FedericoFCavada
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2015
- Location
- San Antonio, Texas
In the Union army, I think that "cleaning" bullets were relatively common? They used a different color of paper from the others in the 10-rd. package, so they were visibly different from the others. the rationale was that these would not hit the same point of aim as a typical cartridge, and if the soldier so issued was actually a good marksman, with a keen knowledge of his weapon and its capabilities, he'd not use the cleaning cartridge for a particularly precise shot? I can look this up when I have time...
In any case, the "cleaning cartridge" instead of just having a relatively thin "skirt" like a typical "Minié/Burton" ball had a plug with a zinc washer or plate at the end. The basic idea was that when the powder charge detonated, instead of the lead skirt flaring into the rifling, the disk would be driven forward such that the bullet would take the rifling of the barrel, but the zinc would scrape against the sides of the barrel and hopefully scrape out and expel some of the black powder fouling. Recall that the typical package was a wrapped paper bundle with ten cartridges and an "eleventh" paper tube sealed on one end containing some dozen to a "baker's dozen" of percussion caps. When the package was opened, the tube with caps would be torn open and the contents dumped into the cap pouch on the belt or on the carriage straps. The cartridges would be put end up in the tins inside the cartridge box. Extra packages of cartridges would have been stuffed into pockets, or the knapsack, or both. Callow, under-trained young men would have dumped these when NCOs or officers were not looking due to the wait. Many would have later regretted doing so when ammunition supplies got low. Resupply was often an ad-hoc, improvised affair. More often than not, it was going through the cartridge boxes of the wounded and the slain.
As for what Mr. Dixon has revealed about not cleaning the barrels in the rifle muskets of the ANV, this may reinforce the CSA predilection for Enfield-type cartridges? In such cartridges, there is a powder cylinder, and a separate wrap with the bullet pointed the reverse of a typical U.S.-style Model 1855, or Model 1861, or Model 1863 paper cartridge. The end of the bullet inside the paper wrap is dipped in molten wax lubricant. After the powder charge is poured down the barrel, the cartridge is inverted, the heel of the bullet wrapped in lubricated paper is inserted into the muzzle, and the paper tube is snapped off, leaving the paper-patched bullet in the muzzle. The idea here is that the lubricant and paper would help control fouling, or at least keep it somewhat softer. I've used different mixes of lubricant, and in my admittedly limited and subjective experience, the late-war U.S. lube of 8 parts bees wax to 1 part tallow is too stiff, sticky, and hard to deal with. I'd have thought this mixture was adopted simply because the U.S. South can be so hot, humid, and muggy. But even in Texas, I've found it is too thick. Since you've still got the rifle you have, you might consider shooting it again?
You'll have to measure the true bore diameter. Then you can get some Minié/Burton balls made up for you, or make your own, that are two thousandths of an inch smaller than your bore diameter. If you'd prefer, you could always go with the "true to spec" Minié/Burton or Pritchett bullets for your caliber, although accuracy will suffer. But it would be more like the ammunition actually issued. Making paper cartridges is relatively straightforward after the typical "learning curve." You'd need a dowel or cartridge forming rod cut to size, pieces of paper of the correct size and dimension, a powder measure, a supply of musket powder, and some linen or cotton thread and a cord attached to a peg or nail to "choke" the paper cylinders. Some paste or glue could be helpful when starting out. In N-SSA and other skirmish events, we use a rubber/plastic/polymer tube that is sealed at one end. The powder charge goes in, and then the Minié/Burton ball is put in nose first, and then lubed along the grease grooves on the skirt. The tubes are reused, and while clearly a modern contrivance, are easy and straightforward to use, and shed moisture a bit better than pieces of rolled paper! For practice, you can try your hand at loading and firing yourself, and try to meet various challenges. Certainly it is a lot of fun, but it is also revealing about the way that these arms were used. Again, good luck!
In any case, the "cleaning cartridge" instead of just having a relatively thin "skirt" like a typical "Minié/Burton" ball had a plug with a zinc washer or plate at the end. The basic idea was that when the powder charge detonated, instead of the lead skirt flaring into the rifling, the disk would be driven forward such that the bullet would take the rifling of the barrel, but the zinc would scrape against the sides of the barrel and hopefully scrape out and expel some of the black powder fouling. Recall that the typical package was a wrapped paper bundle with ten cartridges and an "eleventh" paper tube sealed on one end containing some dozen to a "baker's dozen" of percussion caps. When the package was opened, the tube with caps would be torn open and the contents dumped into the cap pouch on the belt or on the carriage straps. The cartridges would be put end up in the tins inside the cartridge box. Extra packages of cartridges would have been stuffed into pockets, or the knapsack, or both. Callow, under-trained young men would have dumped these when NCOs or officers were not looking due to the wait. Many would have later regretted doing so when ammunition supplies got low. Resupply was often an ad-hoc, improvised affair. More often than not, it was going through the cartridge boxes of the wounded and the slain.
As for what Mr. Dixon has revealed about not cleaning the barrels in the rifle muskets of the ANV, this may reinforce the CSA predilection for Enfield-type cartridges? In such cartridges, there is a powder cylinder, and a separate wrap with the bullet pointed the reverse of a typical U.S.-style Model 1855, or Model 1861, or Model 1863 paper cartridge. The end of the bullet inside the paper wrap is dipped in molten wax lubricant. After the powder charge is poured down the barrel, the cartridge is inverted, the heel of the bullet wrapped in lubricated paper is inserted into the muzzle, and the paper tube is snapped off, leaving the paper-patched bullet in the muzzle. The idea here is that the lubricant and paper would help control fouling, or at least keep it somewhat softer. I've used different mixes of lubricant, and in my admittedly limited and subjective experience, the late-war U.S. lube of 8 parts bees wax to 1 part tallow is too stiff, sticky, and hard to deal with. I'd have thought this mixture was adopted simply because the U.S. South can be so hot, humid, and muggy. But even in Texas, I've found it is too thick. Since you've still got the rifle you have, you might consider shooting it again?
You'll have to measure the true bore diameter. Then you can get some Minié/Burton balls made up for you, or make your own, that are two thousandths of an inch smaller than your bore diameter. If you'd prefer, you could always go with the "true to spec" Minié/Burton or Pritchett bullets for your caliber, although accuracy will suffer. But it would be more like the ammunition actually issued. Making paper cartridges is relatively straightforward after the typical "learning curve." You'd need a dowel or cartridge forming rod cut to size, pieces of paper of the correct size and dimension, a powder measure, a supply of musket powder, and some linen or cotton thread and a cord attached to a peg or nail to "choke" the paper cylinders. Some paste or glue could be helpful when starting out. In N-SSA and other skirmish events, we use a rubber/plastic/polymer tube that is sealed at one end. The powder charge goes in, and then the Minié/Burton ball is put in nose first, and then lubed along the grease grooves on the skirt. The tubes are reused, and while clearly a modern contrivance, are easy and straightforward to use, and shed moisture a bit better than pieces of rolled paper! For practice, you can try your hand at loading and firing yourself, and try to meet various challenges. Certainly it is a lot of fun, but it is also revealing about the way that these arms were used. Again, good luck!