Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
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    Default New to me rifled musketoon



    Picked up this Parker Hale repro of an 1861 Enfield "Artillery" rifled musketoon this past weekend. It's .58 caliber intended for Minie-type conical bullets with cone bases.

    No box, but it came with all the papers and the "sergeant's tool," and has a leather or plastic padded brass nipple cap attached with a brass chain to the trigger guard. Convenient for keeping nipples capped.

    The bore shows only blueing and no trace of lead in the grooves or on the lands, and the breech plug is still in the white, indicating the previous owner hadn't fired it since purchase in the 70s. Kinda weird because the paperwork says it was proofed using a 3X recommended charge of BP. Maybe they proofed one gun, or random guns selected from production. What is certain is that no one has fired this example.

    It's an early all Parker Hale gun, the underside of the barrel is not marked "Sile" or has any Italian marks.

    Looking forward to getting it dirty sometime the next few weeks, but my weekend sched is hectic through Thanksgiving.

    I've only owned flintlocks and have been looking for a PH two-band off and on since the mid 80s. Better late then never.

    Noah
    Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: New to me rifled musketoon

    She's a beauty...have fun popping that cherry.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Brookville, Pennsylvania
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    Default Re: New to me rifled musketoon

    That is an extremely nice find!
    RIP: SFN, 1861, twoeggsup, Lambo, jamesjo, JayBell, 32 Magnum, Pro2A, mrwildroot, dregan, Frenchy, Fragger, ungawa, Mtn Jack, Grapeshot, R.W.J., PennsyPlinker, Statkowski, Deanimator, roland, aubie515

    Don't end up in my signature!

  4. #4
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    Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
    (Franklin County)
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    Default Re: New to me rifled musketoon

    Makes a great hunting rifle. First thing, replace the steel ramrod with a brass one. It doesn't take long to ruin the crown and accuracy goes with it. Second, slug the barrel. .58 is not always .58. These things run from .575 to around .583. Minies need to be .001 ot at max .002 than the bore. Likely will have to replace the front sight with a longer one too.
    Last edited by Karl/PA; September 21st, 2011 at 10:46 AM.
    Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    Emlenton, Pennsylvania
    (Clarion County)
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    Default Re: New to me rifled musketoon

    What you have is an Enfield carbine rifle, muskets have smooth bores. Nice rifle!

  6. #6
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    Emlenton, Pennsylvania
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    Default Re: New to me rifled musketoon

    Quote Originally Posted by Karl/PA View Post
    Makes a great hunting rifle. First thing, replace the steel ramrod with a brass one. It doesn't take long to ruin the crown and accuracy goes with it. Second, slug the barrel. .58 is not always .58. These things run from .575 to around .583. Minies need to be .001 ot at max .002 than the bore. Likely will have to replace the front sight with a longer one too.
    Looks like it already has a brasss ramrod.

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Pottsville, Pennsylvania
    (Schuylkill County)
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    Default Re: New to me rifled musketoon

    Nice find, I like black powder shooting also

  8. #8
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    Default Re: New to me rifled musketoon

    Quote Originally Posted by aggitator View Post
    What you have is an Enfield carbine rifle, muskets have smooth bores. Nice rifle!
    I know what you mean, but "Musketoon" is what the Parker Hale paperwork calls it.

    Everyone: I appreciate all the comments!

    Noah
    Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Hatboro, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
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    Default Re: New to me rifled musketoon

    Very nice! I have an old Parker-Hale 1853 pattern Enfield rifle musket that is a great shooter. I bet you'll find that short barrel will be much handier, and still be plenty accurate. Karl/PA is absolutely correct that there's wide variation in bore diameter among the repro Civil War guns, although those early Parker-Hale guns were exceptionally well made and should hew pretty close to original specs. The bore should mike out pretty close to .577.

    I worked up a target load of 53 grains of FFFg using a 510-gr. .577 "new style" minie ball, sized down to .576 cal. Lube is a 50/50 mix of Crisco and beeswax, less beeswax if shooting in cold temps. Excellent accuracy and very light recoil, and the lube keeps the fouling soft for easy reloading, even for long strings of shots between wiping out the bore. I did not hunt with it, but friends of mine have used theirs to take deer using a load of 90 grains of FFg, using both minies and patched round ball. The minie ball mould I use is by Rapine, he's gone out of business but Lee and Lyman both make moulds for a very similar minie. Lyman also makes a mould specifically for the Parker-Hale, with a shallower base. Good luck with it -- very pretty and a super find in un-used condition!

  10. #10
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    Orange (Formerly York, PA), Virginia
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    Default Re: New to me rifled musketoon

    Nice Rifle Noah,

    I have the somewhat twin to it, I'd have to check manufacturer, But looks basically the same as yours, I inherited from my brother, but haven't shot it yet, I know he had it for about 25 yrs and I'm not sure He ever shot it. Someday though it will get shot.

    Enjoy it.

    TJB
    Recoil Happens

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