Question about paper cartridges

[noonanda]

I know people use the Hahns tube in Sharps rifles, other than those are there any other "Authorized" paper type Cartridges? Reason why I ask is I am contemplating making up some Poultney and Trimble style paper cartridges for my Erma Gallagher Carbine. Is there any requirement such as they must totally burn up in the chamber when fired?

Im just spitballing a way to avoid buying a bunch of brass cartridges and also would be kind of cool to use a historic style of cartridge. I can honestly see these working very similar to Hahns tubes.

[John Holland]

Daryl - The original cartridge for the Gallager was made from paper covered thin Brass sheet stock. The Gallager cartridge later on eliminated the paper cover and went to a Nickel plated Brass cartridge case. The Gallager cartridge IS the gas seal. If you shoot a consumable paper cartridge, you will very quickly see why it doesn't work. But, I will not discourage you from continuing on with your experiment. Although, I will encourage you to please post your findings, be they pro or con, so that others may learn from it!

[mgmradio]

The original Gallager cartridges were thin brass and work well and were reusable. The later Poultney pattern cartridges(also made for Maynards and Smith carbines) were a onetime use cartridge made from foil and paper. The Poultney cartridges for Smiths are relatively easy to make and don?t require any special tooling. To make them for the Gallager would require a special die set to form the base.
I experimented with the Smith cases and though they worked well most of the time, every now and then they would burst through at the seam were the gas seal aria is and most of them would come out with the paper smoldering. I believe both these problem would be compounded in the Gallager as the cartridge thickness would be at least 50% thinner than the Smith. In time and material cost it will be cheaper in the long run to either use the plastic ( if still available) or brass cases currently on the market.

[John Holland]

mgmradio - That's ineresting! I thought I had samples of just about everything that has been made in the past. I've never seen, or heard of, a plastic Gallager cartridge case!

[mgmradio]

I have a friend with an old Erma Gallager that came with plastic cases. I haven?t seen them anywhere else for sale.


mgmradio - That's ineresting! I thought I had samples of just about everything that has been made in the past. I've never seen, or heard of, a plastic Gallager cartridge case!

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

I do not own a Gallagher but I have some of the plastic cases which I must have purchased from a sutler at the fort some 30 years ago when I was experimenting with tubes to seat bullets in my Sharps rifle. They do or at least did exist. Haven't seen any lately.

Jim Burgess, 15th CVI

[noonanda]

I do not own a Gallagher but I have some of the plastic cases which I must have purchased from a sutler at the fort some 30 years ago when I was experimenting with tubes to seat bullets in my Sharps rifle. They do or at least did exist. Haven't seen any lately.

Jim Burgess, 15th CVI

Jim if you decide you want to sell them let me know

[noonanda]

Daryl - The original cartridge for the Gallager was made from paper covered thin Brass sheet stock. The Gallager cartridge later on eliminated the paper cover and went to a Nickel plated Brass cartridge case. The Gallager cartridge IS the gas seal. If you shoot a consumable paper cartridge, you will very quickly see why it doesn't work. But, I will not discourage you from continuing on with your experiment. Although, I will encourage you to please post your findings, be they pro or con, so that others may learn from it!
John I am planning on doing a foil and paper cartridge, and then also depending will try a paper only and post results.

[Ben Nevlezer]

mgmradio - That's ineresting! I thought I had samples of just about everything that has been made in the past. I've never seen, or heard of, a plastic Gallager cartridge case!
John, I also have a few white plastic Gallager tubes. I have one for you next time I see you.

[John Holland]

Thanks Ben, I appreciate that!