Question about Burnside bullets

[pachaplain]

Can anyone explain why the burnside bullet came in both a flat-based and a dish-based variation.  Since it is a breachloading bullet, I did not think that a dish-base variation would be used to help expand the bullet to better fit the rifling, however I could be wrong since I can think of no other reason for the dish-base. Also, does anyone know a ratio of dish-based to flat-based bullets.  Thanks!

[Jim T]

I'd suspect it was just a way to save some lead.

[Pete George]

Ohiochaplain wrote:
> Also, does anyone know a ratio of dish-based to flat-based bullets.

  It's difficult to come up with a precisely-accurate ratio.  All I can do is give you a rough estimation, based on the quantities I've seen on the civil war bullets market (which includes my participation as a longtime buyer of "bulk" quantities of dug bullets).

  I would estimate the ratio to be at least ten flat-base to one dish-base -- and probably significantly higher than 10-to-1  ...perhaps 20-to-1.

  I should mention that the estimate is "clouded" by the fact that most dug Burnside "slugs" are found as part of a corroded-to-pieces cartridge -- with the slug's base being too corroded for certainty about whether it is a flat-base or a dish-base slug.  So, my estimate is based on the number of "distinguishable" specimens I've seen of the two types of base.

Regards,
Pete