1858 Enfield English Parker Hale Original Barrel.

[NJCOP]

Okay I'm going a bit nuts because i think I asked this question already but couldn't find the thread.

Does anybody own one of these and has a load combination that works for them. I really don't want to be spending a ton of money buying various molds to find one that works. I've heard that the RCBS Parker Hale Minnie ball mold works well but I'd like to here it from someone here who actually skirmishes. This gun doesn't like Lee's minnies but the 61 PH Italian musketoon loves them. These things are fussier than my wife looking for the right color paint for the walls. Patched balls never seem to disappoint though.

BoB R

[Mike McDaniel]

I shoot a Parker-Hale Minie in front of 45 grains of Goex 3Fg in mine. Works fine for me, but I have also heard that the original Parker-Hale bullet design is one of the few that will perform in this gun.

[Gary Van Kauwenbergh, 101]

I used the shallow-based minie, cast from a PH mold, and shot either 50 grains of GOEX FFg, or 43 grains of GOEX FFFg. See my muzzle velocities posted at http://acwsa.org/Pages/ShootingNotebook.htm

[Paul Lampman 263V]

When I was shooting my PH regular like I used the RCBS 58 sized 580 with 48 gr Goex 3F. I later changed to the Hodgdon 580 with 46 grn 3F. Both bullets shot great. I switched to a custom 56 Enfield using the Hodgdon with 43 gr 3F. Either bullet is a good place to start, I prefer the Hodgdon. I've seen PH's run .577 to .582 in bore size.

[Don Dixon]

Bob,

1. The mould that Lyman designed for Parker Hale (PH) for the PH Enfields shoots very well. But, because of the shallow cavity and thin skirt it is somewhat difficult to cast well. There are a lot of rejects if you are serious about inspecting your bullets. It was intended to be a long range bullet for international matches, not a short range bullet for N-SSA shooting.

2. Greg Edington's .58 caliber Wilkinson bullet shoots very well, if you can find one of his moulds. When I've shot the PH in recent years, that's what I've used. This bullet casts better than anything else out there. There are very few rejects.

3. The Lyman Old Style worked well for me before I started shooting the Wilkinson bullet.

4. Lee's moulds are cr*p, and you can't use round balls in N-SSA competition.

The really critcal issues are:

The projectile needs to be sized no more than .001-.002 inches under bore size. If you haven't measured your bore, you are lost.

You need good lubricant. MCM worked well for me. If you use a Minie, don't fill the base with lubricant. All it does is muck up the powder.

You need a large enough powder charge to expand (Minie)/compress (Wilkinson) the bullet every time under all conditions of temperature and humidity: 45 -50 grains of Swiss FFFg, or 50-55 grains of GOEX FFFg. Sorry if you're recoil shy.

Regards,
Don Dixon

[Muley Gil]

42.5 grains of FFFg Goex, topped by a .576 New Style Minie from a Rapine mould, shoots well in my 1858 P-H Enfield.

[ms3635v]

I recently sighted in a 1970's era Parker Hale Musketoon for a team mate. I used a Lyman Old Style Minie with 45 grains of 3f Goex. This combination produced a 2" group consistently at 50 yards.

[NJCOP]

At least I have a direction to head in now. Re: Lee molds, they are what they are and if they're taken care of they work okay. My PH Italian Musketoon throws their standard Minnie very well. Neither gun throws the Improved Minnie worth a darn though.

I can see why it took six pounds of lead for every one kill in the WONA/WBTS/CW as these guns are as finnicky as my wife looking for a dress to wear to a wedding. I have a Cimmeron 58 Remington revolver waiting for me and I can't wait to see what its going to take to make that shoot. Conical, round ball or a wing and a prayer?

By the way who sells Rapine molds? I can find all the RCBS and Lyman molds I want but I'm having problems finding people who sell them.

Bob R

[Mike McDaniel]

Try .454 or .457 round balls in the revolver. About 15 grains 3Fg...then tweak for desired elevation. Shoot each chamber for group separately - you should be able to find one that shoots OK. Use that for individual competition.