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Civil War Paper Cartridges
- Thread starter Charles Z
- Start date
the rifleer
New member
youtube and google are your friends.
At one time someone was making little plastic tubular deals that you could stuff in a measured load of powder and a greased ball on top of it to speed up loading. Probably intended for hunters, as they are reuseable. I think you just need some paper, a dowel rod, and maybe white glue or thread to make them. You have to use a dowel as a former and glue up the paper that they recommend for use in such a device. I forget if it is like high rag content paper or the like, that would be a 19th century thing versus pulp paper. Sometimes they use combustable paper soaked in nitrates for maybe like a pistol or a breech loading Sharps type. If it is not combustable paper that is used, I guess you maybe stuff the paper down the hatch under the bullet? That might blow out and start a little grass fire or something! Some of these ML guide books give instructions on making paper cartrs. The plastic speed loader thingees would be alot faster to prepare than paper carts, you would be spending the time on prep that you save at the range.
Fingers McGee
New member
hickstick_10
New member
might get a dirty look
Any zig zags, or rolling papers, wrapped into a tube and twisted close at one end then charged with powder and twisted close at the other, you might wanna moisten the twists with saliva.
Works every time, the paper comsumes itself very well, and works in cap and ball revolvers very well.
Any zig zags, or rolling papers, wrapped into a tube and twisted close at one end then charged with powder and twisted close at the other, you might wanna moisten the twists with saliva.
Works every time, the paper comsumes itself very well, and works in cap and ball revolvers very well.
Combustible (nitrated) paper is used for revolver cartridges that go in the cylinder. But the cartridge for the rifle-musket is broken or torn and the powder poured into the barrel, then the bullet put in the muzzle and rammed. The paper cartridge does NOT go down the barrel.
Some re-enactors used to ram the paper as a wad when firing blanks, but IIRC the rules have been changed to use only powder since the paper wads kept "settin' the woods on fire" as the song goes.
Jim
Some re-enactors used to ram the paper as a wad when firing blanks, but IIRC the rules have been changed to use only powder since the paper wads kept "settin' the woods on fire" as the song goes.
Jim
Smokin_Gun
New member
Fingers good choice of threads on "ANY"Paper carts you would make even for a Model 1863 rifle-musket ... that's the method I used.
Only the opinion of a Rifle or Musket rifled did not use a patched round ball ain't all correct... i.e the .54 cal Mississippi Rifle...patched R.B.
Only the opinion of a Rifle or Musket rifled did not use a patched round ball ain't all correct... i.e the .54 cal Mississippi Rifle...patched R.B.
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I don't think I am getting through. The OP asked about loading a Model 1863 rifle-musket. The answers have been either inaccurate or refer to loading other types of weapons.
The smoothbore muskets were loaded by tearing the cartridge, dumping the powder down the barrel, then ramming the whole cartridge including the ball. The balls were small enough to fit that way, and the paper helped reduce the "windage" between the bullet and the bore. Percussion revolvers and some other weapons, like the Sharps, used combustible cartridges that went into the chamber and burned up in firing.
But the Model 1855 and succeeding rifle-muskets were loaded by tearing the paper tail (usually with the teeth) or breaking the cartridge over the muzzle, dumping the powder down the barrel, then pinching the bullet out of the paper and inserting it in the muzzle, ready for ramming. No part of the paper cartridge went into the barrel and if the Minie ball is the proper size there won't be room for paper between the bullet and the barrel.
I suppose someone could use thin paper and somehow drive the whole cartridge down the barrel, but that is not the way it was done. Some folks even use smaller .54 caliber Minie balls or round balls and cloth patches, sort of like an old "Kentucky" rifle, but that is not the proper way to load the Model 1863 Springfield rifle-musket the OP mentions.
If the original way is too slow or not worth the bother, I recommend those plastic tubes. They work well but require a different loading procedure.
Jim
The smoothbore muskets were loaded by tearing the cartridge, dumping the powder down the barrel, then ramming the whole cartridge including the ball. The balls were small enough to fit that way, and the paper helped reduce the "windage" between the bullet and the bore. Percussion revolvers and some other weapons, like the Sharps, used combustible cartridges that went into the chamber and burned up in firing.
But the Model 1855 and succeeding rifle-muskets were loaded by tearing the paper tail (usually with the teeth) or breaking the cartridge over the muzzle, dumping the powder down the barrel, then pinching the bullet out of the paper and inserting it in the muzzle, ready for ramming. No part of the paper cartridge went into the barrel and if the Minie ball is the proper size there won't be room for paper between the bullet and the barrel.
I suppose someone could use thin paper and somehow drive the whole cartridge down the barrel, but that is not the way it was done. Some folks even use smaller .54 caliber Minie balls or round balls and cloth patches, sort of like an old "Kentucky" rifle, but that is not the proper way to load the Model 1863 Springfield rifle-musket the OP mentions.
If the original way is too slow or not worth the bother, I recommend those plastic tubes. They work well but require a different loading procedure.
Jim