StonewallSharpeson
06-16-2014, 06:11 PM
Skirmishers,
I am looking to compile information on Civil War era historic small arms loads. The following table I transcribed from the US Army Ordnance manual of 1861:
Weapon
1842 Rifled
1855 Musket and Rifle
1857 Cadet
1855 Musket and Rifle
1842 Smoothbore
1842 Smoothbore
Pistol Carbine
Revolver, Army
Revolver, Navy
Sharpe's Carbine
Round
minie
minie
minie
blank
round ball
buckshot
long ball
long ball
long ball
long ball
Bore Diameter
.69
.58
.58
.58
.69
.69
.58
.44
.38
.52
Ball Diameter
.685
.5775
.5775
NA
.65
NA
.5775
.46
.39
.56
Ball Weight
730
500
450
NA
412
NA
450
216
145
475
Powder Charge
70
60
50
60
110
110
40
30
17
50
Trap H
4.33
4.12
4.12
3.47
4.33
5.5
4.1
2.75
2.4
3
Trap LB
4.5
4.0
4.0
4.16
5.25
5.0
4.0
3.25
2.5
3.25
Trap SB
2.7
2.5
2.5
2.5
3.0
3.0
2.5
1.6
1.6
2.25
"Trap" stands for "trapezoid", and H, LB, and SB for Horizontal [side], long base, and short base. These are the dimension of the trapezoid one would use for rolling cartridges. All measurements are in inches and grains.
The above information aside, I use a custom brass .645 round ball mold for my ArmiSport 1842, which I was lucky to buy from the previous owner of said musket, a Lyman .30 round ball mold for buckshot (for buck-n-ball), a Lyman .575 Old Style minie for my ArmiSport .58s (a P53, and M61, though those rounds will rarely go down my Enfield), and a Lyman .69 round ball mold for my Pedersoli Brown Bess. I'm not necessarily saying that that's right, that's just what I use. I am also looking into good rounds to use for my recently acquired Uberi 1858 Remingotn.
For lubrication, I use the US Army standard of 6/7 beeswax and 1/7 beef tallow, which I render and mix myself. Works like a charm when I show those ".575" minies out of a EuroArms 1861.
Importantly, I have used ArmiSport muskets in the past, but I am in the process of upgrading to the new Pedersoli guns (for the P53 and M61). Btw, I would love to sell some of that lube, haha
What do you guys know on this expansive subject? Maybe I should start separate threads for each gun... Not even to get started on the differences in the products from different manufacturers.
I am looking to compile information on Civil War era historic small arms loads. The following table I transcribed from the US Army Ordnance manual of 1861:
Weapon
1842 Rifled
1855 Musket and Rifle
1857 Cadet
1855 Musket and Rifle
1842 Smoothbore
1842 Smoothbore
Pistol Carbine
Revolver, Army
Revolver, Navy
Sharpe's Carbine
Round
minie
minie
minie
blank
round ball
buckshot
long ball
long ball
long ball
long ball
Bore Diameter
.69
.58
.58
.58
.69
.69
.58
.44
.38
.52
Ball Diameter
.685
.5775
.5775
NA
.65
NA
.5775
.46
.39
.56
Ball Weight
730
500
450
NA
412
NA
450
216
145
475
Powder Charge
70
60
50
60
110
110
40
30
17
50
Trap H
4.33
4.12
4.12
3.47
4.33
5.5
4.1
2.75
2.4
3
Trap LB
4.5
4.0
4.0
4.16
5.25
5.0
4.0
3.25
2.5
3.25
Trap SB
2.7
2.5
2.5
2.5
3.0
3.0
2.5
1.6
1.6
2.25
"Trap" stands for "trapezoid", and H, LB, and SB for Horizontal [side], long base, and short base. These are the dimension of the trapezoid one would use for rolling cartridges. All measurements are in inches and grains.
The above information aside, I use a custom brass .645 round ball mold for my ArmiSport 1842, which I was lucky to buy from the previous owner of said musket, a Lyman .30 round ball mold for buckshot (for buck-n-ball), a Lyman .575 Old Style minie for my ArmiSport .58s (a P53, and M61, though those rounds will rarely go down my Enfield), and a Lyman .69 round ball mold for my Pedersoli Brown Bess. I'm not necessarily saying that that's right, that's just what I use. I am also looking into good rounds to use for my recently acquired Uberi 1858 Remingotn.
For lubrication, I use the US Army standard of 6/7 beeswax and 1/7 beef tallow, which I render and mix myself. Works like a charm when I show those ".575" minies out of a EuroArms 1861.
Importantly, I have used ArmiSport muskets in the past, but I am in the process of upgrading to the new Pedersoli guns (for the P53 and M61). Btw, I would love to sell some of that lube, haha
What do you guys know on this expansive subject? Maybe I should start separate threads for each gun... Not even to get started on the differences in the products from different manufacturers.