The plugs were effective, I have tried them using both wood ( a real pitb to make) and Milliput clay. They didn’t perform consistently because I suspect that some did and some did not separate in flight.
The original Minie' balls were made with a clay plug in the base to help to expand the bullet when the gun fired. Wood plugs were also used.
Yes, that’s the stuff. I read an article somewhere that someone has used it successfully. Plain hollow base is producing the best results for me although I have yet to go beyond 100 yards.
Back in the days when they were experimenting with the Delvigne Minie, attempts at using clay/wood were common. Eventually they relied (at least in America) on the exploding gasses to do that. There were a few cases where the "plug" sometimes deformed the bullets which affected accuracy.
The iron plug was in the Minie used for the British Pattern 1851 rifle. The Pattern 1853 used boxwood plugs, which were later replaced by clay plugs for economy. The 'Minie' (Burton) used in America was never intended for a plug and anything in the cavity reduces it's accuracy.
The Pritchett is an industrial product as a complete ammunition system, not just a bullet. Home hand making requires much care and the originals were industrially made to fine tolerances and close quality control. They were factory made by the many, many millions for military service, despite the extra cost over the Delvigne Minie or Burton. The military wanted a reasonable but consistent accuracy and the Pritchett gave them that together with a constant rate of fire in all weathers from ammunition for as long as needed whilst it had to cope with oceanic sea voyages followed by bullock cart travel over weeks. Hence the care over their packaging as well as production. Brett Gibbon's fine made Pritchett ammunition displays his clear knowledge and considerable investment to make a factory standard cartridge in a tiny company. Everyone I have ever known who experimented with making their own have had a long learning curve to get factory standard results. However, the accuracy of a well made Pritchett does not do badly but I suspect that it does not stabilise as quickly as a Burton. But then the military did not need button size accuracy at short ranges.
