Hi everyone,
Over the years I've noticed varying lengths of original specimens of .58 paper cartridges, (both the four originals I own, and the ones depicted in the photos of Round Ball to Rimfire Vol. I). I've been reproducing the .58 paper cartridge for many years, and recently did a little experiment/comparison. Using the EXACT specifications of the trapezoids called out in the Third Edition of the Ordnance Manual of 1861, (4.12" x 4.0" x 2.5"), I reproduced the middle cartridge in the attached photo with 65 grains of FFg powder. The two on either side of it are originals. Notice the variation in lengths. Does anyone have any good ideas on why there is so much variation, (in length)?
A couple of other facts about this test...the Minie Ball I cast and use for the reproductions is extremely close in dimension to that called out in
Small Arms 1856. I also carefully opened the original cartridge on the left side a while back and used calipers to measure that original Minie Ball. Those dimensions, (particularly the length), were just a couple of thousandths different than my reproduction Minie Ball contained in the center cartridge. The diameter of both the original and reproduced paper cartridges are obviously the same, so why do the lengths vary so much? Assuming the lengths of the Minie Balls are relatively the same, the only explanation would be that more than 60 or 65 grains of powder was being placed into the original cartridges. This is probably not the case, as I've read many accounts of inspections taking place during the war...so they were keeping tabs on this sort of thing so to speak.
Any plausible explanations?
Thanks much!!
