North-South Skirmish Association - New Live Fire Match Using Authentic Paper Cartridges

[minieball]

Folks,

I wanted to let you all know that the N-SSA will hold its first ever, live-fire event with 5-man teams using as-issued paper cartridges and gun-sights shooting at breakable targets (50 & 100 yards) against the clock at the N-SSA Spring National held next May 13th through 17th, 2015 in Winchester, VA. The match will be held on Friday afternoon, May 15.

This match is intended to provide a competitive approximation of what the Boys of '61 experienced. I have set up a Facebook page to disseminate information to those interested in participating: https://www.facebook.com/groups/trad...match/?fref=nf

Some salient points:

- Rifles, Rifle-Muskets, Rifled-Muskets and Smoothbores are allowed in this competition
- No externally visible modifications to the as-issued configuration of the firearm is allowed
- Paper cartridges must be based on an original pattern in use (eg; Cartridge construction as described in the US Ordnance Manuals of 1840, 1850, 1861, CS 1861, Pattern 1855 cartridge, Gardner, British-pattern (imported & CS/US variations), etc,
- Projectiles must be of a known pattern in use during 1861 to 1865. No buck & ball or sectional projectiles are allowed. Black powder only (BP-substitute powders are not allowed in the N-SSA)
- Please note that the rules are explicit: NO PAPER IS TO BE LOADED DOWN THE BORE
- Participants must be in uniform, all loading and firing will be from a properly-mounted cartridge box and cap pouch.
- All N-SSA safety rules will apply
- Only N-SSA Members can participate. The N-SSA now has an individual member program: http://www.n-ssa.org/files/Unassigne...20Handbook.pdf

Most in the LH and reenacting community have never discharged their firearms with a live projectile, felt the recoil of a period service charge, nor felt the weight of 40 cartridges in their cartridge box. We hope that you all will want to share this experience with us in the N-SSA and come out and participate.

https://www.n-ssa.org

[tjdull]

Re: North-South Skirmish Association - New Live Fire Match Using Authentic Paper Cartridges

I have been seeing information along these lines and applaud the idea.

Any advice or thoughts on the preparation these 5-man teams should pursue prior to May 2015? I would echo the point you made in your last sentence. I would hate to see anyone damage their musket, injure themselves, or spend their hard-earned money on non-essentials as they prepare to live fire their muskets.

The idea of an individual membership in the N-SSA might have the greatest potential to get these folks some basic introductions on the "how-to" live fire their Enfield's and Springfield's.

[maillemaker]

Re: North-South Skirmish Association - New Live Fire Match Using Authentic Paper Cartridges

Any advice or thoughts on the preparation these 5-man teams should pursue prior to May 2015?

Hi Terry!

If you have never live-fired your musket before, probably the best bet is to stop by a N-SSA skirmish and watch and have someone walk you through loading and shooting, which I'm sure they would be glad to do.

This Google Map will show you the location of all active N-SSA skirmish ranges:

https://goo.gl/maps/ErZmN

If you click on the icon, it will tell you which regions use the range, along with a URL to their web page. You can then get in touch with some N-SSA folks who will help you learn how to shoot your musket and/or how to come out and participate.

There are also many YouTube videos on how to load and shoot muzzle loading arms.

I suspect most reenactors have everything they need except bullets. Ideally, you want your bullets sized to .001"-.002" undersize for optimal accuracy. You may be able to shoot your bullets "as cast", but most folks use a sizing die to make them uniform in size and shape. The bullets will also need to be lubricated. Many people use commercial lubes, or Crisco/Beeswax lubes, but I have also had good success with the period 1:8 tallow:beeswax lube described in the Ordnance Manual. Some sizing dies apply the lube as part of the sizing, but bullets can also be dipped in molten lube.

You can cast your own bullets, which will entail obtaining a lead pot and a mold, or you can buy bullets.

I do not know if they intend to modify the firing procedure for the Traditional matches, but standard N-SSA loading does not use the half-cock position (though your firearm lock must function properly and hold at the half-cock position). In N-SSA loading, typically you load your powder and ball, then bring the weapon to full cock, replace the spent cap with a new cap, and then immediately shoulder the arm and fire it. Though I would not see any problem in loading in nine times if you so desire.

I saw, I believe, a NPS demonstration of a fellow loading a musket in nine times on YouTube and he used his thumb to seat the ball into the muzzle. This is disallowed in N-SSA shooting. Our goal during loading is to minimize any positioning of the body over the muzzle. So when we tip the powder into the barrel the cartridge is held in the hand in such a way that the cartridge is at an angle rather than in line with the bore, and when we load the ball this is done with the ball grasped between the thumb and forefinger as it is set into the bore. The the ramrod is used to push the bullet home.

Typically shooters will put a bayonet into the ground and use it to support their ramrod during shooting. This is done for speed in loading and also so that there is not a vibrating ramrod in the ramrod channel that might alter accuracy. But you can also return the ramrod to the gun, or stick it in your boot, or hold it in your hand as you shoot.

Steve

[maillemaker]

Re: North-South Skirmish Association - New Live Fire Match Using Authentic Paper Cartridges

I have made a video showing how to make the 1855 and 1861 style cartridges:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLtpajjYBmA

Steve

[minieball]

Re: North-South Skirmish Association - New Live Fire Match Using Authentic Paper Cartridges

Excellent video, Steve!!

[Pritchett Ball]

Re: North-South Skirmish Association - New Live Fire Match Using Authentic Paper Cartridges

I have always wondered why not do it just like they did back in the day? Just gotta figure out how to clean up the paper.
I have been loading and shooting US, and British designed paper cartridges for years...it's a great way to enjoy your Rifle/Rifled Musket.
Some good instructions being given, folk!

Kevin Dally


Kevin Dally

[maillemaker]

Re: North-South Skirmish Association - New Live Fire Match Using Authentic Paper Cartridges

I have always wondered why not do it just like they did back in the day? Just gotta figure out how to clean up the paper.
I have been loading and shooting US, and British designed paper cartridges for years...it's a great way to enjoy your Rifle/Rifled Musket.
Some good instructions being given, folk!

My impression is that there is a long-standing concern about cook-offs. Cook offs are rare but do happen with some frequency. I have probably heard three cook offs on the line in the 3 years I have been shooting in the N-SSA. There are many opinions about what causes them but in the end it's that something was hot enough in the barrel to ignite the powder on loading the powder. Most of the time this simply startles the loader but if your hand or fingers are over the barrel when it happens you can also get a "gunpowder tattoo" with grains of powder embedded in your skin and some burns.

Because residue from unburned cartridge pieces could form an ember that could result in cook-offs, there is a long-standing bias against paper down the barrel in the N-SSA.

This is why the use of 1855/1861 style expanding ball cartridges is a good lead-in for more authentic ammunition during skirmishing, because with those cartridges the lubricated bullet was removed from the paper and loaded "naked", just as is usual in N-SSA shooting when using plastic tube cartridges.

I know there is informal testing that has been going on using the British Enfield style of cartridge, which utilizes a paper patched Pritchett bullet, with the wrapper of the cartridge forming the paper patching and carrying the lube. It may come to pass that one day those are allowed also, but the traditional concern about cook-offs will have to be overcome and then there may be competitive differences to be considered between using "naked" bullets vs. paper-patched bullets. I can't imagine that the difference would be any more notable than the differences among the already myriad choices of bullets used in competition currently, but one thing I have learned in my few years of N-SSA shooting is that the wheels of change turn slowly.

Steve