Parker Hale Enfield Musketoon

[bryantanthonydp]

http://www.lymanproducts.com

[ALLAN114]

Hi,

I had the 1861 Musketoon Parker Hale replica which I used to shoot regularly at Shoreham in kent with the Seal & Sevenoaks R&PC. I used 70 grns of powder which was medium grade, ad it worke well out to 400 yds. I do remember doing some work on the Lyman Minee mould as it cast a little small for my guns barrel. I machined the grooves out a few thou then made a sizing die such that the bullet just ran the rifling when loading. I also made quite a deep plug for the base. I used to lube with lard and also fill the base of the bullet with lard. Once all this was done it shot very consistently and trouble free - a well made gun compared to some of the rubbish replicas out there.

Many hours of enjoyment.

Allan

[schony]

Thanks Allen for your insight into loadings. I have certainly found the Parker Hale to be exceptionally well made in comparison to some of the replicas out there. It is almost like holding a piece of history, which is one of the many things I like about it. Mine was a import form the States and has wear marks on the cheek side of the stock and also under the forend. This adds to its uniquness for me. The barrel looks virtually unused. The previous owner obviously took good care of it. I look forward to taking her down he range one day and seeing what she can do.
Alan

[ALLAN114]

Schony,

You won't be dissapointed, as you say they are well made.

I had a couple of other replica guns, a Pedersoli long rifle in 45 cal which had a good barrel but the lock mechanism was rubbish and the cap always got stuck on the nipple. Fortunately where I worked we had a little workshop with a fitter that made everything to a tenth of a thou. He was slow but mustard at fixing things so eventually he rebuilt the lock and turned a few thou off the nipple. After that it worked much more consistently with better lock action. I also had a spanish made replica of a duelling pistol and same story, if you tightened up all the screws on the lock it jammed solid. Once again this lock was reworked and also the frizzen face was too soft so it didn't spark well. My tame fitter cut the frizzen face back and soldered a bit of gauge plate steel to it which was hardened and tempered. Again it worked well after that, but as supplied it was absolute rubbish.

Allan

[schony]

I think the Italian and spanish replicas are good value for money provided you dont mind doing some work on them. Also we cant all afford the real article. I bought a CVA hawken kit some years ago and it went together and finished well. It shot well but was so overbalanced on the front end. I bored a hole in the end of the stock and added moulten lead to bring some of the balance back and it worked well. I just wish we had some of the continental laws where black powder muzzle loading single shot replicas were not controlled such as they are here. There would be far more participants then. Its a shame that our governments dont trust their own citizens the way other countries do, perhaps we deserve what we get.
Alan

[ALLAN114]

In the UK I think that Black Powder guns are more difficult to acquire and use than ordinary rifles as you need both an FAC and (if its still required) a licence to buy and hold the powder. I think it would be safe to demote BP guns the same level as shotguns, but I don't think it will happen in ht e near future. If anything thigs will get tighter.

Allan

[gtpkeeper]

lovely guns there ,

[tacfoley]

In the UK I think that Black Powder guns are more difficult to acquire and use than ordinary rifles as you need both an FAC and (if its still required) a licence to buy and hold the powder. I think it would be safe to demote BP guns the same level as shotguns, but I don't think it will happen in ht e near future. If anything thigs will get tighter.

Allan

Sir - not at all - and for the following reasons -

1. In general, BP firearms of all kinds are substantially cheaper than their centre-fire brethren.

2. The BP license is in two parts - one to acquire and store, and one to transport, and are both free.

3. If by 'use' you mean that gun clubs are more reticent about allowing BP firearms to be used on their premises, then this is a matter of education.

And by the way, mention of 'patches' and the Musketoon in the same context is misleading - the Minié bullet does NOT use any kind of patch, but the ball, for which the Musketoon is NOT designed, having relatively shallow rifling, DOES need a patch.

tac

[gtpkeeper]

as tac sayes except now it changed just a bit to
From 1 June 2012 explosives certificates issued under the Control of Explosives Regulations 1991 (COER) will also fulfil the function of the RCA document.

From 1st June 2012 the RCA approval document will be incorporated into newly issued COER explosive certificates. This removes the need to also apply to HSE for a separate approval to transfer explosives within Great Britain.

Applications for the new combined COER explosive certificate/RCA are via your local Police Explosives Liaison Officer.