1861 Springfield Rifled Musket RANGE TRIP! (***TONS OF BIG PICTURES***)

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 1861 Springfield Rifled Musket RANGE TRIP! (***TONS OF BIG PICTURES***)

Posted: 8/11/2008 2:34:02 PM EDT

Hey everyone,
A couple days ago I went out for another day of shooting. My brother and I took out the Armi Sport Reproduction 1861. We had just picked up a copy of The Rifled Musket by Claude E. Fuller, from our local library. Needless to say after reading the excellent book, casting minie balls, and preparing cartridges, we were itching it to shoot the thing again.

I used a pure Crisco lube and we fired exactly 80 rounds. The hot sun turned some of the lube into basically water. We had never had that happen before, so that was new. 80 rounds wasn't a problem for the ol' musket at all, nearly all of the rounds went down the tube with just the weight of the ramrod alone. None of the usual misfires or anything of that sort, we were sure to clean out the nipple and vent hole area.

We did some shooting at 300 yards :D . I used the reproduction rear sight for 300 yards. It actually took time for the round to get there, and you could see the impact of the bullet in the dirt, after the rifle had discharged. Accuracy wasn't too good at that distance, I had two rounds nick the cardboard backer right at the bottom, from a total of about 14 rounds. Accuracy at 100 and fifty yards was excellent, but I must admit my brother is the better shot :oops: .

Here are the pictures!

Shot of my shooting the 1861

Loading (Yea I know I really need to get a brass ramrod)

Really neat picture of just the musket cap going off, this was an insane fraction of a second before the main charge went off. Special thanks to the camera-man (my bro)

My brother, the 60 grain combat load has some kick to them!

Really Dirty!

And the weirdest thing of All! Deer in the firing range!!!

Hope you enjoyed, feel free to comment!

Posted: 8/11/2008 2:52:42 PM EDT

[#1]

How much that thing run ya? Ive always wanted one. Once while my friend was sighting in his AR he had a deer walk out right by it.

Posted: 8/11/2008 3:03:27 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
How much that thing run ya? Ive always wanted one. Once while my friend was sighting in his AR he had a deer walk out right by it.

Around $500 in Gettsyburg a few years back. They are around 600ish now I believe. You can even have them shipped right to your front door, which is pretty sweet.

Posted: 8/11/2008 3:05:59 PM EDT

[#3]

Looking at that smoke you can begin to see why in several battles during the Civil War the opposing sides would lose sight of the other.

Posted: 8/11/2008 3:09:23 PM EDT

[#4]

How far did the deer run?

Posted: 8/11/2008 3:17:20 PM EDT

[#5]

What kind of groups at 100 did you see?

Posted: 8/11/2008 3:22:39 PM EDT

[#6]

Does Tapco make an M4 type stock for those?

Posted: 8/11/2008 3:25:05 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Does Tapco make an M4 type stock for those?

Stop that right now!!!!

Posted: 8/11/2008 3:25:44 PM EDT

[#8]

No VFG?

Looks like fun !

Posted: 8/11/2008 5:04:00 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Does Tapco make an M4 type stock for those?

Ohh lord the insanity!

Posted: 8/11/2008 5:07:33 PM EDT

[#10]

Very Freeking Sweet!

Posted: 8/11/2008 5:08:39 PM EDT

[#11]

Cool.

How long does it take to load? How many rounds per minute could you fire if motivated?

Posted: 8/11/2008 5:10:18 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Does Tapco make an M4 type stock for those?

And an EOTech holosight for it? How 'bout da beamz?

Posted: 8/11/2008 5:41:33 PM EDT

[#13]

http://www.nps.gov/spar/

If you ever pass through New England (Springfield Mass) be sure and check out Springfield Armory. Very cool place!

Posted: 8/11/2008 6:28:38 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Cool.

How long does it take to load? How many rounds per minute could you fire if motivated?

Well if I start off loaded I can fire it, then load, fire again, load, and fire again. So that's the typical quote of three rounds a minute, but if you only count how many rounds I can load and fire in a minute it's two.

So for me, under range conditions, two rounds a minute if I go real fast.

Posted: 8/11/2008 6:33:58 PM EDT

[#15]

Pretty cool.....I would think a steel ramrod is correct for that piece.

Posted: 8/11/2008 6:36:58 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Pretty cool.....I would think a steel ramrod is correct for that piece.

The NSSA guys say that the Brass is easier on the rifling, which makes sense.

Posted: 8/12/2008 1:20:25 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Does Tapco make an M4 type stock for those?

Stop that right now!!!!

I guess you might also not like a Picatinny Rail then?

Posted: 8/12/2008 1:21:59 AM EDT

[#18]

50/50 Crisco and beeswax seems to hold up better in heat on my BP pistols

Posted: 8/12/2008 4:59:52 AM EDT

[#19]

+1 on adding beeswax to the Crisco. I mix it 1/3 Crisco, 1/3 beeswax and 1/3 Bore Butter, melt it over the stove, then I set all my minie balls base-down in an old cake pan and pour the lube into the pan up to the upper grease groove and let it cool. Even better yet, put it in the fridge ! the when you're ready to shoot, pull the bullets from the pan and the grease will stick in the grooves.

