ORIGINAL: smokepolin66
I have the exact duplicate of the one Semisane posted, I have never fired the rifle. I too appreciate the info on the loads. If it is not too much trouble keep us up on what you find is working best for you.Mine I beleave is a Navy arms and I was told it was a two banded enfield ( maybeanother name fora zouave), but I am no expert on military MLs.
The Enfield while very similar to the Union troops Zouave was a Confederate weapon for the most part. The Enfield Rifle was a British made rifle. The Union troops would have been more prone to having a Springfield Rifle. Although what many do not know, there were actually a lot of different makes, models, and calibers of weapon used during the civil war. They ranged from .54 caliber to the .69 caliber rifled & smoothbore muskets.
It was claimed many of the Confederate troops were equipped with small caliber hunting rifles in the early part of the war,and some with shotguns. Then as the battles progressed they outfitted themselves with battle field armament so they would all be similar in caliber, powder, and projectile which was a real advantage when you ran out of bullets in the heat of battle but your fellow soldier next to you did not.
The Enfield was available in both smoothbore musket and rifled musket. They were.58 caliber and the two band being a shorter barrel model was normally found carried by officers and sergeants. The three band Enfield being a longer rifle was carried by the infantry soldier. The Enfield Rifle was known for its accuracy and its overall dependability.