Linen cartridges

[bobg]

Looking for information on how to assemble the linen cartridge for the Sharps rifle. Got the paper cartridges down pat, but want to try the linen type.

[Southron Sr.]

During the Civil War the Yankee Ordnance Department made the switch from paper cased Sharps Cartridges to Linen cased cartridges because the paper cartridges had the tendency to break apart in the troopers cartridge boxes. Linen made a much stronger cartridge case.

Basically, the linen used in making Sharps cartridge cases was "sized" to stiffen it up and the same general procedure for making the linen cartridge case was followed as with making a paper case.

The rear end of the linen cartridge case was closed with a combustible piece of high quality paper.

For Skirmishing I make my Sharps cartridge cases out of ladies Hair Curler Paper as they are pre-cut to the right size and are dirt cheap (You can go to a beauty supply store and get several thousand hair curler papers for $5.00!)

A lot of people use cigarette papers to make Sharps Cartridges, but those papers contain hidden Federal Tobacco Taxes in their price, making them very expensive to use compared to ladie's hair curler papers that are nitrated.

Another advantage is that ladie's hair curler papers are DESIGNED to remain strong when wet, which makes a happy medium between regular cigarette papers for cartridge cases and linen.

I glue (with stick glue) my paper tubes to the base of the bullet and also tie them tightly with a piece of dental floss string. This provides a very strong bond, so strong in fact, I have yet to have a bullet come loose from its cartridge tube case.

GOOD LUCK with whatever type of Sharps Cartridges you decide to make!