Some of the savvy summertime shooters keep the minie balls in a plastic igloo cooler. No ice or anything, just put the cold projectiles in there, it keeps the gunk from melting in 90-degree + weather.

I bought my '61 from Dixie Gun Works about 15 years ago. I buggered my drum cleanout screw exactly like yours!

Posted: 8/12/2008 12:50:10 PM EDT

[#20]

Yea I'll add the Beeswax for sure next time.

Posted: 8/12/2008 12:53:41 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
+1 on adding beeswax to the Crisco. I mix it 1/3 Crisco, 1/3 beeswax and 1/3 Bore Butter, melt it over the stove, then I set all my minie balls base-down in an old cake pan and pour the lube into the pan up to the upper grease groove and let it cool. Even better yet, put it in the fridge ! the when you're ready to shoot, pull the bullets from the pan and the grease will stick in the grooves.

Some of the savvy summertime shooters keep the minie balls in a plastic igloo cooler. No ice or anything, just put the cold projectiles in there, it keeps the gunk from melting in 90-degree + weather.

I bought my '61 from Dixie Gun Works about 15 years ago. I buggered my drum cleanout screw exactly like yours!

I used a similar method for lubing .45 cast bullets for loading in a .45-70 BPCR. I think I used beeswax, lard and some canola oil for the lube, tho. Pan lubed and used a .45-70 cartridge to cut the bullets out of the cake when it cooled.

Posted: 8/12/2008 1:02:24 PM EDT

[#22]

nice, looks like you missed the reactive targets (deer)

Posted: 8/12/2008 1:12:16 PM EDT

[#23]

Black powder long guns and pistols give you a history lesson, they're loads of fun!

Posted: 8/12/2008 1:12:33 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
What kind of groups at 100 did you see?

We both shot standing, and had no trouble hitting a piece of hanging steel the same size as a piece of printer paper. Under combat stress, I'm sure groups would have been much worse, but you also have a much bigger target of a five foot high massed wall of troops.

Posted: 8/12/2008 7:02:15 PM EDT

[#25]

My uncle has an original he got in the late 1960's....he used to use it for re-enacting....long since retired to the safety of a safe...

Why do you want a brass ramrod? The original was iron, like yours.

Likes like a fun range day!

Posted: 8/12/2008 7:12:27 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
My uncle has an original he got in the late 1960's....he used to use it for re-enacting....long since retired to the safety of a safe...

Why do you want a brass ramrod? The original was iron, like yours.

Likes like a fun range day!

A brass ramrod is easier on the rifling. It is softer and potentially won't ding up the muzzle. As a shooter brass is the better choice, for authenticity, the one I have is what you need.

Posted: 8/12/2008 7:14:46 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

Quoted:
My uncle has an original he got in the late 1960's....he used to use it for re-enacting....long since retired to the safety of a safe...

Why do you want a brass ramrod? The original was iron, like yours.

Likes like a fun range day!

A brass ramrod is easier on the rifling. It is softer and potentially won't ding up the muzzle. As a shooter brass is the better choice, for authenticity, the one I have is what you need.

Aaahh, gotcha!

Thanks.

Still looks like a great range day!

Posted: 8/12/2008 7:16:05 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Does Tapco make an M4 type stock for those?

Stop that right now!!!!

I lol'd . thanks.

Posted: 8/12/2008 7:47:39 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
My uncle has an original he got in the late 1960's....he used to use it for re-enacting....long since retired to the safety of a safe...

Why do you want a brass ramrod? The original was iron, like yours.

Likes like a fun range day!

I got an original some GAVE me .... I will try to post some pics when I get home.

Posted: 8/12/2008 7:55:16 PM EDT

[#30]

Ooooh, have I got some musket porn for you!

How about serial #1? And not just serial #1, but the very first U.S. military gun ever to have a serial number on it. Photo taken by BlammO at Springfield Armory on the behind-the-scenes tour.

You have a nice start on your collection. Now see if you can catch up to the factory:

Posted: 8/12/2008 8:01:25 PM EDT

[#31]

It would be hilarious to put a collapsible stock, an Aimpoint, a VFG, and a light on one of those.

Posted: 8/12/2008 10:08:50 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
Ooooh, have I got some musket porn for you!

How about serial #1? And not just serial #1, but the very first U.S. military gun ever to have a serial number on it. Photo taken by BlammO at Springfield Armory on the behind-the-scenes tour.

www.MetalSchnitzel.com/images/GunStuff/Number1.jpg

You have a nice start on your collection. Now see if you can catch up to the factory:

www.MetalSchnitzel.com/images/GunStuff/MusketOrgan.jpg

WOW!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 1861 Springfield Rifled Musket RANGE TRIP! (***TONS OF BIG PICTURES***)

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