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Does anybody sell a ready-made former for .58 caliber paper cartridges? If I had access to a lathe, I could make one, but I found out that company policy at my new job does not encourage "government projects" (one of the few things I miss about my old job...).
For that matter, is there anyone on the forum who would be willing to make one for me for a reasonable price? It should be about 8" long, .580" in diameter. One end should be slightly concave, while the other end should resemble the "business end" of a Minie ball (sans grease grooves). The 2 different ends are so I can make 2 different styles of cartridge (1855 and 1861), to see which one I like better.
The 1855 cartridge used 3 pieces of paper: a stiff inner powder cylinder with a wrapper of thinner paper, both rolled together and one end folded and pasted and pressed into the concave end of the former, then the 2-layer powder cylinder and the bullet were wrapped in a final outer layer of thinner paper, the bullet end tied shut, and the powder added and the powder end of the paper folded over. The idea behind the stiff inner cylinder was to give some sort of resistance to make it easier to tear the paper wrapper away from the Minie ball prior to loading it into the gun.
The 1861 cartridge was less complex and therefore less expensive and time consuming to make (neccessary due to the expenses and logistics of the war), and was simply 2 pieces cut to the pattern of the outermost layer of the 1855 cartridge. One would be rolled around the former and the end tied shut at the "bullet-shaped" end of the former, then the end of the cylinder (with the former still in it) would be inserted into the hollow base of the bullet, and the bullet and powder cylinder wrapped in the second piece of paper. The bullet end would then be tied shut, and powder added and the opposite end folded as in the 1855 cartridge.
Yeah, I know, seems like a lot of work and bother, but (a), I like to experiment, and (b) they'd make great quick-loads for hunting!
For that matter, is there anyone on the forum who would be willing to make one for me for a reasonable price? It should be about 8" long, .580" in diameter. One end should be slightly concave, while the other end should resemble the "business end" of a Minie ball (sans grease grooves). The 2 different ends are so I can make 2 different styles of cartridge (1855 and 1861), to see which one I like better.
The 1855 cartridge used 3 pieces of paper: a stiff inner powder cylinder with a wrapper of thinner paper, both rolled together and one end folded and pasted and pressed into the concave end of the former, then the 2-layer powder cylinder and the bullet were wrapped in a final outer layer of thinner paper, the bullet end tied shut, and the powder added and the powder end of the paper folded over. The idea behind the stiff inner cylinder was to give some sort of resistance to make it easier to tear the paper wrapper away from the Minie ball prior to loading it into the gun.
The 1861 cartridge was less complex and therefore less expensive and time consuming to make (neccessary due to the expenses and logistics of the war), and was simply 2 pieces cut to the pattern of the outermost layer of the 1855 cartridge. One would be rolled around the former and the end tied shut at the "bullet-shaped" end of the former, then the end of the cylinder (with the former still in it) would be inserted into the hollow base of the bullet, and the bullet and powder cylinder wrapped in the second piece of paper. The bullet end would then be tied shut, and powder added and the opposite end folded as in the 1855 cartridge.
Yeah, I know, seems like a lot of work and bother, but (a), I like to experiment, and (b) they'd make great quick-loads for hunting!
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