Milsurp After Hours

I am being seriously tempted by a reportedly veeery nice two band pattern 1853 Enfield in .577".

Going to see the piece tomorrow but I'm pretty much confident I'm going to have to buy it.

It isn't cheap at around £1200 but if it as as good as described I can't really turn it down.

Always wanted one and toyed with getting a PH repro for a while but always wanted the real McKay, the whole Volunteer and early Territorial movement has always stirred my imagination.

I've also been shooting a lot of BP shotgun recently and had made the decision to get a BP piece so it is timely if expensive.

Will try and remember to take the camera tomorrow and get some pictures if it is as good as described.

Any recommendations on moulds.

You say it's a pattern 1953 2-band, Adam, but wasn't the 1853 the 3-band? The 2-band was the pattern 1858 "Navy" rifle.

The longer rifle has a slower twist and three grooves of constant depth whereas the 2-band has 7 (I think) grooves of progressive depth and faster 1 in 48 twist. The 2-band also has the heavier barrel and a bayonet lug to mount the Yataghan sword bayonet.

The 2-band was found to be more accurate than the 3-band and easier to handle.

Parker Hale produced their own mould for the 2-band. The bullet needs to be slightly heavier and with a more shallow base cup. Lyman (again, I think) produce a mould with a "PH" prefix but I use a standard cheapo Lee mould with a cut down base cavity thingy that throws an approximately 600 grain bullet. The standard load was 70 grains of BP. Be sure to lube the grooves well with something like Emmert's Lube (50% beeswax; 40% Cookeen or lard and 10% Rapeseed Oil.) This keeps the fouling soft all day.

I'll look out some web sites for you. I'm drooling to see what you get, as owning the genuine article is one of my dreams.

Brian

You are correct Brian it is the '58 Navy just couldn't remember the year of the top of my head so put it up as a '53 which it is a derivative of, sloppy and innaccurate I know but you got my drift, it's a two band volunteer.

Buying this could well bankrupt me, I've got daughters graduation, her new studio, new P14 barrels and an early BSA No1 Mk111* to spring for this month so it might be out on a bankrupcy sale soon, keep your eyes peeled mate.

All help you can give me on loads, moulds, powder sources, accessories and requisites is greatfully recieved, I'm going through the Research Press site at the moment which has a good article on shooting ML Enfields, I think I'm in love and I haven't seen the lady yet.

The 2-band is definitely the cream of the crop.

I was going to recommend "Managing the Enfield" by Bill Curtis but it looks as though you have already found it. I printed the series of articles out and use it as my muzzle-loading bible. What Mr Curtis doesn't know about these old girls just isn't worth knowing.

Be sure to check the nipple before firing it. You need the modern type with the small hole in the base, not the original. Remember also if buying a replacement not to get one with a metric thread. These are strictly for the Italian repros like mine. I made the mistake of fitting a genuine thread nipple into mine and it took all the skill of my friendly gunsmith to get the bugger out. Use PTFE tape on the nipple threads too when replacing it after cleaning.

"Your" rifle being a Volunteer explains how it escaped the Sniderisation process. Genuine 2-bands in good nick are rare and very desirable.

I want one! Post lots of pictures.

Brian

sounds like a good deal Adam and and the enfields are nice shot a repo years ago it was very accurate you will have lots of fun with this you may even give up those new fangled cartridge guns

Thanks Robert, keep talking mate I've doled out the dosh and it has made a mighty hole in my Bisley poke, still its an investment.

Adam, I take it you will shoot this rifle? I don't know if I wouldn't make it a collectible only with that much invested in a true historically interesting piece from the age of black powder.

I for one would love to get a 3 band Enfield with a US Civil War history to it.

Just for those passing by who don't know what the 1853 three band Enfield looks like I'm attaching a couple of pictures of my reproduction model. I understand the two band Enfield was first produced at the London Armory Company as the Enfield Musketoon.

According to a line in the Dixie Catalog advertising their reproduction version, $625.00 by the way:

Dixie London Armlory Company Enfield Musketoon. The carbine version of the 1853 Enfield Rifle..... During the Civil War, the Confederacy purchased arms from England and Enfield type rifles were made in Vermont and issued to Federal troops. Interestingly enough, James Burton, former master Armourer at Harper's Ferry went to England in 1854 to supervise production as the facility modernized from water power to steam

The carbine version of the 1853 Enfield Rifle-Musket was widely distributed in the ranks of the Union and Confederate Armies during the Civil War with Confederate Cavalry being especially fond of them.