First time posting but have read lots of great stuff on this forum . Can anyone tell me the different sight picture holds for a Pedersoli 1861 Springfield . If anyone who has one and shot it quite a lot can give me some information it would be great . I plan on starting out with 60 grains 3F black powder . Thanks
While I don't shoot a Pedersoli, I do have extensive experience shooting muskets in competition with the North South Skirmish Association (!See the STICKY!) and there are a number of commonalities regardless if it's Pedersoli, Armisport, Euroarms or whatever.
Sight pictures on repops vary between makers and individual guns. This happens for a number of reasons from manufacturing to the loose nut behind the stock. Fact of life. They also vary on originals.
If you want to shoot live accurately, here's the skinny in short-
1) Determine it's bore size and I mean MEASURE it. Most repops run large like 579+
2) Get minies sized to .001 under bore size. Often that means you will have to learn to cast and size minies. It's not hard. Use pure lead for minies, never scrap or wheel weights. Different minies shoot differently, fact of weight v bullet length v rifling twist v powder charge.
3) Yes, the service charge was for 60g 2f but the powder then is not the same as the powder now in terms of manufacturing QC. For a starting point in looking for accuracy, start at about 40g 3f of REAL black powder and work your way up till you find a really good group. Powder brand is important as well. Best out there is Swiss followed by Goex Old Eynsford, the rest aren't worth considering for accuracy. Caps are very important. Best out there are RWS followed closely by Schutzen. CCI is garbage for reenactor blanks.
4) Don't get hung up on hitting the bullseye. Get a group first then adjust the sights to the group.
5) Lube is critical. I use 60/40 beeswax/lard and my 62 Colt Contract and Parker Hale are both sub 2moa guns.
6) Trigger pull, breathing and technique are far more important in shooting black powder well than in modern centerfire. You got to have your stuff wired to be at your best. Any flaw in your form will be greatly magnified when shooting muskets.
7) Do NOT benchrest the gun near the muzzle, it will dramatically affect you point of impact, if not destroy your group.
8) Do NOT get hung up in the "more is better" school by adding more and more gunpowder. You will reach a point of about 50g where accuracy is beginning to fall off. More will only make it worse, that's a fact of life in the Minie design. Thicker skirts might allow you to go a bit higher, but the real issue is, there's only so much power chemically contained per grain in black powder, that's why smokeless was invented.
So welcome to the addiction. I've had more fun shooting these guns than about any other.