ConfederateCanuck
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2018
- Location
- Canad-istan
I am getting very bad accuracy from my p1853 Enfield, despite it still having visible rifling. Benchrested, I get a 20" spread at 50 yards (EDIT: in all directions, not just windage or just elevation) many bullets don't even hit the paper at 100 yards. How can I improve the accuracy?
I have ruled out a poorly clamped/fitted barrel in the stock. Despite putting a thin bristol board between the barrel and the stock, or some tape between the barrel and the barrel bands and tightening the bands to the max, I have gotten minimal to no improvement in accuracy...so I don't think the barrel fit in the stock (many refer to this as "barrel bedding") is the issue. I have begun to suspect that the Minie ball I am using is too narrow, and is bouncing around in the barrel before it leaves the barrel. How can I prove that? Should I try to patch the Minie using paper or cloth and see if that improves the accuracy? Are there any pre-made Minie's for sale of a larger diameter that I can test before I go and buy another mold? Should I try a patched round ball and see how that works?
These are the specs I am working with:
I have ruled out a poorly clamped/fitted barrel in the stock. Despite putting a thin bristol board between the barrel and the stock, or some tape between the barrel and the barrel bands and tightening the bands to the max, I have gotten minimal to no improvement in accuracy...so I don't think the barrel fit in the stock (many refer to this as "barrel bedding") is the issue. I have begun to suspect that the Minie ball I am using is too narrow, and is bouncing around in the barrel before it leaves the barrel. How can I prove that? Should I try to patch the Minie using paper or cloth and see if that improves the accuracy? Are there any pre-made Minie's for sale of a larger diameter that I can test before I go and buy another mold? Should I try a patched round ball and see how that works?
These are the specs I am working with:
- I have the double-25 proof marks, so it was manufactured as a .577 caliber
- I am using a Lyman .575 Minie Ball mold, and I cast using pure lead.
- bullet lube is 50-50 mix of beeswax and Crisco (works great!); fouling isn't a problem even after 60 shots (but is that because the Minie is too narrow?)
- I have tried firing with various powder loads; 60 grains FF is my standard, but I have tried less (45-50 grains) and as much as 68 grains
- when I measure the inside tip of the barrel, the caliper reads .594
- if I insert the caliper 3/8" into barrel, I get a reading of .585
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