"Wheel gun" combustible cartridges

[Tower75]

Hi all.

Just curious, does anyone who owns a cap-and-ball revolver make self-contained, combustible cartridges for it?

If so, would you be so kind as to let me steal the blueprints?

I'd like to give it ago, but would like a cheat-sheet of how it's done.

If there are any cartridge-loaders out there, I was wondering; how do you get over the "chain-fire" problem, as when you load loose ball and powder you have to use wads or grease or whatever over the chamber mouths to stop any perceived flash-overs - how do you get over that with cartridges? Do you just load them and still use grease, or do you include a wax wad in the cartridge?

Cheers, all.
Tower

[dromia]

Haven't done it in an age for revolvers so don't have blueprints, easy enough to work out though, I do make combustible cartridges for an old '63 Sharps carbine fairly often though.

I've found the trick to be getting your nitrated paper solution well saturated with saltpeter so that there is almost no residue left when fired.

I just use my normal tallow covering over the chambers when the ball is seated to stop chain fires

[Tower75]

You know, this is going to sound daft, but I didn't even think about using saltpetre, I just assumed I could use cigarette papers, or something like that, to make the cartidge

Maybe this requires more thought...

[saddler]

Cartridge are THE only way to load the old cap & ball

EASY to do - no plans needed....

Get a pen that is about the same size as the lead ball you want to use - a sharpie does it for my .36
Get some long cigarette papers
Roll the paper around the pen to make a hollow tube
seal the sides
add a lead ball to one end and twist it to look like ye olde boiled sweetie
add the weighed amount of powder
twist the tube closed on top of the powder

TO USE
Open the tube on the powder end by breaking off the twisted part
pour the powder into the chamber
ram the paper tube & ball on top

variations exist
a mate made up a sub-caliber metal rod with a concave end to rest the ball in
some folk add a felt wad between the ball & powder

Depending on the finished length you will be able to carry the finished cartridges in a nice plastic MTM style box
They are VERY quick & easy to make and ARE how the ammo was issued in the field

[Tower75]

Thank you, saddler.

I'll give that a bash and see how I go

[dromia]

I'm not a fan of cigarette paper as it is a bit femme I've found, far better to make your own combustible paper then you have your own choice of base paper. I like to use my 100% cotton rag onion shin patching paper for combustible cartridges.

[meles meles]

oomans ! This is what CARTRIDGE* paper was invented for !







*There's a subtle hint in the name.

[saddler]

oomans ! This is what CARTRIDGE* paper was invented for !

*There's a subtle hint in the name.

Aye - very true - but fag papers are easier to find & are already treated to burn away to nothing

IF I was making paper carts for a 577 or 451 - I'd deffo go with the traditional cartridge paper & treat it with a mix of badgers nadger sweat and kittems tears to make it more flammable

[Tower75]

oomans ! This is what CARTRIDGE* paper was invented for !

*There's a subtle hint in the name.

The corner shop stocks quite a bit of ciggy papers, but surprising little cartridge paper. I thought "cartridge paper" was just a type of paper the army used back in the day that was XYZ thick and made of ABC material. Where would I find that paper today? And does it have any benefits over ciggy papers?

[meles meles]

I thought "cartridge paper" was just a type of paper the army used back in the day that was XYZ thick and made of ABC material. Where would I find that paper today? And does it have any benefits over ciggy papers?

We supposes that you haven't really grasped the concepts of sugar paper, butter paper and greaseproof papers either...

Long, long ago, afore Leo Baekeland had invented plastics and when oomans were perhaps much smarter than they are now, things were often wrapped, stored and transported in paper. Different grades of paper were developed for containing different things, for example, gunpowder, sugar, butter and tallow. Each type of paper was specially made to give the optimum performance for the purpose in mind. For example, cartridge paper was made to be strong, semi-waterproof and fully combustible so that it could be used to store, transport and dispense powder, shot and ball, and also act as a wad in guns. Which is exactly what we think you are intending to do, ooman...

You may find it at a leading High Street retailer of stationary or any good artists' suppliers. It's stronger than fag papers, a little more water resistant too. It probably doesn't do quite so well for smoking tobacco through though.

*despairs of oomanity*