Need tips re shooting my "antique" Parker Hale 1853
- Thread starter cantom
- Start date
Yes I scaned these from the originals. I have owned a few of these in the past but have since sold them. Good guns.
Cantom,
I cast some minnie balls this morning for you. I'll have them at the Sunday show if you want them, no charge, returning the favor.
Road King, what mould are you using to cast .570 dia mini balls?......Cantom,
I cast some minnie balls this morning for you. I'll have them at the Sunday show if you want them, no charge, returning the favor.
Wow, very cool Road King, I'll see you Sunday. I should know by then how the others worked out too.
I'm going to mike my 3 series of bullets tonight.
Smaller diameter might be better in this case, as the hollow base minnie in a longish barrel should expand anyway.
I have two of the P-H 1853s, an 1858, a 1861, and a Volunteer. I did have the Whitworth but sold it in a moment of weakness. I am going to part with one of my 1853s, the rack is getting crowded. In addition to the P-Hs I have an 1863 Springfield by Pedersoli, a Colt musket, a paper patch Sharps, 1840s carbine, an 1853 Armisport, and a Pedersoli Henry Carbine in 44-40 with a single digit serial number.
The best Mini rounds I use in my Parker-Hales are from a Lyman Mold 577611.
A guy borrowed my mold and I gave him some really soft lead to make rounds. I asked him for some rounds and he was going to charge me for them, the SOB didn't keep the mold very long. I found out later he was selling Mini rounds to a bunch of guys with my borrowed mold.
Just be careful your skirts on your Minis are not too thin or there is a possibility of leaving some part of the skirt in the barrel.
The best Mini rounds I use in my Parker-Hales are from a Lyman Mold 577611.
A guy borrowed my mold and I gave him some really soft lead to make rounds. I asked him for some rounds and he was going to charge me for them, the SOB didn't keep the mold very long. I found out later he was selling Mini rounds to a bunch of guys with my borrowed mold.
Just be careful your skirts on your Minis are not too thin or there is a possibility of leaving some part of the skirt in the barrel.
Here's what the minies I'm buying look like. By my next question I'm sure it'll be evident that I don't cast. These are supposed to be cast from the Lyman 575213-OS. Why are mine flat and yours deeply concaved in the base?
Go to this link and you will see the difference between the 575213-OS (Old Style)and the 575213 and the 575213-PH (Parker Hale)
http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/select-mould-blackpowder.php
Snider-Enfields used the 480 grain, hollow base and hollow point bullet. The hollow point may be spun over or have a wooden plug. In the Mk VI cartridge, the base plug was made of clay, from Purdon.
According to Skennerton, the Mk III to Mk IX cartridges had a 480 grain bullet, 70 grains of powder for a muzzle velocity of 1,240 fps. I would assume for the 3 band rifle.
According to Skennerton, the Mk III to Mk IX cartridges had a 480 grain bullet, 70 grains of powder for a muzzle velocity of 1,240 fps. I would assume for the 3 band rifle.
Well, I put 10 rounds of Road King's PH Minnie balls down range this morning. Hit 7 out of 10, including 3 at 100 yards with a new gun. 
I worried for nothing...the bullets had slight resistance to inserting at the muzzle, then an easy push with the bullet starter, then putting the ramrod on top of them, they fell right down, very smoothly and easily.
Really enjoyed shooting this rifle musket!
BTW, I started with 70 grains of Pioneer FFG, I was a touch low, missed 2 at 75 yards a bit low. Upped it to 75 grains, I was bang on at 100 yards.
I worried for nothing...the bullets had slight resistance to inserting at the muzzle, then an easy push with the bullet starter, then putting the ramrod on top of them, they fell right down, very smoothly and easily.
Really enjoyed shooting this rifle musket!
BTW, I started with 70 grains of Pioneer FFG, I was a touch low, missed 2 at 75 yards a bit low. Upped it to 75 grains, I was bang on at 100 yards.
- Location
- vancouver island
parker-hale
my friend shooting the same piece found that 65 grains fffg gave the exact same result as 75 grains ffg.
my friend shooting the same piece found that 65 grains fffg gave the exact same result as 75 grains ffg.
stevejones
Regular
- Location
- Courtenay, BC
Windage adjustment
My 3 bander shoots about 6" to the left. As there is no adjustment on neither front and rear sight is there a solution besides "kentucky windage" that can be made that will not devalue it?
Cheers. Steve
My 3 bander shoots about 6" to the left. As there is no adjustment on neither front and rear sight is there a solution besides "kentucky windage" that can be made that will not devalue it?
Cheers. Steve
Sorry to hear that...I had a look at mine and can't see any potential adjustment.
Are we sure the rear sight is straight and not bent at all? (put it up vertical and try to eyeball if it is leaning)
Is the groove on the rear sight right in the middle?
Lodgewood is out of stock on the PH sights.
http://www.lodgewood.com/parker.htm
Read this:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183070
http://www.rateitall.com/i-25645-parker-hale-1853-enfield.aspx
http://www.researchpress.co.uk/firearms/british/enfield/management03.htm
Most Sniders are actually far larger bore than the nominal .577" bore. I have two - a three-groove three-bander and a five-groove sergeant's model. The first is .585" and the second is .590".
Progressive rifling has nothing to do with tightness of the bore - it simply means that the rifling gets into a slightly tighter spiral 'twist' toward the muzzle - also called 'gain twist'.
tac
That ab intitio idea was firmly banged on the head very shortly after the adoption of the Minie bullet into general service.
tac
The service load for the P53 was two and one half drams - 68.5gr - of 'fine musket powder' - nowadays called FFg. It was rounded up to 70grs, prolly for easing the task of making up the cartridges.
tac
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