After several years of thinking about it I finally purchased a muzzleloader. It is an English made Parker Hale replica of a 2-band Enfield. I know I will need powder, caps and bullets. I'll have to figure out where to go from there. Any advice on components to start out with and any tips would be appreciated.

Congrats; you picked a fine rifle to start out with. I started out with a 58 cal Zouave in 1970 so I know how you must feel. First, you should get books; Dixie gun works has lots of them, on shooting rifle-muskets, which is what you have. A rifle, with a musket caliber and general design, length barrel (although the most common one has a 39 inch barrel. ) It fired a .577 Minie bullet with 60 grains of powder in the Civil War. You probably know that both the North and the South bought thousands of them from England. So, you need some Minie bullets, 2fg powder and musket caps. And a measure so you can tell how much powder you are using. You can experiment with that. Consider casting your own bullets as they are expensive to buy. You can also shoot round balls too, cheaper. Patch them. Anyway, get a book; Sam Fadala wrote many of them and there are others. Have fun. Oh, clean with hot water and then oil the bore. You will like shooting this rifle.

Yes, spend $5.00 and buy the Dixie Gun Works catalog. There is a huge reference section in back covering many facets of shooting muzzleloaders. Dixie, by virtue of its location and name has been the center pivot for lots of Civil War re-enactment groups.
Secondly, buy a copy of the Lyman Blackpowder Handbook. Those two references will launch you the road to the great fun and satisfaction of shooting the old ones.
Warning, it becomes addictive and causes normal husbands and fathers to spend inordinate amounts of money of more guns, accoutrements, and uniforms.

Use real blackpowder and greased patched round balls.

quote:

Originally posted by 45otto:
Use real blackpowder and greased patched round balls.

Real BP is getting difficult to find, because it's classed as an "explosive" rather than a "propellent" like smokeless.

One trick to shooting is figuring out the right bullet diameter and patch combination. I found patch material at the local fabric shop. It's denim twill. I grease each patch before loading, cut it flush with a patch knife (I use an "Old Hickory" paring knife).

Run the bullet down the bore, firmly, but don't bounce to seat it. You should should find a mark on your ramrod so you can seat the same bullet and charge at the same depth every time.

Basic Safety Measures --

DO NOT RUN YOUR RAMROD BY PUSHING ON THE END WITH YOUR OPEN PALM! Use a grip on the SIDES of the rod. That way if you get a discharge, your rod is not going to shoot through your palm.

Swab the bore after each shot with a brush or patch on a "worm." This to ensure there are no glowing embers in the bore when you drop your next charge of powder down the barrel. Half-cock, and you cap the load LAST.

Brass loading tools around the powder. Steel can cause a spark. Also, be aware of static charges and sparks.


When you're done shooting, the entire gun needs to be disassembled and washed up. There's a discussion of "cleaning" on this forum.

Parker-Hale did, also, provide in their catalogue a bullet mould for that rifle.

It was of the traditional Minie design thus you don't need either patch nor ball for your Enfield.

Which is a nominal .577" calibre. There are, I guess in the USA many custom bullet casters who will supply you with the ready cast bullet...which should like all Minie be UNDERSIZE to your barrel.

Modern and traditional types..

If you "google" Parke-Hale and Enfield or use "bing" and select videos or on "You Tube" you'll find a lot of info.

It's a good made rifle and as said....keep that rammer between thumb and finger...which is easy with a Minie.

Try Lyman 575213AM

OR...Dixie Gun Works claim to make a mould specifically for the P-H:

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/p...283&products_id=8019

This was written by a "Brit" and is well worth reading. Enjoy your Enfield Parker-Hale replica...

http://www.researchpress.co.uk...eld/management09.htm

Lyman makes a .58 caliber bullet mould that should do the trick for you, the mould number is 575213PH