Please allow me to introduce myself.� I live in Lexington, KY and am an Electrical Engineer by profession.�

I pick up a Parker Hale 2-band Naval rifle with a serial number 22XX on Monday.� My understanding is this is a first gen P_H.� Is this correct?� The gun, I believe, is stamped Birmingham, England on the barrel and has a cartouche on the stock. It appears to have been fired very little, if any.� The bore is mint.�

I have printed out and read the enfield information on the lrml website.� Any other advise or websites would be greatly appreciated.� �

Thank you.

Pat,

Thanks for the reply.� I look forward to next one.�

I guess I should answer "D, all of the above..."� I am an avid Civil War enthusiast and have considerable interest in the history of the the Enfield.� I also enjoy shooting black powder rifles and revolvers.� I just want to learn everything I can about all aspects of the Enfield.� ��

I am familiar with the NSSA forum and have started looking at the MLAGB. Anything you can direct me at is greatly appreciated.

Thank you again,

James

While we are listing resources, have a look at the following:

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/firearms/british/enfield/index.htm

David

James,

The Bill Adams articles are ones I have had for a number of years.� �They may be "out of circulation" now.� Fortunately, Bill Adams and I share a mutual shooting friend.� I'll see if I can get Bill's phone number from that mutual friend and talk to Bill about how you may obtain a copy of the articles.

In the mean time with regard to your question about bullets to try, I'll pass along some of the information in Bill Adams' article, "Intermediate Enfield," in which he describes his experience in trying a number of bullets, etc.

One thing to keep in mind about Bill's information is that he is focused on accuracy in the context of North-South Skirmish Association matches that are predominately shot at 50 and 100 yards.� And, the results are a number of years old (Swiss powder may not even have been available in the US at the time of his testing).� That being said, Bill shot a number of Enfield type (original and repro) rifles with a number of bullets with a number of lubes.� His summary findings were "The best all around load combination for the various arms tested was the Lyman 575213 (not the Old Style - OS) with a charge of 42.5 grains FFFg Goex powder lubed with beeswax and tallow (he doesn't specify the mix but 50/50 is a good bet)� The RCBS bullet (wad cutter style) with 40-42 grains of Goex grouped well in most repros and in many original arms."

With regard to the Pritchett bullets, Bill had this to say "the 530-grain Pritchett bullets fired with a paper patch lubed with (50/50) beeswax and Mobil I and 70 grains of Fg powder was devastatingly powerful and accurate in all arms with progressive depth rifling.� The load grouped well but the recoil was abusive."� �That was the standard service load of the day with 50/50 beeswax and tallow lube on the paper patch as I recall.�

But as always, every rifle is a law unto itself.� You just have to find what works best in yours.� Hopes this helps get you started.

Paul,

I believe the "mutual friend" I mentioned already is a past member of this forum or at least browses it.

Once I understand the copyright situation with Bill Adams' articles, if it is feasibile, I was going to suggest that Bill and David confer on the possibility of posting them on the MLAGB website.� �I will extend to him an invitation to join the LRML forum as well as the MLAGB forum.

Bill, as far as I last knew, is heavily into N-SSA style matches which are far different than LRML matches.� �The N-SSA matches are more tuned to US/CSA Civil War battlefield slug-fests in that they are mostly fired at reactive targets (hanging clay pigeons) at 50 to 100 yards against time (to break all of your targets).� They may be done "individually" or in larger formations.� They are mostly (I believe as I am not any kind of authority on their rules) shot at the hanging clay pigeons by men in appropriate uniform of the Civil War units they represent.� They also conduct mortar and field artillery matches at least twice per year.

If you are interested in learning more, check out:

� http://n-ssa.org/phpBB3/� �, the N-SSA forum.� Go to
� http://n-ssa.org� for their main website.

I've not seen the field canon shoots, but the mortar shoots are fun.� They put a pole in the ground for a target.� Then they measure the fall of each shot from the pole.� I assume the winner is the team with the smallest sum of shot-fall to pole distances.� You can follow the balls as they arch through the air.

I go to the Nationals which are held in the spring and fall, not to compete (family health issues preclude that) but to browse the sutler stores for old rifles, old parts, lead, etc.� It's really a fun thing to do.� Come down and try it sometime.

The events are held at Ft. Shennandoah near Winchester, Virginia.� Bill is from West Virginia, I believe.� One of his predecessors was a member and probably an (the) officer of the 34th Bn Virginia Calvary.


Pat

James, I'm sure you will enjoy Capt. Heaton's book.� Also try to get a copy of Alex Lord Russell's book, "Hand Book of Rifle Shooting," it is still available in reprint I believe.� Russell's book is more extensive in it's coverage of shooting topics than is Heaton's.� �If I had to choose between the two books it would be very hard, but I'd probably end up choosing Russell's book.� �They are the two books that I most use and value.

I may have gotten my copy of Russell's book through Amazon.� Give it a try first.� If that doesn't work try abebooks.com.� Abe Books is a wonderful resource for locating both new and old/used books of any type at reasonable prices.


Pat

James, my copy of Heaton's book is very well done.� It has a nice green hardcover, excellent font, and is a pleasure to read and to hold.

It was published by W.S. Curtis (publishers) Limited.� My version was published in 1993.� If the name W.S. Curtis sounds familiar, it should, Bill is the senior member (founder maybe, even) of the MLAGB forum and by decendency this forum as well.� �I'm sorry you got a lousy copy from a different publisher, but if it were me, I'd bite the bullet and get a copy that was published by W.S. Curtis.� �I can't remember whether I ordered mine out of England or not, but I know I had to do one book that way.� �I probably found it using either Amazon or ABE Books.

There's hope, there is a very good version out there that you will enjoy having.� �Sorry, I didn't list the publisher in the references I posted.� I didn't think there would be more than one.

I'll add the publishers to the book list:
"Notes on Rifle Shooting," Captain Heaton, 1864, W.S. Curtis (Publishers) Ltd., 1993;

"Hand Book of Rifle Shooting," Alex Lord Russell, 1869, Museum Restoration Service, 1989;

"Rifling and Rifle Sights," Lieut.-Col. Viscount Bury, M.P., 1864, Excalibur Publications, 1995;

"The Art of Shooting with The Rifle," Col. Sir H. St. John Halford, 1888, Excalibur Publications, 1995.


Pat