Interchangeable ammunition....

[LCYingling3rd]

Someone asked me if the .58 Caliber ammunition of a model 1861 Springfield was interchangeable with the .577 Caliber ammo of the 1853 British Enfield. I did some basic searches and got mixed reviews. But I just don't know.

They are close, but I would think Enfield ammo might fit Springfields however Springfield ammo would be too big for the slightly smaller Enfield. And just because it is smaller does not mean the Enfield would work in the Springfield either.

And, for that matter, was any ammunition from any of the many firearms interchangeable with other firearms?

What should I tell my friend?

Thanks....

 

[John Winn]

The ammunition wasn't interchangeable. One could probably fire at least a few rounds of Enfield in a clean Springfield but not the reverse. All rifled muskets - and bullets - weren't absolutely identical so that would have been a factor (i.e. actual bore and bullet diameter) and, as I alluded, the cleanliness of the barrel would also have been a factor. I'm putting five bucks on: one might have been able to fire a few rounds of Enfield ammo in a Springfield but not the other way around.

Those with more knowledge will, I hope, chime in.

 

[LCYingling3rd]

The ammunition wasn't interchangeable. One could probably fire at least a few rounds of Enfield in a clean Springfield but not the reverse. All rifled muskets - and bullets - weren't absolutely identical so that would have been a factor (i.e. actual bore and bullet diameter) and, as I alluded, the cleanliness of the barrel would also have been a factor. I'm putting five bucks on: one might have been able to fire a few rounds of Enfield ammo in a Springfield but not the other way around.

Those with more knowledge will, I hope, chime in.

That is making sense. I don't know where, but I have a vague memory of reading somewhere that it was done, but I am doubting it too. Thanks

 

[Don Dixon]

The limit rejection gauges for the 1855-64 family of Springfield rifles and rifle muskets was a minimum of .580 inches and a maximum of .5825 inches. Anything outside those standards was supposed to be condemned and rejected. The initial gauge standard for the swagged bullets used in ammunition for those weapons was .5775 inches. This was changed to .574 inches in 1862 to ensure that issue ammunition would fit the bore of the considerable number of .577 caliber Pattern 1853 Enfield rifles coming into Federal Army service, with a corresponding reduction in accuracy. The Federals did not manufacture Enfield standard ammunition. In response to the accuracy problem the Federals increased the powder charge in their ammunition from 60 to 65 grains in 1864 to better expand the bullet.

So, in 1861 standard Federal Army .58 caliber ammunition could be used in a clean Enfield with a minimum ordnance standard bore, and easily used in an Enfield with a slightly larger but still acceptable bore diameter. Beginning in 1862, standard Federal Army .58 caliber ammunition could be used in Springfields, Enfields, and Muster 1854 System Lorenz rifles and rifle muskets bored out to .577 and .58 caliber and re-rifled, which is why one will often see Springfields, Enfields, and .58 caliber Lorenz weapons in the same units at the same time. Enfield ammunition imported by the Confederate Army - the Federals didn't import any - could easily have be used in Springfields.

Kindly donate my $5 to a suitable charity of your choice.

Regards,
Don Dixon

 

[LCYingling3rd]

The limit rejection gauges for the 1855-64 family of Springfield rifles and rifle muskets was a minimum of .580 inches and a maximum of .5825 inches. Anything outside those standards was supposed to be condemned and rejected. The initial gauge standard for the swagged bullets used in ammunition for those weapons was .5775 inches. This was changed to .574 inches in 1862 to ensure that issue ammunition would fit the bore of the considerable number of .577 caliber Pattern 1853 Enfield rifles coming into Federal Army service, with a corresponding reduction in accuracy. The Federals did not manufacture Enfield standard ammunition. In response to the accuracy problem the Federals increased the powder charge in their ammunition from 60 to 65 grains in 1864 to better expand the bullet.

So, in 1861 standard Federal Army .58 caliber ammunition could be used in a clean Enfield with a minimum ordnance standard bore, and easily used in an Enfield with a slightly larger but still acceptable bore diameter. Beginning in 1862, standard Federal Army .58 caliber ammunition could be used in Springfields, Enfields, and Muster 1854 System Lorenz rifles and rifle muskets bored out to .577 and .58 caliber and re-rifled, which is why one will often see Springfields, Enfields, and .58 caliber Lorenz weapons in the same units at the same time. Enfield ammunition imported by the Confederate Army - the Federals didn't import any - could easily have be used in Springfields.

Kindly donate my $5 to a suitable charity of your choice.

Regards,
Don Dixon

Thank you so much for such a detailed response! Wow. I guess my "vague memory" was correct after all. My friend will be fascinated.

 

[John Winn]

.

 

[67th Tigers]

The US manufactured four patterns of Burton ball:

.685 for .69 altered muskets
.5775 for .58 Springfields
.574 for .577 Enfields
.535 for .54 Lorenz's and Mississippi's

A .5775 would not be able to be loaded into a .577 Enfield, but the .574 could be loaded into a .58 Springfield. Hence, late in the war, the .574 became the standard ammunition.

 

[Booner]

"And, for that matter, was any ammunition from any of the many firearms interchangeable with other firearms?"

To answer your question: the .56-.56 Spencer round also worked in the Ballard and Joslyn model 1861 non-repeating rifles and carbines.