Mini wooden base plug

[Thunderchild]

I have been doing some research on Civil War Cartridges.

One of the things that I found out is that Civil War Enfield cartridges had mini Balls with a wooden plug in the base. The wooden plug was supposed to help the skirt engage the rifling in a more positive manner. The wooden plug was manufactured in a way that it would fill the hollow of the mini (with out protruding). It was dipped in a mixture of 4 parts bee’s wax and 1 part tallow (as was the mini ball, from the skirt to the top ring). During firing the plug would be pushed forward and expand the skirt into the rifling. Not all civil war cartridges had this plug. I am talking about cartridges imported from England that were designed for the Enfield musket.

Given the amount of labor needed to produce the millions of rounds that were used in the civil war, I think that there was a pretty good reason for the wooden plug. It begs the question, “Why do we not use the plugs today”. I do not even hear people talking about these plugs. What do you think? Comments Please.

 

[tg]

"“Why do we not use the plugs today”. I do not even hear people talking about these plugs. What do you think?'

There is little interest in using PC projectiles with the exception of a few civil war bullets and some long range target bullets, there were quite a few conical styles being used to one degree or another from the rev war on but virtually none are being offered or asked for now, I suspect that some were not particularly efficient when compared to the modern bullets, I think it is to much effort and a lack of ballistic performance that caused most to use modern design bullets rather than research and use the originals, most folks feel that a bullet is a bullet so if they are into traditional hunting/shooting they feel the old ones and the new ones are the same....

 

[rabjr]

Wasn't it found by the time the Civil war started, that the plug wasn't needed to expand the skirt into the rifling? Why would you continue to devote man hours to a step in making ammunition when it wasn't needed? Wasn't needed then, not needed now.

 

[tg]

I think that originaly an iron plug was used,then Burton (I think that was his name) found they were not needed, I think this all came about by the mid 1850's, I do not know the history of the British wooden plugs mentioned above or to what degree this tech was used in the civil war, I have not done much in the way of research on that time period.

 

[silverfox]

tg I have and English dbl in .50 that was used in India for hunting and it came with bullets with the metal plugs. The bullets are pointed and smooth sides (no groves) the plug is inserted into a cavity in the base and covers about 1/2 of the base. Can't say how they shoot as I didn't have enough to try them. The bullets are about double the cal. in length.
They look like a lot of work to me. The standard Minnie is a lot easier to make and you don't have to worry about getting the plugs crooked.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[Tumblernotch]

Like tg said James Henry Burton found that by thinning the skirt a little and modifying the shape a little the plug could be dispensed with and just letting the gas expand the bullet.

The French first used small iron cup shaped inserts. Some of these were found to separate from the bullet and endanger troops when fired over their heads from formations in the rear. (I'm hoping they were at least firing from a higher elevation). Then the British went to boxwood plugs and later used a plug made of clay. Bullets with the clay plug were also used in some of the ammunition used in the Snider converted Enfields post Civil War.