Holes in a Cartridge Box

[starman]

Hi All. I purchased a new cartridge box for my paper cartridges that will be used in my Brown Bess. The holes in the block are so small that a 0.735 naked ball will not fit in the hole. The ball is just about the same size as my bore. I am going to make a new block to go into the cartridge holder. Any suggestions as to what size holes I should drill or how loose the cartridges should be in the block? Thanks.

 

[Carbon 6]

I say you are using the wrong size ball, cartridges should take a .690 ball.

 

[starman]

I know what you mean about ball size. I purchased some .0735 balls before I knew what I was doing. That statement is not to imply that I know what I am doing now. I will eventually melt them down, once I get a mould, and pour them for a size that I can use. I used the 0.735 ball as a comparison to show the current size holes in the block. I am not sure how a paper acrtridge should actually fit in a cartridge block.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I make the holes in my cartridge boxes 7/8" in diameter.

Some of my flimsy cartridge paper seems to have leaked some powder from the wrappings.

The belly box, in red, is off to the right.

 

[Artificer]

I make the holes in my cartridge boxes 7/8" in diameter.

View attachment 35286

Some of my flimsy cartridge paper seems to have leaked some powder from the wrappings.

The belly box, in red, is off to the right.

First of all, I very much like the 7/8" inch size holes Grenadier 1758 mentioned because most of our modern repro's are .750-.754" in actual bore diameter. I would ask him in the modern repro tin oil bottles that were/are meant to go into one hole of the Cartridge Box actually fits in that size? (I purchased my Belly Box already made and the holes are 3/4", which is too small for many of the repro tin oil bottles and there is not enough room to ream/bore the holes larger.)

I don't know what the "common" or average size of the holes in original Cartridge Boxes and the blocks in Cartridge Boxes for the Brown Bess, as I've never measured the holes in an original Box or Pouch block. I do know original accounts in the FIW from British and British American Forces complained the holes in their Cartridge Boxes were too small for the cartridges, at least early in the War from the ones they received from British Ordnance.

Period documentation calls for ".69" caliber balls for the Brown Bess. However, original unfired balls for the Brown Bess have been excavated all over the North American Continent. T.M. Hamilton recorded in his book "Colonial Frontier Guns", he actually measured the size of the unfired balls with modern precision calipers and found they actually ranged from .690" to as large as .720", though balls measuring .700" to .710" were much more commonly found. By number count of excavated balls found, .710" balls were the most common and .690" the least common.

Of course modern repro Brown Besses are usually made of around .75 caliber and sometimes they made repros as small as .69 cal. to .725 cal., the latter which is actually rather common 12 gauge bore size.

The ORIGINAL Brown Bess bore size was .76 caliber and would pass British Ordnance Inspection anywhere between that and .78 caliber, while some bores ran as high as .80 caliber when new made. This before Steel Rammer use "wallowed" the muzzles of the Iron Barrels larger.

My old Pedersoli Brown Bess Barrel actually measured .753" when using precision dial calipers at the muzzle. It preferred a .735" ball and greased ticking patch to shoot the most accurately.

If I have not lost anyone completely, I very much agree that 7/8" holes Grenadier 1758 mentioned, are probably the best size for modern Repro Brown Bess Muskets and Carbines.

Gus

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I say you are using the wrong size ball, cartridges should take a .690 ball.

This.

Either that, or it’s meant for .69 cartridges in which case it should be used with paper cartridges loaded with roughly .65 caliber balls.

 

[Jay Templin]

I have always put my cartridges into the block with the ball on top. It keeps the powder dryer, and more naturally presents the rear of the cartridge to the mouth when you draw it out. It also keeps the ball from getting stuck in the block. You can see a photo of an original box with two cartridges inside on page 25 of Neumann's "Battle Weapons of the American Revolution," and though it's not a great picture, the cartridges look to be ball up. I'm not saying this is The Right Way (TM), but it's worked for me for 30 years.
Jay

 

[toot]

.69 CAL. RB'S is what is to be used in the cartridge boxes' for the BROWN BESSE'S. and I beleave if you do any research on them that .69 CAL. balls is what the BRITISH used in them. so when it got fouled you could still load it. so as stated just try .69 CAL. balls in the box and weapon and let us know how you make out? good luck?

 

[Coot]

Hi All. I purchased a new cartridge box for my paper cartridges that will be used in my Brown Bess. The holes in the block are so small that a 0.735 naked ball will not fit in the hole. The ball is just about the same size as my bore. I am going to make a new block to go into the cartridge holder. Any suggestions as to what size holes I should drill or how loose the cartridges should be in the block? Thanks.

I have a reproduction 10 bore naval blunderbuss. I made a belly box to go with it. I first made up some cartridges & then sized the box holes to be a loose fit (easy in & out, no tearing of paper) for the cartridges that fit my gun. I think it is called reverse engineering.