pulled a .58 cal huntsman from safe ?

[casca1]

Don't know much about anything and know very little about muzzle loaders other than load from one end that it shoots out of

any favorite loads for the .58 cal  just casted some sunday minni rounds  20 to be
exact  don't think I wanna shoot it more than that

gun is in new condition, otherwise I wouldn't have it.   just for the life of me can not recall why I bought it.

any comment & loads  would be of help and interest

[PHATINJUN]

I use 80gr of FFG Shockey's Gold behind several differant slugs from 300gr  TC minnies,385gr Buffalo Ball-ets and my favorite the 405gr Buffalo Ball-et 50 to 75yrds open sites easy 4" groups every time.#11 cap much bigen smoke great big chunk o lead=ton o fun. Kurt

[casca1]

the slugs I casted are LEE 500 grainers  is 80grn. enough ?  Think I got about 10 pounds of fffg in elephant and gorex out in the garage with the rest of the powder
thanks

[PHATINJUN]

I would think 80 would at least be a good starting spot with the FFFG .I can't hardly see past 75yrds with the open sites and most shots are under 50 so my load works well for me. That 500grnr ought to rock em. Kurt

[PHATINJUN]

I have the original manual for these old Huntsmans and it shows the load for the .58 and these are black powder loads does not say anything about substitutes. #11 cap,55gr FFG, .013 patch .562 pure lead round ball. Minnie any of several availible commercially no patch needed.Note: Minnies must be lubricated. I had started @55gr and have worked my way to 100gr with the 80gr of Shockeys getting full burn with 405 gr Ball-et. I got 2 of the .58's and am tempted to cut one of them down to maybe 20 some inches. Hope this helps some. Kurt

[Catshooter45]

Phatinjun,

That is interesting load data from the factory.  Do you know the velocities that go with these loads?

I think I am going to cut my .58 to 20 inches also.  Have to cut a new dovetail for the front sight and re-attach the ramrod sleeve afterwards, but I think losing eight inches would really help in the field.  Hell, I just might use the eight inch cut off piece and make a pistol out of it!

I picked up a .25 acp breech block to try but it must be for the later guns as it's allmost .250" short.   So since I have to make a new plug to fit my 1973 rifle, I just may make it to take the .45 acp instead of the .25.  We'll see.


Cat

[PHATINJUN]

The manual does not show any vel. or bullet gr wieght. But says to consult the Lyman#45 loader book which I have . In it it shows IIRC 60gr of FFG Black Powder with a Lyman 505gr Minnie doing 1076fps it lists the Lyman mold # but I don't recall right off what it was and I am at work right now. I chronoed my 405 gr Ball-ets a few yrs ago but don't remember xact thought it was near 1300fps. One of the things I like about the Ball-ets is the cross hatch style of grease grooves for me I think it works very well with the shallow rifling of the .58 Huntsman. Kurt