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.58 cal. minie

1825michaeli1825michaeli Member Posts: 4 ✭✭
edited September 2006 in Ask the Experts
Does anyone know what powder charge to use for .58 cal. 545gr.minie? I have an original 1855 Springfield and I would like to try it out.

Comments

  • iceracerxiceracerx Member Posts: 8,860 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Parker-Hale recommends 60 (sixty) grains of ffg (2 F) black powder for their .577 Enfield Reproduction. I believe that this was also the load for .58 cal Muskets during the Civil War.

    This would be a good starting point.

    The MAXIMUM charge used in .58 cal Muskets during the Civil war was 66 grains of ffg.

    A 10% reduction for a starting load would be 60 grains minus 6 grains, equaling 54 grains.
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    If it is an original gun, I would back off from the max load a bit. Metalurgy wasn't then what it is now and 150 years of corrosive black powder can't have helped. Plus, modern black powder is far more consistent than batches from days of yore, some more, some less powerful. I'd start at about 45 gr of FFG and see how that does. Just make sure the bullet is seated to the powder.
  • awindsawinds Member Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jonk
    If it is an original gun, I would back off from the max load a bit. Metalurgy wasn't then what it is now and 150 years of corrosive black powder can't have helped. Plus, modern black powder is far more consistent than batches from days of yore, some more, some less powerful. I'd start at about 45 gr of FFG and see how that does. Just make sure the bullet is seated to the powder.


    +1. My 1864 Sprg musket likes 42 grains of FFFg for an accurate
    target load at 50 and 100 yds.
  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,183 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Even in the modern reproductions, 70 grains is about tops for the powder. If you try to go past that, the minie ball will skip the rifling, and accuracy goes bye-bye.
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