.36 Navy Combustible Cartridges

M

Model12Win

Moderator
Well hello everybody!

Yesterday I got a package in the mail from Hungary. Inside were the five reproduction cartridge boxes for .36 caliber percussion revolvers.

Needless to say, I needed to make some cartridges! So I went to work making them today using a dowel rod mandrel, 126 grain conical bullets, 14 grains of GOEX FFG black powder, and some curling papers:

20160124_163102.jpg


They look really good! But the lid doesn't close on the box. The cartridges are a bit too long. :( I just emailed the Hungarian fellow who makes these, asking about what load I should try so the rounds will fit in the box.

I am just glad to get some of these made, been meaning to for a long time now. I'll be sure to keep everyone updated on these cartridges, I'm sure you'll all be waiting with baited breath! :p

If anyone want me to explain how to make these, let me know. Thanks for reading! :)

M12
 
Those look really nice, but I can see why they won't fit in the box. Could you just use a round ball? Or, drill deeper holes in the box? ;)
 
Did you get those from Cap and Ball, the YouTube guy?
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Yes, and I am using his method of cartridge making:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2HUcfAyaaQ

They look the part, the conical bullets are historically accurate. The powder charge of 14 grains is also historically accurate, though the charge varied between makers of cartridges from about 12-18 grains of powder.

It's a bit disappointing that these don't fit in the box. The cartridges look just like the ones I've seen in pictures but even with a 14 grain powder charge, still don't fit.

There is about 3/8" of wood at the bottom left, so I think I'm going to drill the holes about 1/4" deeper. That should help. Drilling the holes deeper at the top won't help.

I just emailed the maker of these boxes to see what load he recommends. As it is now, the box seems a bit small. I'll keep everyone posted.
 
Funnily enough, I ordered one of these as well. It's at my post office, I need to go get it. My attempt to make paper cartridges was not a success, so I need to change up my method and try again. Good luck with yours!
 
The bullets used in the video are not nearly as pointed as yours, and I think he also put them deeper into the paper.
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He was using 130 grain Lee cast conicals, a modern mold design.

I on the other hand, am using bullets cast from a period-correct mold. The bottom line is they designed these boxes for the modern conical bullets and light charges of powder. No doubt.

But, they also offer some reproduction Richmond Arsenal cartridge boxes that don't feature a lid, just seven bored holes in a block of wood. The seventh hole is for a packet of percussion caps, the other six obviously for cartridges. I am sure that that package design would be far more forgiving in overall cartridge length. I think I'm going to sell these boxes on ebay on just order some of the Richmond Arsenal boxes, that way I can make the cartridges any way I please and they should fit fine.
 
Does the ram flatten the points at all?
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I'd say unless you re-shape the ram to a conical concave cavity, it's a virtual certainty. Even my round balls are deformed during loading when using a loading stand with a perfectly spherical cavity machined into them. The machined cavity is not exactly flush with the OD of the ram (that would make a knife edge), and that very tiny step all the way around gets transferred to the bullet, making it a semi-wadcutter with a very small lip. :)

Steve
 
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