.577 Parker Hale Musketoon.

[tim56]

Iv been to have a look at the Musketoon this afternoon and she looks good. Serial number is just under the 4000 mark.
Crown over BP is stamped next to the nipple on top of the cylinder, Parker Hale stamp is as tac posted and the cartouche
is stamped into the stock in the right place. Wasn't able to remove the barrel but put my thumb over the nipple and blew
as hard as i could maintaining a steady pressure and couldn't feel any reduction in said pressure. Will remove the barrel
once i get my ticket sorted and get it home to be sure. Rifling looks shallow but crisp and very very clean.
Condition of metalwork is virtually as new and the wood has a few minor scuffs consistent with handling/storage. Wood fit
is excellent and the triggers not too heavy. Feels good in the shoulder, not as front heavy as the 2 band. Priced at £350
including delivery to my RFD i recon its worth the money. Just need to get the required slot now and away we go. Tim

[tacfoley]

Iv been to have a look at the Musketoon this afternoon and she looks good. Serial number is just under the 4000 mark.
Crown over BP is stamped next to the nipple on top of the cylinder, Parker Hale stamp is as tac posted and the cartouche
is stamped into the stock in the right place. Wasn't able to remove the barrel but put my thumb over the nipple and blew
as hard as i could maintaining a steady pressure and couldn't feel any reduction in said pressure. Will remove the barrel
once i get my ticket sorted and get it home to be sure. Rifling looks shallow but crisp and very very clean.
Condition of metalwork is virtually as new and the wood has a few minor scuffs consistent with handling/storage. Wood fit
is excellent and the triggers not too heavy. Feels good in the shoulder, not as front heavy as the 2 band. Priced at £350
including delivery to my RFD i recon its worth the money. Just need to get the required slot now and away we go. Tim

#4000-something is fine. Cogratualtioms.

The rifling IS shallow. That's what it is meant to look like.

tac

[tim56]

Ticket finally returned so been over my RFD today and picked the Muskertoon up. Am about ready to give her a
go and week on sat is looking favourable so got a bit of time to tinker. Minnies are made, powder measure is set
up at 55grns of TS2 and have some top hats. Just need to make a new ram rod out of 1/2" dowel and we are done.
The rifle is noticeably lighter than the 2 band and feels really nice to hold so roll on sat. Tim

[tim56]

Finally got to shoot the Musketoon. 55grns of TS2 with a Minnie cast out of pure lead. Crap! Bullets going all over the place
and turning in flight so big long bullet shaped holes in the target. This is the same problem i had with the two band so probably
my mould thats no good. Switched to patched round ball and put 5 straight in the 9 ring and the bull.!!
Expected a big increase in recoil compared with the heavier two band but was pleasantly surprised, sits really nice in the shoulder
with non of the front heavy feeling. Sights are point of aim at 25 yds on the lowest setting and the triggers crisp with no creep
and not as heavy. Mate that bought the two band off me is up for a 50m show down next sat so i may give the bullets another try
with a heavier load, might just need a bit more pressure to expand the base.?? Tim

[tacfoley]

Finally got to shoot the Musketoon. 55grns of TS2 with a Minnie cast out of pure lead. Crap! Bullets going all over the place
and turning in flight so big long bullet shaped holes in the target. This is the same problem i had with the two band so probably
my mould thats no good. Switched to patched round ball and put 5 straight in the 9 ring and the bull.!!
Expected a big increase in recoil compared with the heavier two band but was pleasantly surprised, sits really nice in the shoulder
with non of the front heavy feeling. Sights are point of aim at 25 yds on the lowest setting and the triggers crisp with no creep
and not as heavy. Mate that bought the two band off me is up for a 50m show down next sat so i may give the bullets another try
with a heavier load, might just need a bit more pressure to expand the base.?? Tim

Try 60 and 65gr - remember that the service load was the same for ALL issue long-arms in cartridge-form - 2 1/2 drams [68gr] of FRP [fine rifle powder]. The Minié bullet should be able to be started with a bit of thumb pressure only, and don't fill the base, either Don't expect MOA groups though. On a good day, mine, shooting the usual Lyman deep-based bullet, puts them into about 2-3 inches at 50m, no matter how lucky I'm feeling. My load is 60gr of FFg or 55gr of Pyrodex RS [ducks].

tac

[steve medlock]

Which minie are you using Tim? The Lyman 577611 (i think it is) 530 grain with the thicker skirt and conical cavity works best in my Musketoon. (I would add that I use a .575 sizing die). Much better than the minies that I've used in 2 & 3 bands which I didn't have much luck with in the musketoon. The musketoon has different rifling from memory and obviously with the short barrel is not going to have much in common with the longer rifles. 55g of swiss no4has always worked for me. This is the gun that I enjoy shooting the most.

Steve.

[tim56]

Hi Steve, mine is numbered 575213AM. Bullet weighs in at 572grns, has a dia. of .576", a conical base cavity and on each
side of the mould its stamped LYMAN 585. Have tried this bullet in both my 2 band (now sold) and in my Musketoon. They
load effortlessly down the Musketoon barrel with only minor effort required but took more effort to load in the 2 band.
Both guns shoot well with patched round ball so not too bothered at the moment but certainly this mould seems heavy at 572
grns compared to the usual 530 grn. I tried upping the load in increments of 5 grns between 50 and 80 grns with the 2 band
and it made no difference other than felt recoil started rattling the teeth at 80. Tim
Morning tac. 2 to 3" at 50m. Id be glad to just hit the target at the moment.!!!