I have a chance to pick up a Lorenz from pre 1858, percussion, Not Civil War 54/58 cal, the sniper rifle with the knee/ramp indexed rear sight to 1200 paces.
As far as I know this is a rare one. Weren't many in the sharpshooter class made and most were sent to the US for wartime with 54/58 barrels.
No longer contemplating, I own it. Sight goes out to 1500 Shritt (paces)
There is NOT A MARKING anywhere on the rifle, no proof, no stamps of any kind. No numbers, very very odd. If it as scrubbed, it was done pre 1880 as there is NO WAY to produce the aging that has been generated.The bore will clean to exceptional. Being an iron barrel, Im looking at what 2F loads I can run safely (following a couple of proofs) and what conical I can run patched. Most of the ones I can find data on are 58/54 cal and thats not helpful!
I can find almost zero reference to this particular caliber/rifle design. Im stoked for this one, I swore off buying any more ML's but this one is had to be acquired!! Romping on a muley with it at 100, being 163 years old is a superb idea.
Who here shoots a patched 69 cal with an iron barreled gun that might be able to speak into the bullet best suited that is still available in current mold? Id like to shoot the conical style, not an RB....??? Don't care about minutia, just guidance on BP load and a potential available mold that is proven to shoot descent.
Id like to take an opportunity to hunt an 1854 rifle!!!
It measures about .703 at the muzzle and I say that about 69 cal patched. Rudimentary measurement of poor accuracy but its not a 72!!
Maybe Im wrong about the conical, maybe that was reserved for the conversion guns and US delivered arsenal. Maybe its RB only???
Thanks in advance
Mike