Zouave .58 Caliber Loads and Bullet Recommendations:

[10851Man]

Looking to add one of these to my stable for fun and some hunting perhaps, when the world falls, the southern states succeed again and we slip into general chaos brought on by our communistic government. :mad:

What loads/bullets would you more experienced fellows recommend????

[TomADC]

I shoot the old style mini ball with 60 grains of either Goex FFg or Swiss 1.5.
They weigh about 535 grains.

[Hawg]

I use a traditional minie and 70 grains of Pyrodex in my P53 Enfield.

[tater134]

I've been shooting mine with 65gr of FFg Goex with an old style minie.

[10851Man]

Thanks, guys!!!!!

[Hawg]

60 grains was the standard U.S. charge. 65 was the standard C.S. charge but the South probably used more U.S. loads than the U.S. did.:D

[10851Man]

60-65 grains with a 535 grain Minie???? Wow, that's a lot of wallop!!!!

The "Pennsylvania Bucktails Regiment" (The "originals" recruited at the begining of the war by Thomas L.Kane NOT the 149th and 150th PA.) were all recruited backwoodsmen from Pennsylvania, made up of farmers, lumberman, miners.

It is said that on regular basis, they were hitting targets farther away with their 1861 Springfields than Berdan's Sharpshooters could with their Sharps rifles. In fact in their regimental history in West Virginia a Bucktail took out a Confederate officer at 1200 yards.

Probably a one in a million shot, but impressive nonetheless!!!!