Modern Muzzle Loaders vs. ACW Era - Loading

[Specster]

Williams Cleaner rounds, which were included 1 round in a 10 round pack of .58 minies, fell out of use because there were doubts of its effectiveness of cleaning the barrel. They were essentially standard lead rounds with a zinc washer at the base.With properly sized ammunition, a Soldier could expect to fire 60 rounds between cleanings. As the war progressed the diameter of the bullets got smaller to aid in loading.

No minie cartridges, north or south, American or English manufacture, had paper rammed with the bullet. The minie didn't work that way.

You can't load a .54 ball into a .58 barrel. You can, but the bullet would have extremely load velocity and no accuracy and be pretty useless. Heck even a properly size .58 ball is not effective in the shallow grooves of the .58 Springfield/Enfield.

Both the north and south continuously manufactured black powder throughout the war. The north had the DuPont family, and black powder was one area that the South had great success in making a great deal and of high quality.

I am not going to pretend I know as much about muzzle loaders as you. As to the Author's contention that the Williams Cleaners were curtailed because the Union was largely switching to multiple round weapons I thought sounded a little crazy. I thought it was basically the Calvary which were issued these weapons and single shot muzzle loaders were used right into 1865.

As far as loading problems with Enfields, I do believe the author is correct and provides, page 261, "...in Dec '62 the Ordinance Bureau issued a circular , warning arsenals to limit the size of Enfield Ammo......in June of 1863, Gorgas's Top Assistant Major JW Mallet, recieved a complaint from a general officer in Lee's Army....probably Rodes, that Enfields clogged too frequently most likley from gunpowder and grease from cartridge cases...."

Page 262. "I have been informed by a letter from a General Officer in the ANV, Mallet alerted Gorgas, "that the men repeatedly sought to obtain Miss. Rifle ammo. (cal. 54) for thier Enfields and Rifled Muskets (Cal 577 & 58) - such was the fear of jamming of bullets in the bore derived by previous experience." citation #16.

 

[thomas aagaard]

By 1864.
21 union infantry regiments had some Colt revolving rifles
10 had some Henry rifles
36 had some Spencer rifles
In comparison 758 regiments had P1853s, US model 1855/1861/1863... or a mix of the two.
and then add the other types of muzzle loaders still in use.
(note that a regiment is counted if it had some, so a regiment with mostly P1853s but with some Henry's would be counted on both)

I really don't see any support for the idea that the army was changing away from muzzle loaders..


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souce: Appendix C in "An introduction to Civil War small arms" by Coates and Thomas.

 

[Tin cup]

"No minie cartridges, north or south, American or English manufacture, had paper rammed with the bullet. The minie didn't work that way."

I beg to differ!
C.S. Central Laboratory, (Ordn.)
Macon, Ga., Feb. 9, 1864.

[CIRCULAR]

It has been recently ordered by the Chief of Ordnance that the only patters of cartridge to be hereafter used with muzzle loading rifled small arms shall be that known as the English pattern of Enfield cartridge.
It is important that the troops should be taught to load this cartridge properly - the following instructions upon the subject are therefore published - Ordnance Officers on field service will endeavour to secure their observance, and to correct any irregularities which they may notice.
1. - If the powder end of the cartridge has been "pinched" or folded straighten out the folded portion of the paper - if it has been twisted (as is the case with the cartridges made in England) untwist the end with the finger and thumb.
2. - Tear off the part of the paper at the powder end beyond the stiff inside cylinder, taking advantage of leverage upon the edge of this stiff cylinder, and tearing off as close as possible to the edge.
3. - Pour the powder from the end of the cartridge thus opened into the barrel of the gun, taking care not to lose or scatter any of the powder - Hold the barrel vertically, so that but few grains may remain adherent to the inside surface.
4. - Invert the cartridge, and insert the lubricated end into the muzzle of the piece (without tearing off any of the paper from the ball).
5. - Press the bullet end of the cartridge down into the barrel until the top of the cylindrical portion of the ball is just flush with the muzzle taking acre that the axis of the bullet coincides with that of the barrel, and that the cartridge is pressed directly down - not twisted.
6. - Break off the empty powder cylinder from the bullet, taking advantage of leverage against the edge of the muzzle, and being careful not to twist or pull the bullet out of its place.
7. - Ram the ball steadily down, using no more pressure than is necessary, and avoid twisting the ramrod. Settle the bullet in its place by one or two light taps.
8. - Cap the gun, which is then ready to be discharged.
In case of the gun becoming excessively foul, so as to prevent easy loading in the proper way, as above detailed, the paper of the cartridge may be torn off from the bullet, and the latter loaded naked. As the lubricant is upon the outside of the paper and not upon the bullet this practice is not to be recommended unless it be rendered necessary by the cause mentioned.

