Brunswick Rifle Bullets for Barnett Sights

yulzari

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Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Location
Plymouth and Basse Marche
When Barnett in London bought batch/es of surplus Brunswick Rifles they altered them to have Pattern 1851 Enfield type rear sights.

Clearly these were unnecessary when used with the standard 2 groove belted ball as the original sights were adequate to that task. One has to conclude that the more modern rear sights were added to either add value by making them look more modern, or to make use of a longer range bullet than the 2 groove belted ball..

If it were the latter what might that have been? I am aware that 0,69" Minie type bullets were put to use in Confederate Brunswicks but this seems to have been a fortuitous improvisation and certainly no such moulds are noted as issued with the Barnett Brunswicks.

The Russian Belgian made Brunswick copies ('Luttich') changed in Russian service from the original 2 groove belted ball to the 2 wing pointed conical 'Kulikov' bullet and they gave them new sights for much longer ranges. These gained a positive reputation in the hands of their Finnish marksmen in the Crimean War. Could it have been that these Barnett refurbished Brunswick Rifles, sold to the Confederate army, have been intended for a bullet similar to the Russian 'Kulikovs'?

Have such bullets for a 0,704" bore been found?
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The English Connection, although published 6 years ago touched briefly on Brunswick bullets, and sights which you also mentioned.
I hope the photos will be helpful.

Bullets first:
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The CS imported Brunswicks of the Pattern 1837 and 1844 were purchased by Barnett as condemned guns and/or surplus parts. He did the build ups and sold then to/through S. Issac Campbell to Caleb Huse the CS buying agent. 2020 were known to have been purchased and 620 were known to have been captured while running the blockade. That number may be higher as the capture records are often not specific as to "rifles" types, and state purchased guns were not listed. Barnett fitted the Brunswicks with Pattern 1856 rifle 1100 yard sights, which are totally different from the P51 sight.
Photos of the difference;
A Pattern 1851 rear sight:
20201007_093352_resized (2).jpg

and a pattern 1837 CSA version rear sight: Also on P56/60 rifles
20201007_092536_resized (2).jpg

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Yes 1856. My mistake. Available off the shelf at the time.

The 0,60/0,63" multi groove rifles really are not Brunswicks but just looked like them. Not Ordnance. Not 2 groove. These would not have been bought as Ordnance surplus as they were privately owned but from the civilian market. Possibly individually or via the trade buying them in and would come with their own moulds to the taste of their owners. The incompatibility with Ordnance issue ammunition helped drive the later volunteers into being required to have rifles that would take the standard 0,577" cartridge.

It is an good point that the 1851 cartridge is the same bore size as the Brunswick. I must adjust my thoughts to the possibility that cartridges and bullets for the Barnett Brunswicks were the same as the Pattern 1851 cartridges so are lost in the overall numbers and issues of those 1851 type cartridges. I will add that to the bullets to trial in mine when it is finished.

If some cartridges were noted in 'green fine' it seems likely that they are referring to original type Brunswick cartridges as only they (or rather their powder cases) were in 'fine green' paper with 1851 cartridges being in 'white fine'.
 
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