Their replica Gibbs Rifles often win the 1,000 yard muzzleloader matches up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. They make their barrels by the "carbide button" method. This is fine, but they cannot make a barrel with "Progressive Depth Rifling" like the originals. You have to use the "cut rifling" method to get the best PDR barrels.

    The most accurate rifles of the era were the British P-58 Naval Rifle and the P-60 Army Rifles.

    The Army of Northern Virginia did extensive testing of all the rifles and rifle-muskets in use by the ANV in 1862 and found that the P-58 and P-60 (when used with British made paper patched ammo) rifles were accurate out to 800-900 yards while you average rifle musket was accurate out to 500 or 600 yards.

    Hence, the P-58's and P-60's (when available,) where the weapon issued to Confederate Sharpshooters.

    Both rifles used the same "heavy" barrel. This barrel had 5 lands and grooves and the "magic" 1 in 48" twist.

    Now, the Parker-Hale P-58 replica Enfields have 5 land and groove, PDR with the 1 in 48" twist.

    However, Armisport and Euroarms Naval Rifles did not follow the P-H example and have less accurate twist rates. Pedersoli, on the other hand, copied the 5 land and groove, 1 in 48" Twist and consequently their replica Naval Rifles should be more accurate.

  3. #3
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    I had a Pedersoli P53; I traded it for a Pedersoli Sharps. It was a good quality gun in terms of fit, finish, and quality of parts. It shot well enough, but I never got it to shoot as well as my Euroarms with Whitacre progressive-depth rifled barrel. I have a 500 series serial number Pedersoli P58 and the quality is poor. There were brass chips under the barrel channel, and the tang screw hole had been double-drilled/tapped into the trigger guard. Also at that early stage of production they were using up Euroarms parts, including the cast rear sight. Now they have machined rear sights.

    Also, there was a short run of P53s where Pedersoli started putting a "clean out screw" in the bolster. My guess is they were trying to standardize production of the barrels with their Whitworth barrels or something. After much protest they stopped doing that (it is not period correct for the P53).

    So, if you are going to buy a Pedersoli P53, I'd make sure it was later (newer) production, and I would make sure it does not have the incorrect cleanout screw in the bolster.

    Steve

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    The Pedersoli P53 was made with reenactors in mind. It is the most authentic Civil War musket out of the box and really requires no "de-farbing" other than the modern barrel markings. The new Lorenz was built with live shooters in mind and is the best out of the box shooter I've ever bought.
    Mark Hubbs,

    Eras Gone Bullet Molds www.erasgonebullets.com

    Visit my history/archaeology blog at: www.erasgone.blogspot.com

  5. #5
    hobbler is offline
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    I have the Armisport version of the P53.
    Three grooves and 48" twist. Go figure.

  6. #6
    Southron Sr. is offline
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    How to Buy A Gun.....

    Back around 1971 I asked a friend of mine (a Skirmisher then) to help me pick out a M-1 Carbine to buy. He had been a unit armorer in the military in Viet Nam, and I figured his expertise would come in handy.

    A K-Mart store in Savannah had a sale going on for M-1 Carbines. We went back to the "Gun Section" of the store and sure enough, there were a dozen M-1 Carbines on the rack behind a counter. I had to walk back up front to ask one of the cashiers to send someone back to the gun section to wait on us. Then I went back to the gun section and waited for the clerk.

    After about 5 minutes a clerk showed up. He was a fresh faced kid that couldn't have been over 20. It was soon apparent that the kid knew absolutely nothing about guns because when I asked to see an M-1 Carbine, he was clueless to which long gun on the rack I wanted to see.

    So, I pointed out the section of the rack with the M-1 Carbines in it. The clerk handed me one M-1 Carbine (he was even uncomfortable even handling the gun) when my friend intervened and demanded to see all the other carbines on the rack.

    The clerk complied with my friends request and ALL the M-1 Carbines in the store were soon laid out on the counter.

    My friend told me to stand back and in an instant he had all dozen of those carbines broke down. The next thing I knew, he had all the parts grouped together in different piles on the counter. In one group were the barreled actions, another group was the bolts, trigger housing groups, etc.

    Then my friend carefully selected the best part from each group of parts. All of this took about 30 minutes. Then he assembled a carbine out of the pile of the "best" parts he had selected.

    So, I took that carbine he had assembled for me and we went up front and paid for it.....leaving piles of M-1 Carbine parts on that gun counter with a very perplexed clerk staring at them.

    Now, that is how to buy a gun!!!

  7. #7
    John Holland is offline Moderator
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    There's a name for people who do such things....and it isn't you're a "Nice Guy"....

  8. #8
    Yakiman is offline
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    Quote Originally Posted by Southron Sr. View Post
    How to Buy A Gun.....

    Back around 1971 I asked a friend of mine (a Skirmisher then) to help me pick out a M-1 Carbine to buy. He had been a unit armorer in the military in Viet Nam, and I figured his expertise would come in handy.

    A K-Mart store in Savannah had a sale going on for M-1 Carbines. We went back to the "Gun Section" of the store and sure enough, there were a dozen M-1 Carbines on the rack behind a counter. I had to walk back up front to ask one of the cashiers to send someone back to the gun section to wait on us. Then I went back to the gun section and waited for the clerk.

    After about 5 minutes a clerk showed up. He was a fresh faced kid that couldn't have been over 20. It was soon apparent that the kid knew absolutely nothing about guns because when I asked to see an M-1 Carbine, he was clueless to which long gun on the rack I wanted to see.

    So, I pointed out the section of the rack with the M-1 Carbines in it. The clerk handed me one M-1 Carbine (he was even uncomfortable even handling the gun) when my friend intervened and demanded to see all the other carbines on the rack.

    The clerk complied with my friends request and ALL the M-1 Carbines in the store were soon laid out on the counter.

    My friend told me to stand back and in an instant he had all dozen of those carbines broke down. The next thing I knew, he had all the parts grouped together in different piles on the counter. In one group were the barreled actions, another group was the bolts, trigger housing groups, etc.

    Then my friend carefully selected the best part from each group of parts. All of this took about 30 minutes. Then he assembled a carbine out of the pile of the "best" parts he had selected.

    So, I took that carbine he had assembled for me and we went up front and paid for it.....leaving piles of M-1 Carbine parts on that gun counter with a very perplexed clerk staring at them.

    Now, that is how to buy a gun!!!
    You seriously expect someone to believe this actually happened?

  9. #9
    John Holland is offline Moderator
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    You have to know "Southron, Sr.", and yes he would be part and parcel to such a thing.....and think its funny.

  10. #10
    Southron Sr. is offline
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    Yes, this really happened! The name of my friend was Pat Henderson. He was the son of Colonel Lindsey P. Henderson of Savannah. At the time we all belonged to the Oglethorpe Light Infantry of Savannah.

    I will admit Pat went a little overboard picking out the "best" M-1 Carbine for me.

    Whether you purchase a gun in a gun shop, Sutlers Row at the Nationals or at a gun show-the rule is that it is best to carefully examine any gun you are thinking about purchasing.

    Even well known companies produce occasional "lemons."

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