J. W. Mallet, Maj.
Supt. C.S. Laboratories

Approved:
J. Gorgas, Col.
The picture posted is a friend of mine loading an Enfield cartridge, follows the rules give above by Gorgas. The pictures are numbered the order of sequence.

Kevin Dally

 

[hrobalabama]

"No minie cartridges, north or south, American or English manufacture, had paper rammed with the bullet. The minie didn't work that way."

I beg to differ!
C.S. Central Laboratory, (Ordn.)
Macon, Ga., Feb. 9, 1864.

[CIRCULAR]

It has been recently ordered by the Chief of Ordnance that the only patters of cartridge to be hereafter used with muzzle loading rifled small arms shall be that known as the English pattern of Enfield cartridge.
It is important that the troops should be taught to load this cartridge properly - the following instructions upon the subject are therefore published - Ordnance Officers on field service will endeavour to secure their observance, and to correct any irregularities which they may notice.
1. - If the powder end of the cartridge has been "pinched" or folded straighten out the folded portion of the paper - if it has been twisted (as is the case with the cartridges made in England) untwist the end with the finger and thumb.
2. - Tear off the part of the paper at the powder end beyond the stiff inside cylinder, taking advantage of leverage upon the edge of this stiff cylinder, and tearing off as close as possible to the edge.
3. - Pour the powder from the end of the cartridge thus opened into the barrel of the gun, taking care not to lose or scatter any of the powder - Hold the barrel vertically, so that but few grains may remain adherent to the inside surface.
4. - Invert the cartridge, and insert the lubricated end into the muzzle of the piece (without tearing off any of the paper from the ball).
5. - Press the bullet end of the cartridge down into the barrel until the top of the cylindrical portion of the ball is just flush with the muzzle taking acre that the axis of the bullet coincides with that of the barrel, and that the cartridge is pressed directly down - not twisted.
6. - Break off the empty powder cylinder from the bullet, taking advantage of leverage against the edge of the muzzle, and being careful not to twist or pull the bullet out of its place.
7. - Ram the ball steadily down, using no more pressure than is necessary, and avoid twisting the ramrod. Settle the bullet in its place by one or two light taps.
8. - Cap the gun, which is then ready to be discharged.
In case of the gun becoming excessively foul, so as to prevent easy loading in the proper way, as above detailed, the paper of the cartridge may be torn off from the bullet, and the latter loaded naked. As the lubricant is upon the outside of the paper and not upon the bullet this practice is not to be recommended unless it be rendered necessary by the cause mentioned.

J. W. Mallet, Maj.
Supt. C.S. Laboratories

Approved:
J. Gorgas, Col.
The picture posted is a friend of mine loading an Enfield cartridge, follows the rules give above by Gorgas. The pictures are numbered the order of sequence.

Kevin DallyView attachment 61089

You are 100% correct "Tin Cup." In the heat of battle even with the .58 round some paper was rammed in. In fact I ram in the paper for wadding. I use nitred paper and the paper burns as it comes out. I have found using undersize Minies atop powder, if the weapon is tilted down some of the powder may spill down from the ignition chamber as well as the bullet itself. Black powder works best if it is compressed.

 

[Tin cup]

You are 100% correct "Tin Cup." In the heat of battle even with the .58 round some paper was rammed in. In fact I ram in the paper for wadding. I use nitred paper and the paper burns as it comes out. I have found using undersize Minies atop powder, if the weapon is tilted down some of the powder may spill down from the ignition chamber as well as the bullet itself. Black powder works best if it is compressed.

I know of no period accounts of powder leakage past rammed minnies used in the civil War as being a problem. The Brit's, and Confederate's used sizes .550", .562"-.565", to .568" on their smooth-sided bullets, that were wrapped in paper, making them in the .577"+ size range. (Confederate arsenals did have sizing problems, a bullet TOO big wrapped in paper just wouldn't load!) Black Powder seems to be pretty forgiving, you don't need to pound a minnie onto the powder, but it helps if the bullet is rammed with the same pressure from shot-to-shot for good accuracy. I know the BP substitutes like Pyrodex has to be heavily compressed to ignite properly. That's why we don't use the stuff in Civil War type Rifle Muskets.

Kevin Dally

 

[hrobalabama]

If you load Black Powder Rounds in older cartridge rounds you have to have the BP compressed.
You want no air space. You use wadding betgween the powder and bullet. Some use oatmeal, other us use paper wads for best combustion and performance. BP is fast burning, not like smokeless powder that burns slower and build up greater pressure.