OK, Frustrated!

[verzilli]

First, some of my background.  I shoot and reload for my 44 mag Ruger Bisley.  I can consistently "pie plate" it at 60 yards.  Can shoot a 3" group with my 9mm carbine at 50 years.  Have a 1911, etc.  So I've been comfortable with guns for decades.  Here's the problem!

Have a Navy Arms 58 cal Buffalo Hunter.  Have tried 460 gr old style minies with 60-90 grs of Pyrodex.  Tried Buffalo Ball-ets, 60 tp 120 grs.  Had a local smith install a williams peep and appropriate front sight.  I CANNOT consistently hit a 1 FOOT square at 13 yards from a bench!  Two shots within 3", then 2 off the paper.  Forget 25 yards, and at 50 yards NOTHING in a 3 foot square.

Bought the gun used.  Could the barrel be shot out, rusted?  I can feel the three lands at the muzzle, but I do not know what's down the bore.  Standard .575 bullets slide real easily.  Need .577?  Really pretty gun, like to shoot it, but...sheesh!  Do I have to go though 300 loads and bullets before I find out what works?

Any help is appreciated!

[flintlock]

I suspect that you are trying to shoot conicals in a round ball gun...

What is the rate of twist of the barrel and the depth of rifling???

Have you tried any .570 balls and .015 or .018 greased cotten patches???

[verzilli]

Its a civil war pattern musket, basically a sporterized Zouave,  1x66" twist (what I've been told, anyway).   Supposedly, Val Forgett used in in Africa with heavy loads and large minies.  I just assumed standard civil war musket loads would be used.  Oops.  No have no balls (don't laugh).  Depth unknown, but looks to be three groove, shallow.

[flintlock]

http://www.navyarms.com/html/spec_sshot.html

This is the rifle I was thinking about...Lewis & Clark were 1804-06...Still a round ball barrel, a 1-66 is for round balls...Conicals need a faster twist to stabilize...

[verzilli]

No, it's more like a Springfield or Enfield musket.  Percussion.  I was told the recommended load is 60 grs and a 505 gr mini.  But oh well.  I like the look of a military rifle, so if I wanted a round ball shooter, I would have gotten a hawken or kentucky (or the beautiful Lewis adn Clark one).  I'll just keep experimenting!  I'll get some RB's and try that.

[flintlock]

My bad...I found some info in a 1975 ML book here in my office...Here's what it said he used for the Buffalo Hunter, it was a percussion, patterned after a Zouave...

He used a 125gr FFF and a 610gr hollow base Minie...He made them and sized them with a Shiloh mold and sizer...

[FLNT4EVR]

I looked up the specs in my black powder loading manual ,and yes you should be shooting a .577 minnie in the navy arms rifle.

[verzilli]

I've noticed several places sell .575 and .577.  The minnies I'm using now really slide down (almost too) easliy.  Maybe I'll try .577 and see.

[Semisane]

Do give patched balls a chance.  My Zouave shoots them pretty well - and they're a WHOLE LOT cheaper than minnies.

[mechanic]

Had the same gun a few years back.  Never could find a conical that would shoot.  Patched round ball was very accurate with Goex.  Traded it and wish I hadn't.

Ben

[Victor3]

 That's one reason I sold my buffalo hunter; the .577 bullets from the minne mould I had wouldn't shoot too straight. I understand from reading posts from a few others over the years that balls are more accurate than conicals in this gun. I do remember however that the rifling on mine was not deep, like what would be best for patched balls.

[glshop20]

Give the patched/round balls a try with different patch thickness and powder charge.  It will be cheaper to shoot for fun and if you want to use it for hunting a round ball of that diameter would definitely take down most anything in the lower 48.