The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

This is one of the rifles ones made by Zoli for Navy Arms sometime in the last century. I picked it up used about 20 years ago and after a careful cleaning and inspection suspected that it had probably never been fired. In a CTBF (Complicated Trade Between Friends) the rifle ended up the property of my best friend before I had a chance to shoot it. Last weekend I mentioned to him that I looked at a similar rifle at a flea market that I had briefly thought about buying. He said he's never shot the one I traded him and asked what the one at the flea market was priced at. When I told him $300 he offered his Zouave rifle to me for $250. When I accepted he said to give him a week to dig out the bullet molds and musket caps that come with it as he's done with muzzle loaders and this is the last one he owns. No powder came with it as he is still very heavy into BP cartridge firearms. I plan on finally shooting the rifle this time though and probably using it for deer hunting.

It's a caplock so if substitute powders are the only available choice at the local shop they will work. Pyrodex, 777, that sort of thing.

That sounds like a bargain. I hope you find the time to post some pictures.

I'll post some pictures of the rifle and hopefully some pictures of nice targets as well. In looking around I'm more concerned about finding musket caps than suitable powders.

My uncle had one of those back when I was @ 13. Kicked pretty good as I recall. He never hunted with it, because the first time he went deer hunting, (with my Dad) he walked about 1/4 mile into the woods, stopped for a moment, and a deer bounded up to him, and he shot it with his (sporterized) No. 5 Carbine at about 10 yards. He quit after that because he thought it was too easy, and he wasn't too fond of venison at the time. (this was back when guys thought it had to "age" a week or two hanging in a tree.) He did start again many years later, with his son-in-law and his family. Back in '76, BP guns were all the rage with the Bicentennial going on. That's when I got hooked on them, and still love shooting them.
It's always nice to get a gun you sold to a friend back. Enjoy that Zouave, walnutred, and good luck with it this fall!

Real BP is great, but 777 (loose only, I don't recommend pellets in traditional BP guns) is much cleaner, and gives good steady reliable accurate loads. Nothing wrong with Pyrodex, either.

Sweet and a nice price. Those run350 400 ish used here.