Belted Ball

[Feltwad]

Question Was the belted ball for game rifles used in the States the same has used in the UK sporting rifles.
Feltwad

 

[Rifleman1776]

Can't speak for the UK, but they had a brief (very brief) period of popularity in the U.S. a while back. As I recall, there was no advantage to using them over a standard round ball.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I don’t think belted balls ever really caught on, over here. I believe John Palliser, an Irish sportsman and adventurer, mentioned them in his book about hunting on the northern plains. James Carnegie, Earl of Southesk, said something about shooting “skirted” bullets, but it was unclear to me whether he was referring to belted balls or hollow based bullets.

I’m assuming belted balls would be like those used with the Brunswick rifles. If I am mistaken in that regard, by all means set me straight!

So, as far as I know, belted balls, and the rifles that shot them, were brought in and used by sportsmen from abroad, but I don’t think they saw much use on this continent otherwise.

This is not a topic I know much about, though. I will look forward to reading responses from other forum members.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Question Was the belted ball for game rifles used in the States the same has used in the UK sporting rifles.
Feltwad

If you're talking historically then I'd say no, other than by a few of the celebrity hunters of the past that could afford to dabble.

First, it was pretty much the ammunition for the Brunswick rifle, which was a British rifle.

Second, because it was British, it really didn't "cross the pond" until the ACW, and then in small numbers. At that same time lever action rifles and single shot breech loaders were first appearing on the scene.

Finally, it wasn't known as a good hunting bullet, even in British circles.

The result was, that the new [belted ball] rifle was found to possess very little, if any, advantage over the polygroove ; and their respective merits remained a bone of contention till the inventions of Minié and Jacob turned everyone’s attention in a new direction…, James Forsyth The Sporting Rifle and Its Projectiles 1867


LD

 

[Feltwad]

Well, it seems that the belted ball for game shooting is more associated to the UK sportsmen. Enclosed are a couple of images of a rifle more associated to a park rifle in 51 cal with 3 leaf sight on a 32inch Damascus barrel and shoots a belted ball.
Feltwad

 

[Captjoel]

This western PA rifle built around 1840 by A.B. Smith incorporated the twin groove barrel for firing belted balls. It is very unique also, being just a 32 caliber small bore. I share these pictures taken when I was the proud owner of this rifle.

I include a lot more information in my post made back in December 2010. Western PA Longrifle by Abias Butler Smith