Load suggestions for original Enfield

[B-Davis]

Before heading out to the range, figured I would ask if anyone has a favorite load/bullet combo for an original Enfield with 5 lands and grooves with 1/48 progressive twist.
I do have two molds in .575 and about 5 lbs of 3F Swiss. The bullets range from a Lee .575 three ring minie, to a .500 grain Shiloh trashcan.
Any other bullets that work well?

[Muley Gil]

Need to check the bore diameter first. There is a good chance it is a .577".

Once you find the bore diameter, start at 40 grains and work your way up.

[Carolina Reb]

I'm shooting a P-58 Bar-On-Band with 5 groove 1 in 48. 40 gr. of Swiss 3f and the Hodgden N-SSA bullet shoots extremely well when the rifle is in the mood to shoot. However, it has a tendency to pick up fouling in the breech and then goes wild. 50gr. of Swiss 3f with the Lyman 213 New Style seems to be more tolerant of fouling, but recoil is quite a bit firmer.

[bobanderson]

...However, it has a tendency to pick up fouling in the breech and then goes wild. 50gr. of Swiss 3f with the Lyman 213 New Style seems to be more tolerant of fouling, but recoil is quite a bit firmer.

Sounds like your lube doesn't have enough moisture. If you use a lubrisizer, I could gift you a couple of sticks of my neutrogena based lube. If you don't mind the extra work making it, it'll outperform SPG winter and summer.

[Kevin Tinny]

Thanks, Bob:
Simple truths.
That moisture aspect belongs on the wall! Smiles.
Kevin Tinny

[Maillemaker]

Hi Bob, can you share your lube recipe?

As for the Enfield, the period charge was 68 grains of rifle powder, combined with a paper-patched, smooth-sided bullet.

The cartridge has 3 major iterations. The first bullet was the "Pritchett" bullet, which functioned mostly by compression rather than expansion. The second was the Hay bullet, which was a forced-expansion bullet that used different kinds of plugs to aid the expansion. The final iteration was the Boxer bullet, greatly reduced in diameter (.550"), that utilized first a boxwood plug and ended with fired clay plugs.

Many consider the British Enfield cartridge to be the ultimate evolution of muzzleloading ammunition. However, being paper-patched, it is not allowed in N-SSA competition.

[Maillemaker]

[Maillemaker]

[B-Davis]

All good information! Currently, I am using a Shiloh .575 trashcan bullet and found one layer of tissue paper (gift paper) wrapped/glued to the bullet is bringing the bullet up to the size I need. I do not have precise calipers, but the ones I have measure it to be 14.65 mm. This equates to .577. At this size with 48 grains of Swiss 3F, the rifles shoots at 3o"clock in the bull at 50 yds. The group is about 1.5 inches in size. At this point, I am alright wrapping the bullet due to using the rifle just for plinking and hunting.
I am currently looking for a mould that casts a .577/.578 minie that I can use at a later time.

[bobanderson]

Hi Bob, can you share your lube recipe?

I've posted it several times before, I think even to you in the past, Steve, but I couldn't find it in the archives. Here goes...

NEUTROGENA SOAP LUBE (aka "Bob-o-lene", according to John Dam)
8 oz beeswax
8 oz pure Neatsfoot oil (not the compound)
1 bar of unscented Neutrogena soap

Heat until melted. Scrape in some flakes from a bar of Ivory soap to help things stay blended together or your lube will separate as it cools.

I pour mine into some stick moulds I made from PVC for the lubrisizer and the last into baby food tubs for use as top cylinder lube in
my revolver.

I make a double batch at one time and get about a dozen sticks and a couple tubs. Lasts me a year or so. I use it for smokeless powder loads, too.

I did this from memory so pardon any omissions or changes. Getting old is not for sissies.