I have done a lot of research in these rifled muskets because I will purchase an ArmiSport .58 cal. P53 Enfield 3-band rifled musket this summer and it will be completely defarbed when I received it. This rifle will cost serious money, or a total of $800 for the defarbed rifle, fitted 16" bayonet, bayonet scabbard, and Confederate issue canvas sling. I feel like if you are going to by a reproduction P53 Enfield rifle, you should spend the extra $150 to have it defarbed or what is the point in buying one at all. There are some reproduction P53 Enfields that are made in India and cost $350 but you should never shoot live cartridges in those. They are made for specifically for reenactors where only blank powder catridges are used.

The P53 Enfield was the standard .577" cal. British Infantry weapon from 1853 through 1867. It fires a .575" minie bullet or .570" patched ball with a 60 gr. FFg black powder load. The blank cartridge is a paper wrapped cylinder (Paper Ladys) loaded with 60 gr. black powder. The Confederate soldier carried 40 cartriges in his cartridge box either on his belt occasionally in the Trans Mississippi theater or sling mostly in other theaters of operations. The cartridge box is slung from the sholders or mounted on the utility belt on the right side.

The South imported 900,000 P53 Enfields from private contractors in England and was second only to the Springfield rifle in use in both armies of the North and South. The British government would not sell weapons to either side.