Zouave goodness

[Shotgun Willy]

Checked into my local pawn/gun shop the other day, thinking about a flintlock. On the wall was a very nice looking, two mile long percussion rifle. The owner of the shop thought it might be a Springfield clone, (he brought out an actual CW Springfield that had been chopped, to show me the similarities), but it just didn't look right to me. Anyhow, long story short, today I went back and bought it. It was $150.00 + tax, and had accessories with it. The balls, and Maxi-balls are for a .54 cal, but they'll melt and/or end up in the powder mill I'm planning. Pretty sweet deal, from what I can tell. Sundance44 says his does prb very well, so I ordered some .575's from the Cheapshotstore. Can't wait until they get here.
A few months ago I bought a brass framed, .36 cal., 1851 with the only makers mark being an overlapped PR on the bottom of the grip. This rifle has the same PR. The rifle also has DART stamped on the barrel. Maybe my google-fu is weak, but I can't figure out who made either one of these. I know they're Italian, and from the '70's, but that's it. Anybody got a clue, 'cause I don't.

 

[4v50 Gary]

$150 with all that loot in the photo? I would also jump on it even though I don't need another musket.

 

[Voodoochile]

Man I need to find me a sweet deal like that one.

Congrats on the find.

 

[sundance44s]

Willy the Zouave would probally be eaither EuroArms or Armisport ...I think your gonna really enjoy it ..I tried the .570 and the .575 round balls in mine ..the .570 were store bought ...then I ordered a mold from Lee ...they only have the .575 ..the good news is ..it shoots the same with eaither , and both load easy enough ...with an .018 thick pillow tick patch.

 

[Phantom Captain]

Are you sure it's a .58 and not a .54?

If it's a .54 caliber it would be more like a Mississippi Rifle clone and not a Zouave Rifle and then more for round balls than conicals.

Looking at your pic closer though, it does appear to be a Zoauve. Nice bargain regardless!

Just my $.02

 

[sharps59]

Go to the N-ssa boar look up john holland. he can tell you what you have.

 

[Shotgun Willy]

Thanks Sharps, I'll do that.

Sundance, thanks for the help. I ordered wome .575 balls from the Cheapshotstore on ebay, yesterday. I've gotten.375's for my navy from them, and they were pretty good. Good prices too. For 100 .575 balls, it was 15.02 delivered. Of course, if I start shooting a lot, I'll just buy a mold.

 

[DMZ]

Willy, my Zouave won't shoot doesn't like round balls at all. It's 1 in 66" does not seem to impart enough spin on a round ball to stabilize it very well.

I could not get it to group with @ 50 yards with Speer .570 round balls, so I switched back to .575 lubed Minie balls and could print nice 3" groups at the same distance. I used the rest of the round balls for wrist rocket ammo.

BTW, I think the rate of twist for Hawkins reproductions, which are designed for patched round balls, is around 1 in 28".

So before you stock up on round balls, you might see how they shoot.

 

[oneshooter]

I think the rate of twist for Hawkins reproductions, which are designed for patched round balls, is around 1 in 28".

The twist for round ball is from 1-48 (fair) to 1-66 (better) all the way to 1-72 ( my favorite). What patch and powder load did you use to test PRB in your rifle? A loose patch/ball combo won't shoot worth spit, even in a 1-72 twist( still my favorite!)

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[arcticap]

Dart is the trademark of the Italian company named "River Estrina" of Brescia, Italy. The company was a registered Italian gunmaker in 1971. If the rifle is marked Dart, then that's the outfit that either made, assembled or at least shipped the gun.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=339009&highlight=dart

 

[scrat]

dang thats one heck of a find. i guess i have to visit the local pawn shops more.

 

[Rachen]

Beautiful rifle, looking at the small thumbnail pic, it looks a little like a Mosin Nagant.

Shotgun Willy, all you need now is a matching bayonet for it.

 

[Shotgun Willy]

Thanks everybody, I'm looking forward to shooting this puppy.
Arcticap, in doing searches, on THR, I found the thread with 'Riva Estrina' in it. Then I pretty much dead ended, since they're long gone. Hopefully I'll find something else, some other way. Thanks.

Scrat, this 'pawnshop' is owned by a retired cop, and is more of a little gun shop, that does a little pawning. I'd love to rummage around in his back room, because he says he has an original Zouave back there too, and I've seen a Springfield he brought out to show me. When I went in to pick it up, he had an old flintlock shotgun hanging up. I want to know what other treasures he has.

Rachen, don't think for a second, that a bayonet hasn't crossed my mind.

 

[Tomb29]

PRB VS Mini

If you are shooting a .58 cal I find that in the N-SSA shooting I did that I liked the 575213 Lyman mold New style 510 grain mini with the cavity filled with Crisco. ( may add a little bees wax when it gets hot out) loaded over 50 grains of 3F Goex. Shoots good and accurite at 50 and 100 yds. Make sure you size your rounds about .0015 under land size. Usually .575 Let round slide in and push down with ramrod and just a couple of light taps and you are set to go. Cleans up with a very mild solution of Simple Green or just plain old dish washing detergent and warm water. Finish off with a light patch of WD-40. Remember to dry swab bore before first load. Single brush stroke with muzzle down if round starts to get a little sticky going down. Usually after about 10-15 rounds sometimes you can go as much as 20