Loading military rifles.

[Matt Maier]

So I was looking up the M1841 Mississippi rifle and it got me thinking. In the days before the Minie ball when the military use of rifles was limited, how did those units that did have rifles load them? Was it from a paper cartridge like the muskets or did they load it with loose powder and a patched ball?

 

[pargent]

Both

 

[drwatson1873]

Succinct, and correct. The Rifle Regiments during the War of 1812 and their successor, the Regiment of Rifles, carried loose ball of the appropriate size for snug patched loading along with a horn and measure. This was to facilitate loading for accuracy when time allowed. They additionally carried a limited number of paper cartridges with an undersized ball for loading quickly in close engagement...mainly for covering an orderly retirement toward regular infantry positions so the muskets (and bayonets) could handle the heavy brawling.

 

[Wes/Tex]

The above answers are both correct. Though I assume you are referring to American military in your original question, I'll also toss out that the 95th, 60th and Light Companies of the King's German Legion in British service that used the Baker Rifle had balls pre-wrapped with pig skin. They were lubed with an some sort of grease that modern collector's haven't exactly identified but seems to be quite tasty to mice! I've never found mention of anything similar in U.S. service, but then we used .54 caliber rifles rather than the .62 of the Baker and .70 of the later Brunswick Rifle in use in Britain.

 

[The O'Dea]

Gentlemen,
The M1841 rifle was the first US rifle to use paper ctgs (RB encased in a linnen/ bladder patch, dipped in lube) Now,the militaia was also issued the M1841 rifle,and instead of being issued the P1841 rifleman's pouch,the militia was issued the P1839 pouch & Belt with the 'Peace flask'along with the appropiate appendges.

The Irish Mick
Arizona Territory

 

[The O'Dea]

ADDENDUM
In case you are interested, the service charge for the M1841 was 75 gains of fine rifle powder (FFG)
One item that I have come across while going through my original ordnance returns of frontier depots is the charger for the M1841. As to what extant they were issued, or for that mater used is unknown.
Three (3) exapmles of the charger are pictured on the bottom of pg.471 of Riling's The Powder Flask Book.
Many years ago, i once sold an outstanding copy of this brass charger. It still may be available to tay.
I hope that this helps

The Irish Mick
Arizona Territory

 

[SAJones]

Somewhere in my stack of books I recall a piece about early US military rifles where the balls were sewn into a cloth patch. They looked nice & round with a seam along the top. Guess you would load with the seam up instead of the sprue. Anyway, would be a depot type load, probably contracted to local seamstresses. Paper cartridges were used, don't recall if the patched balls were in cartridges or not.