Combustible Cartridges for Cap & Ball Revolvers

[john s mosby]

Has anyone tried making these? Dixie's book in the back (page 662) shows how to do it using cigarette paper. They use a conical bullet in the article. Guess it would work for round balls too.

 

[Zonie]

It sounds like a lot of work to me.

Then there is the risk of buying the cigarette paper.

You know, as your leaving the store, the clerk calls the DEA. The DEA shows up and traces your mastercard number to find your address. 20 minutes later your house is surrounded, and you hear a loud pounding on your front door.
As your wife opens it, 3 guys wearing flack jackets charge into the room yelling "Wheres the Pot? Where did you hide it? Put down the pan lady, we'er looking for pot not pans!!"
"YOU! You with the paper! Put down that can of pot and get up against the wall! Hay, Fred. Look at this. He's pouring black pot into the papers! Wait 'till the Chief hears about this!"

Yup, This sounds like an idea I can live without.

Remember, just because your Paranoid, doesn't mean their not after you. ::

 

[john s mosby]

After reading your response I think I'll just do it the old way. I'd never have thought of that!!
It does seem like alot of work.

 

[jdixon]

Zonie:
Got a good laugh from your post - thanks I needed one today! Seriously though - I only wish the drug problem in this country was such that we had the time to worry about those who purchase rolling papers. As it is now, if you bought JOB's by the case it wouldn't be noticed in most places - smoke 'em if you got 'em!

 

[Hawkeye]

Try this link

http://www.frontierspot.org/viewtopic.php?t=26413

 

[Wes/Tex]

Have made them in the past using papers as you mentioned. The issued pre-made rounds were all made using the conical ball rather than the round ball generally used by modern shooters. The main problem is that the conical ball isn't as good a man-stopper as the round ball and a chamber full of FFg. If you find original, or copies, of the loading procedures of the era, they make it pretty clear that round balls were seldom used for pre-made revolver ammo. You can make them either way and can also using a tapered form or cylindrical one.

Never heard of anybody having feds visit after buying cigarette papers. Suppose use old farts who grew up in the 60's have long gotten over what anyone thinks. I roll Bugler for practice and will be happy to mail you an envelope of cigarette papers. Just E-mail me at [email protected]. In fact, will be happy to do so for anyone who'd like to give it a shot and isn't comfortable buying papers. Keep your powder dry! eace:

 

[44-henry]

I've made the combustible cartridges for many of my revolvers and have done it both with Zig-Zag papers and also with homemade combustible paper. I prefer the latter, and yes they do work much better with conicals rather than roundballs. It's been awhile, but I believe I was using Linen paper from a stationary store, a pound of Potassium Nitrate is than added to warm water until it will not disolve any further (a saturated solution), once disolved the paper is placed in a photo tray which is than filled with the nitrate. The sheets are allowed to soak for awhile and than pulled out (carefully since wet paper is fragile) and allowed to air dry (I'd hang mine on a cloths line). When the paper is dry you can cut it to the particular shape you need. I made tapered dowels that fit the chamber of the revolver I was making the cartridges for and than waxed them so glue in following operations wouldn't stick. A cardboard pattern was cut out, tried around the dowel and trimmed until the right shape was worked out. All the paper could than be cut to this pattern. To use, the paper was wrapped around the dowel and glued with a glue stick. The paper was carefully removed and the small end was either crimped and glued, or twisted to close. The charge of powder was than placed inside the now closed paper cylinder, and a bullet, with a thin band of glue around the base was set in place and the paper was than pushed around it to seat in the glue line. The now completed cartridge was put aside to dry for awhile and was than ready to use. These cartridges are relatively fragile so they need to be stored carefully and out of damp areas, but they will work for years, I found a small cache of these cartridges I had made some 15 years ago and recently shot them in my 1860, they all went bang.

What was surpising to me was how small a charge the original factory colt cartridges used, seems pretty anemic when you think about it. They also were such small charges that they would have left quite the gap between bullet and barrel, there fun to play with, but I still prefer loading with loose powder and roundballs.

 

[Gary]

Thanks Zonie for bursting my bubble. :cry: I always thought I was receiving "executive protection" from the DEA. They followed me everywhere I went. Now I know it's only because I'm "Suspect No. 1" because of my hoard of cigarette paper. :nono:

 

[Rat]

Zonie you nut-ball.

:nono:

Ok, here's an "alternative" that really works for me.

I make a "NON-combustible" cartridge, that is as fast as using a combustible, especially if you have to poke the darn thing through the nipples so it will fire, or tear off the end anyhow.

Take some paper, does not matter what, post it note, paper bag whatever. Find something to roll it around that after you glue one end shut, will allow you to slide a ball into the now paper cylinder with a pretty snug fit.

Then poke a wonder wad down over the ball.

Then pour in your powder charge.

Then fold it over and glue.

Then when in the field, you just whip out a "cartridge", tear off the end, pour in the powder, squeeze out the ball and wad and seat, and cap with your inline capper. VERY fast.

Then just stick the paper in your back pocket, and forget about it until it's time to wash yer pants.

Best of all these are NOT fragile.

:RO:

Rat

 

[JackAubrey]

I tried the DGW method years ago w/ poor results.The glued edge held well to the ball but the remainder was open,as it were.Besides,it would'nt even hold 25 grains.If you wish for success w/ combustible cartridges, contact:C.S.Arsenal Works,Route1,Box418,Clarksville,WV 26301.This gentleman makes a kit for .36 &.44 calibre revolvers.It includes a turned and tapered cartridge former,cartridge template,glue stick,enough nitrated paper to manufacture 100 cartridges and an instruction manual.The kits are $9.95 ppd.I have been making paper cartridges similiar to musket cartridges.Brown paper containing powder and ball,torn open,poured then discarded.Best Regards,Jack.

 

Don't you just love the look the store clerk gives you, when they hand you the papers. Even had one ask me where he could score some grass! Then, the "yeah, sure you are.", when you explain that you are making combustible paper cartridges for your BP revolver or BP Sharps.

Just :m2c:

 

[john s mosby]

Thanks to all who responded to my question. Even Zonie too, a good laugh is always in order.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Maybe Zonie's problem is the outfit. Wearing that into any store would get you followed by the Feds or the fashion police!! :haha: :crackup: :crackup:

 

[Zonie]

Well, if they want one too, they will just have to find it on their own, cause I'm not tellin where I got it. ::

 

[Bear Rider]

Don't you just love the look the store clerk gives you, when they hand you the papers. Even had one ask me where he could score some grass! Then, the "yeah, sure you are.", when you explain that you are making combustible paper cartridges for your BP revolver or BP Sharps.

I had just he opposite experience, the first time that I tried it. The clerk said, "Really! Let me know how that works out. My husband shoots black powder."

Maybe there is hope for this world. :results:

 

[peter]

Last summer I tried the same thing, didn't work very well. Oh, they all went bang, but were not a time saver to load , and left residue in chambers. I might have been doing it wrong, but what the heck, trying different things is part of the fun of muzzle loading. I also got very dirty looks from store clerks when I asked for rolling papers, " we don't sell THAT stuff here ".