EOA Mississippi Problems

[oscarlovel]

I bought a second Mississippi because, "the price was great". Now I understand why. The rifle is the original .54 cal with some light pitting in the bore. Main issues are that when cleaning, the patched cleaning jag gets stuck in the bottom of the bore. I mean real stuck -- bad stuck -- so bad that the previous owner had to take the barrel to a gunsmith to have the stuck rod removed. I'm thinking that probably the breechplug end is threaded long and the patch is catching in the exposed threads. The second issue is that the sights are the stock dovetailed rear block and the front is the fixed original blade. The rear sight is drifted very far to the right. Any more to the right and I fear it falls out. Rifle still shoots almost a one foot to the left of POA at 50 yds. This is the second EOA Mississippi barrel that I have experienced this same issue with. The first is now at Bobby Hoyt's awaiting a reline job. Barrel appears straight, but am wondering why the extreme left POI?

I am expecting a barrel from a JRA Zouave back very soon. It is one of the EOA barrels that Bobby Hoyt rifled in 58 caliber. I had problems with the rear sight screw and Charlie Hahn just finished repairs. I am wondering about installing it on the this Mississippi. Main issues I see are that I would need to remove the bayonet lug and guide, at least temporarily to get the front barrel nosepiece on. I have both the long and the short available, so I could do one of the conversions (Drake, etc.) Would also need to remove the bluing and brown the barrel (not a big issue). Does anyone know how the bayonet lug is attached on these EOA Zouaves? Soldered or dovetailed?

Any thoughts on all this. I'm figuring that for the moment the 54 cal. barrel that is on it is in need of more attention than I can give it. It needs to see Dan Whitacre or Bobby Hoyt. In the meantime, I could be using the Zouave barrel with a little work.

[ms3635v]

Clint,

PM me your me your email address and I will forward you all of the material I have on the Drake conversion.

[John Holland]

Clint, since you are no longer skirmishing, isn't the bayonet lug a rather moot point?

JDH

[oscarlovel]

Clint, since you are no longer skirmishing, isn't the bayonet lug a rather moot point?

JDH

Yeah, you are right John, but old habits do die hard! LOL! Just can't seem to shake the idea that I need to be N-SSA correct.

[R Filbert]

Oscar -The lug on youre barrel is probably brazed on if EOA did it and would take quite a bit o heat to get it off- but if you plan to brown it you would have to finish off the braze and polish the barrel down- If JRA did it it may be soldered on and wont need as much heat. I did 1 for a fellow just like you are doing but I hope you dont have a small hole where the lug was as some had teet indicators to place the lugs to the barrel. Good luck with the project!