At our local public range I've watched a guy do some impressive shooting with an "old muzzleloader". He'd bang away standing at 50 and 100 yards and from glancing at his targets I could tell he knew what he was doing. Today I took time to talk with him and learn that he competes and the rifle he has been shooting for over 20 years years is a no-shit original 1841 Mississipi Rifle. I featured myself getting one and doing some shooting with one alongside my budget Mausers...until I saw the 4 digit prices the originals command.

So I am in need of some adult supervision from those who have already been this route. I am wanting to get a Civil War era type rifle, but the checkbook can only handle a "reproduction". So what say you gnarley, saavy old veterans? Which import/European rifle seems to be the best made, reliable, accurate? I'm not going to dress up in blue or grey and hope to be an extra in movies, I just want to go to the range and bang off several shots at a target down yonder.

Navy Arms? Enfield or 1861 Springfield? Which has the best sights?

Navy Arms or Pedersoli Enfield or a Zouave.

Go to Dixie Gunworks! 1841 Mississippi, Zouave , all are there ! I have a Zouave made by Euro arms Italy .58 The 1841's are identical design They are sighted in at 170 yards , so the rear leaf has to be cut down , they are deadly accurate , 60 to 80 grains of 3/F Hodgton triple 7- 265 Gr round ball-.562 OD .575 Minie 520 Gr Don't buy Navy Arms !

You can also try Track of the Wolf.

Actually one should check out the North-South Skirmish Association at http://www.n-ssa.org. The largest competitive CW musket shooting organization in the world. There a number of these kinds of rifles noted for good accurate shooting, and most shooters at the top use custom barrels and tuned locks, etc. These are not round ball guns. The very best of the 100% factory reproduction guns are acknowledged to be the first generation Parker-Hale Enfields costing now roughly $900 if you can find a new one. The web site lists a forum on arms, pictures(all the way to the cannon competition), and sutlers. A variety of these rifles in different tuned models can be had for $600-$850. Search for James River Armory. Roughly 15% of our shooters shoot originals or modified originals. Good luck.

Stumbled upon an older Zoli made Zouave at a local gunshop, 58 cal. They want $275 for it. It's in good condition but the stock is kind of "hardwood" looking. What's the book on these? (for that kind of money).

I have always wanted a whitworth rifle. If you want a long range muzzleloader this is the one. Ron

Matt, the ones that I've seen and shot were okay. There is a bore light for sale that you can drop down the bore and will allow you to see what the bore looks like. A lot of the used muzzleloaders haven't been take care of like they should. The bore light that I remember will allow you to see down barrels of 40 cal or larger. If you get one try not to get too much powder down behind the minnie ball as it will blow out the skirts and then it's all over the place. I've seen some great groups shot with the Zouves but some of the best were shot using a patched round ball!

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Ron:
I have always wanted a whitworth rifle. If you want a long range muzzleloader this is the one. Ron

Do you mean the Navy Arms reproduction Hexagontal bore Whitworth Sniper rifle?

PARKER-HALE WHITWORTH RIFLE, .451 CAL. (Not Shown)
A reproduction of the famous British match rifle that was used by Confederate snipers during the Civil War. It was known for its accuracy out to 1000 yards. Features Whitworth's patent hexagonal bore rifling system, fully adjustable globe front and ladder rear sights, and a hand checkered walnut stock.
Bbl. Length: 36"; O.A.L.: 52 1/2"; Weight: 9 lbs. 10 oz.; Rate of Twist: 1:20; Rec. Bullet: .451 Conical.
Mod. No. PHM104 - $1175.00

http://www.navyarms.com/html/cw-confed.html

THAT is the repro to have, but it isn't cheap...

AllanD

That would be the one! I have several articals about the whitworth and they were amazing refles. Ron

Well, the other thing about a witworth is those slugs would probably penetrate jut about anything, mostly because they are just about the longest (relative to bore diameter)
muzzle loader bullets ever made.

If I recall correctly that rifle from NavyArms also came with the bullet mould, swaging die (to make the slug hex shapped), false muzzle and specific bullet starter.

definatly a cool rifle, but just as definatly out of my reach.

AllanD

What really pi$$es me off is in Idaho you can't use a 45 for elk. You can use a 50 with a round ball but not a 45 with a good bullet. The Whitworth 45 at 200 yards has better killing power that the 50 with round balls at 100 yards.
I would love to get one of those rifles but it would be for deer only.
I Built a TC Renegade with a 50 cal Green Mtn Stainless Steel barrel, and it has a 1-28 twist. This gun with a 450 gr bullet shoots great. I am thinking about putting a ladder sight on it for shooting long range target shooting at muzzleloader shoots. Ron

I really think that the people in the game commision are Idiots straight out of Idiot school

Well, the Whitworth 45 is a seriously atypical rifle for a 45.
It is seriously breaks the rules on penetration for a ML_BP rifle.

There were documentated cases in the civil war of confererate marksmen shooting THROUGH a horse to kill a man hiding behind the horse. and other cases where one horse wasn't enough to stop one of those bullets.
even killing a man in between.

Shooting through an elk shouldn't pose a major obstacle to the passage of one... But Utah and I think Colorado
and probably other states as well) have rules prohibiting projectiles greater than twice bore diameter for ML's, so again, you'd be afoul of the letter of the law.

AllanD

Allan you brought up a great point. Can someone PLEASE splain it to me why a F&G dept would limit the length of the bullet? That is like saying you can shoot a 300 win mag but you have to use 30-30 bullets. I just don't understand that rule. Ron

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Ron:
Allan you brought up a great point. Can someone PLEASE splain it to me why a F&G dept would limit the length of the bullet? That is like saying you can shoot a 300 win mag but you have to use 30-30 bullets. I just don't understand that rule. Ron

I cannot imagine why they'd regulate that...

AllanD