One of the things I wish to tackle this year is proposing a rule change that explicitly allows the use of US 1855 and US 1862 expanding ball cartridges. With the US expanding ball cartridge, no part of the paper cartridge was or is put in the barrel - it is merely a paper envelope for holding the powder and the bullet, just like our plastic tubes are today. These cartridges were used in the Traditional Musket Matches held at the Nationals for a brief time, and I understand from postings that some people are using them in regional skirmishes also, though by my reading of the current rules this is of dubious permissibility, depending on how you interpret "cardboard". The 1855 cartridge has an internal powder chamber made of stiffer "rocket paper" that one might interpret to be "card stock". I think this rule change should be easy to achieve since nothing is changing with regards to what is being loaded into firearms. You can see how to make them here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB3g6inwu8o
If I can get that measure passed, the next thing I would like to take up is the option to use cartridges of the style of the British Enfield. This style of cartridge the Confederacy also fitfully undertook to settle on as its standard-issue cartridge design, finally adopting it as their only cartridge design in February of 1864, though the order was rescinded a short time later. This style of cartridge integrates the bullet with the outer paper wraper of the bullet, resulting in a paper-patched bullet being loaded into the firearm. Unlike the British, who used a boxwood, and later a clay-fired plug, the Confederacy did not use a plug in the base of the bullet, which is convenient for us since N-SSA rules prohibit any kind of multi-part ammunition. From experience, I feel it's unlikely that the plug would ever separate from the bullet during flight, but it is nice to know that when making Confederate copies of British Enfield ammunition it is not required.
You can see how to make these here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzA9aXEyT-c
With regards to revolvers, I have often thought that self-contained cartridges would greatly speed up the loading time and the uniformity of loads, which could be carefully measured out at home rather than in the field under time pressure.
I don't think there is any real risk of cook-offs with revolvers since the time between discharging all cylinders and re-loading them is usually several minutes, at least. However, I think the risk could be mitigated by allowing the use of foil cartridges, which were used during the American Civil War. Of course, like artillery, the foil remnants will have to be fished out of the chambers after every firing with a worm of some kind, but this would be easily done. It would might necessitate the pricking of each foil cartridge through the percussion cone prior to firing, and if forgotten or ill-done could result in a fouled weapon on the line, so there is that.
Personally I think combustible cartridges for revolver would be perfectly safe. Has anyone ever seen or heard of a cook-off in a revolver from any kind of loading?
Steve
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