Burnside 5th

[Hal]

Lee,

Most, if not all, cartridges and most chambers of combustible cartridge guns were designed to be filled up. However, since all we need to do is punch paper and break fragile targets, most have found that best accuracy is not achieved at the maximum charge.

The second part of the equation is that most people believe you run a serious chance of damaging a gun if you shoot black powder with an air space in the cartridge or in the chamber of combustible cartridge guns. Not everyone believes this and the argument for that side is usually the Sharps, which indeed has a fairly significant opening in the breech block that powder does not get into (Part of its breech sealing mechanism), or if it does, then that volume of powder is no longer in the chamber, so there is most definitely an air space in a Sharps, even if you put a paper cartridge in that completely fills the chamber. And they work.....safely.......and no damage to the gun.

Now, if one were to force a bullet into the muzzle of a Sharps and put it in only an inch or two, then put a full charge in the chamber, I suspect you would do some serious damage to the gun and probably serious injury to themselves and/or others. The other extreme is a compressed charge of black powder, which is the norm with black powder cartridge shooters. But even with a compressed charge, there is still SOME air. So what I believe is that some air is OK, but not a lot. How much is too much? I don't know that anyone knows. And to err on the side of caution, the common wisdom is to fill the cartridge full and even compress the charge. Some combustible cartridge guns are capable of compressing the charge. Jenks, Merrill, and Gwyn and Campbells can. Others, such as the Sharps and Starr do not. So there is evidence to suggest a compressed charge is not necessary to fire safely. And with people shooting the Sharps with cardboard tube cartridges, some use a card wad inside to keep the powder against the back end and leave a small air space between the powder and bullet.

[Muley Gil]

Does Sutlers Row only open at big events? Been there 2 times and have not seen it open.

Occasionally, one or two sutlers will be open for the smaller skirmishes. The Nationals draw the most sutlers.

[Lee Willy]

Occasionally, one or two sutlers will be open for the smaller skirmishes. The Nationals draw the most sutlers.

Are the sutlers at the regional? So there are different dealers in each building on Sutlers row?

[Lee Willy]

Lee,

Most, if not all, cartridges and most chambers of combustible cartridge guns were designed to be filled up. However, since all we need to do is punch paper and break fragile targets, most have found that best accuracy is not achieved at the maximum charge.

The second part of the equation is that most people believe you run a serious chance of damaging a gun if you shoot black powder with an air space in the cartridge or in the chamber of combustible cartridge guns. Not everyone believes this and the argument for that side is usually the Sharps, which indeed has a fairly significant opening in the breech block that powder does not get into (Part of its breech sealing mechanism), or if it does, then that volume of powder is no longer in the chamber, so there is most definitely an air space in a Sharps, even if you put a paper cartridge in that completely fills the chamber. And they work.....safely.......and no damage to the gun.

Now, if one were to force a bullet into the muzzle of a Sharps and put it in only an inch or two, then put a full charge in the chamber, I suspect you would do some serious damage to the gun and probably serious injury to themselves and/or others. The other extreme is a compressed charge of black powder, which is the norm with black powder cartridge shooters. But even with a compressed charge, there is still SOME air. So what I believe is that some air is OK, but not a lot. How much is too much? I don't know that anyone knows. And to err on the side of caution, the common wisdom is to fill the cartridge full and even compress the charge. Some combustible cartridge guns are capable of compressing the charge. Jenks, Merrill, and Gwyn and Campbells can. Others, such as the Sharps and Starr do not. So there is evidence to suggest a compressed charge is not necessary to fire safely. And with people shooting the Sharps with cardboard tube cartridges, some use a card wad inside to keep the powder against the back end and leave a small air space between the powder and bullet.

If you get a chance look at You Tube, Burnside carbine TEASER and you will see what i am talking about. i think he is saying he used 36 gr of powder and the round ball in the nylon cartridge. No fillers.

[Muley Gil]

Are the sutlers at the regional? So there are different dealers in each building on Sutlers row?

Each sutler has his/her own building. In the past, there have been one or two sutlers that show up for each shoot. I haven't been able to attend any skirmishes at the Fort for several years, so I'm not sure who will be there.

[Hal]

Lee,

There is nothing wrong with the load you mention, but it is certainly not the ONLY load. The Burnside is a very finicky gun. It is my understanding that it can be very accurate once you find what your particular gun likes, as they are all different. I've yet to find what mine likes, but I think I am close. I just need to find time to do more load development on it (And others). Different brand powders, different granulations of powders, different amounts of different granulations of different brand powders, different bullets, different caps.......... all will have an effect on accuracy.

[B-Davis]

Having read all of the postings about the Burnside, I figured I would throw my info. into the pool. I also had a major addiction to the Burnside at one point, I have owned 4 of them. One, I never shot, the other three, I did shoot and all three wanted a different load. I will give you the loads, but not sure if they will help. BUT there was one universal thing, they ALL wanted a generous amount of lube!

1. Brass casing,32 grains of 2F Goex with a hollow based minie that was I believe, a very old Lyman mold. I would put in the power to the casing, use Cream of Whet to fill the casing upto the round swell(which is actually a gas seal), place the minie on top and then dip the head into a crisco/bees wax solution two times. The lube was a little fragile in some weather, but man, shot like a champ. I once went 16 for 18 on a clay board with it!

2. Brass casing, 36 grains 2F Goex, a .556 round ball, and twice dipped in the same lube. No Cream of Wheat. It shot like gang busters, but had to be cleaned after every event, or would be too fouled up. It also fouled up the sliding gas seal block constantly. I would have to clean after every event. That , by the way is critical. That small block combined with the gas seal on the case is what seals all the gas in, and helps maintain consistencey.

3. This carbine was an oddball. It liked nylon cases, 3F of Swiss. It shot 28 grains of powder with Cream of Wheat. It liked a solid based minie at.56 cal. It also wanted lube, but only one coat. I could never get the group smaller than three inches across, but the sight pattern was the same at 50 yds and 100 yds, so I did not argue. I used it twice for deer hunting and took two deer (2015 and 2018).

So what it boils down to is experiment, try diffrent loads and ideas. Burnsides are very finicky beasts, but once you find the magic load, it is your best friend!