1853 enfield curiousity....

[A. F Medic]

I have a 53 model Parker Hale and I have no troubles dropping a whitetail at 100 yards. Rounds go where aimed. I use 60 grains of ffg Goex powder and a .58 cal Minie ball.

I too have a PH in .58cal. (.577) I experienced some of the same problems mentioned. SN 2203.

I removed the barrel and it has 2 1/4 drams of black powder. I do not know if that is max or reccomended.

Anyways, I ordered a bunch of bullets of different types from a man who makes them and also swags them. I do not have the name handy but can get it.

At twenty five yards, the bullets are crowding the same hole. At fifty, there is a slight climb. At one hundred yards, I have a one to three foot drop. I had to put extra paper on the target frame to find the low impact holes.

I believe that I was using the 2 1/4 drams or 61 grains of two F. Prodex

The I tried more powder up to 90 grains but all I got was a sore shoulder off the rest. Then I tried cutting back the powder (military load) but I do not believe there was much change.

My rifle looks like it has a different front sight maybe put on by the original owner . It does look high.

I am now going to stick with the 60 grains and will try filing the sight down a tad at a time. I will let the forum know how it goes. I am going to use the Minie Ball .

I may go to straight black powder as that was what the weapon was designed for.

If it is sensitive to cheek placement, I am going to try one placement position and try to keep it that way. I have not used the rifle during Pa's deer season as I did not want to wound a deer since it is very hard to track them in the red fall foilage.

If you need a conversion table for anything, please keep this site handy...

http://www.convert-me.com/en/

[Andy Mac]

I shoot a Parker Hale .577 navy 2 band.I use a RCBS mould #82103 sized to .001 under, with 55 gn of swiss no2 up to 100 yards.Mine likes a soft grease.At 50 yards it shoots point of aim with the back sight flat down.At 100 yards i have to slide the sight up the ramp between 500 & 600 (not straight up the ladder)but it gets a 4"ish group.Some people shoot them upto 600 yards with 70 gn of swiss no3 or 4.Sometimes the barrel needs rebedding in the repros,the lock touches the barrel and sometimes there is nothing under the tang.