The P53 Enfield Rifle-Musket: The 1859 Annual Musketry Qualification

[@SteveAubrey1762]

Watching this man is as close as it gets to actually peering back in time to witness the British army in all its glory.

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Thank you very much!

[@marksellers4875]

How is it possible to not love the Enfield rifle musket?!

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Difficult.

[@newerend2486]

Great video. Nice shooting. Beautiful presentation. Thank you.

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Thank you!

[@sandmanhh67]

Well done mate. A first class performance by a first class video maker. And that hat looks great.

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

+sandmanhh67 Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@markcooper6736]

Well done lad, only sgt Preston (though not of the Mounties fame) bested you. I truly enjoy the videos .

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

You know, as I said "....Sgt Preston...." in the video, it seemed vaguely familiar.... Didn't click until I read your comment... Funny stuff... Glad you liked the clip.

[@T8Hants]

I have tried to find out how the scoring system worked for some time, your video has done me a great service. I have loved the 1860 British Volunteers since I saw the Fort Henry Guard in London back in 1963. I've also got a PH P53 to play with here on the Isle of Wight UK

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

T8Hants I am glad that the clip shed some light on the subject. Do you shoot your PH? If so, what do you you use? The Fort Henry Guard is still going strong, if doing things a bit on the theatrical side, in Kingston. Cheers.

[@T8Hants]

I do shoot the PH a little and hope to do more now that I am semi retired, but only have a 100 yard range to play on, but there again my world is only 10 x 22 miles so space is a bit tight. Also BP is hard to get as the local deal won't stock it as the ferry companies make life hard to bring it over from the mainland. Going to give Pyrodex a try once I can find some BP to measure it against.

[@Ettoredipugnar]

Enjoyed your video as always .

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Thank you!

[@simonferrer]

Thank you for another good video, and fine shooting for a black powder weapon! In this era where even a budget hunting rifle can achieve 1 MOA with good ammo, it was educational to see both the average standard of an earlier era, and just how much marksmanship was more art than science back then. It was also funny to see that a Canadian's score was beat by SGT Preston ;-)

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

I know! I chuckled when I read it. .... and had to add it to the video.

[@powerrockbill]

Another great one!

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Cheers.

[@gregking9935]

Superb shooting Sir

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Greg King Thanks! It was a fun project... I suspect that I will do a similar clip with the Martini and Lee Metford.... In time, of course... Cheers.

[@creaturebrown]

Unrelated to this video but two questions. 1. Can you make a video on making baker rifle cartridges and ball casting etc. (or link me to one)? 2. And how was buying the pieces for you baker rifle, and did you need a gunsmith to assemble it or was it easy? I ask this because i am an avid shooter and a fan of flintlocks but have never used one and don't know how to make cartridges or measure powder etc.

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Hi there. Yes I could do a "casting video". Easy-peasy.. Now, about the cartridges... The cartridges used during the Napoleonic Wars for the Baker rifle were, apparently, of the same general construction as those for the service musket (the Brown Bess). The only difference being the smaller calibre. I haven't yet got around to doing a Bess series, but I will eventually. I haven' t found a good video of making them yet, but they are quite simple, especially when compare to making Enfield cartridges. You can google for any number of "the way I do it" kind of videos though. They are a tube of paper, with the ball choked in one end and the powder in the other closed with a twist or fold.... As for the Rifle itself... All the pieces came in one package from "The Rifle Shoppe"... Unfinished. I had the lock assembled for delivery as I hadn't the facilities to temper springs and the like... The barrel was dovetailed too.... All else was me.. Simple hand tools, chisels, files, sandpaper, emery cloth, small saw. and a drill press were what I used... It was not easy but not outside the realm of someone who has confidence with the above tools... Took a long time (over a summer) to complete but well worth it. Cheers,

[@creaturebrown]

britishmuzzleloaders Thanks mate i appreciate it.

[@LeslieandJames]

Another terrific video, keep up the good work. I recently got into shooting an 1853 Enfield and making my own cartridges. Do you cast your own bullets or purchase them somewhere? Can you offer any tips or suggestions on where to get them or make them? Thanks in advance.

