Hello,
The Gatling gun cartridge family is varied but quite interesting.
1. 58-caliber rimfire conical ball-Model 1865. Post Civil War.
2. 1" rimfire conical ball-Model 1866. PCW.
3. 50-70 caliber 1866 to 1871. PCW.
4. 45-70 caliber 1874 to 1892. PCW.
5. 30-40 caliber 1893 to 1900. PCW
6. 30-03 caliber 1903. PCW.
7. 30-06 caliber 1903 to 1906. PCW
Mike showed a good solid base 1" caliber Gatling gun bullet.
The Gatling gun bullet is a small collection in itself and pretty hard to get.
I hope this helps a little with the calibers and dates of service both in the US and in other countries.
Tom S.
I don't see the .577/450 in that list. Where would it fit? Wasn't it a limited production from 1871 to 1884.
I think I read somewhere that it was made for the European market, during that period. Anyone know?
Oh and by the way, I've found what company made this round.
It was made in England by the Sir William Armstrong, Mitchell and Co, sometime between 1882 and 1897.
Another interesting thing I found. Several 45-70 cases were found at Batoche where the one Gatling gun had been during the battle. They all showed evidence of being fired from the wrong chamber. IE; splits and bulges in the case wall.
I have been told in no uncertain terms that the two Gatling guns loaned to Canada and which participated in the Northwest rebellion, were chambered for the 45-70 cartridge.
But I find myself wondering if maybe they were chambered for the 577/450 round instead. At first glance one would assume that a 45-70 cartridge would not fire in a 577/450 chamber because the rim was small enough that the 45-70 would slip right inside the chamber. But would it ? We do know that the version of the 577/450 used in the Gatling guns was not exactly the same as the rifle version of that cartridge.
In fact, at that time, there was considerable variations between one manufactures cases and the next. It is possible, if the 45-70 rounds had a larger then standard rim or if the 577/450 chamber was a bit smaller then standard.
My literature shows a 45-70 rim at .608 inches and the base dimension of the 577/450 chamber at .668 inches. That's not all that much by the standards of the day.
Perhaps someone has more information of the dimensions of the cases and chambers of those round during that period.
All and all, a very interesting subject.