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Hi there. Bullets are cast by me from a mould made by "Brooks Moulds" in Montana. Pritchett moulds are only available in "custom made" form... They are not offered by any mainstream company (Lyman, RCBS, etc,...).. If you are so inclined, in the "Ammunition" playlist here on the Channel, there are videos explaining all the details of the cartridges and how I make them... Happy to answer your questions... Thank you for the kind words. Are you intending to shoot Pritchett rounds or the more common Burton rounds?

[@notarokescientist3003]

Beer pretzels and Britishmuzzleloaders videos

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Cheers!

[@Interp66]

Another great video!

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Thank you very much. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@stewknoles4790]

Another excellent video. I love the history of black powder shooting. I own a Pedersoli P53 and it's a wonderful cap and ball rifled musket. I use my own cast Minnie balls in .575 caliber. They seem to work quite well. I do have a question how big a powder charge is the best. I only use real powder. I can't seem to remember the brand but it is German made and in 2F. I have tried different size loads and cannot seem to get it right. I might be loading to light. I am not nearly the shot you are but it is a great musket. Can you help me?

[@stewknoles4790]

Thank you sir. I did mic my bore and the Minnie balls only average .575 or the .577 they usually are within 1 or 2 thousandths off. If more they go back into the smelting batch. I did run into the problem with store bought rounds and they were so tight after the second round that it was way too tight. That's when I decided to melt my own lead. I mic it. Every round. I will try the ball bearing trick.

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Stew Knoles Just to be clear, the ball bearing trick was for the round used to measure the bore, not the rounds to shoot... I didn't mention that you can get a simple sizing die that you push the rounds through... If you have a mould that is a bit chubby by a couple of thou.. It was an integral and important step when I was shooting Burton rounds. ( I don't shoot them anymore) Cast the rounds, dip them in the lube, and then push them through the die... makes them the exact size and strips off excess lube.. You seem to be taking a good amount of care with your rounds and sizing them fits easily into a "bullet making routine" albeit another step. This will aide greatly in the consistency that is the real secret to shooting the Enfield (and all rifle-muskets).

[@benrobertson7855]

Hi ,I seem to have missed it ...but could you please shed some light on "the ball bearing trick".thanks.

[@duncanandrews1940]

Very interesting Rob. I am intrigued to know where your 'range' is. Do you own it or borrow it!! That's good shooting and an interesting video, thanks.

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Duncan, The areas that I shoot are what we call "Crown Land" here. They belong to everybody.... Most of BC is as such.. The land can be used for industrial purposes (i.e. logging, mining, etc) but when it is not, it there for recreation: Fishing, hunting, backcountry adventuring, camping, 4x4ing, dirt biking, or when there is a safe area to do it in, shooting. The "world is your oyster" as they say. Sadly the area that this clip was shot in is closed for industrial use and I have to go elsewhere... I am glad that I got this one done when I did because finding a piece of land that one can shoot 500 yds isn't easy to come by. Cheers.

[@dukkha62]

Excellent video - thank you. Although I have one comment on the methodology you used. Finding a clear space 600 to 900 yards to fire as per regulations is understandably difficult and hence your decision to scale down the size of the targets makes sense. However there are variables that come with range that cannot be scaled down such as the effects of cross winds. Clearly a strong breeze at a short range will have the same effect on the bullet's trajectory as a slight breeze at a long range. There is also the atmospheric shimmering haze which increases with distance and greatly effects accuracy. While scaling down target size is a sensible compromise, nothing can compensate for the effects of actually firing at those longer ranges from 600 to 900 yards.

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

Hi Rod. Thanks for that. Fully aware that this does not completely reproduce the full effect of environmental facets of longer range shooting. It was what it was,....... a fun reproduction, given the best available conditions. The farthest I have shot my P53 is 700yds. The 6 foot metal target rang with satisfying regularity... Footage in the "Alberta Shoot" videos from 2015 and 16 I think...

[@jason60chev]

How come you don't have a medal, like those British soldiers, during the opening?

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

A medal? For what?

[@jason60chev]

@@britishmuzzleloaders I don't know. The soldiers in the introduction are wearing a Medal. Figured you'd have one, too.

[@britishmuzzleloaders]

@ They are wearing the Crimean War Medal…. One doesn’t wear medals that one wasn’t awarded..

[@jason60chev]

@@britishmuzzleloaders Maybe you should be awarded one, for Integrity? I enjoyed this video, as I have all your videos.