Minnie ball use in pre-civil war America ?

[kyron4]

Watched a short documentary on the Minnie ball and being developed in France 1841; was it in widespread or limited use at the tail end of the fur trade or the western expansion years prior to the Civil War ? Were they made available to the public outside the military ? When did it replace the patched round ball in general use ? Just curious. -Thanks

 

[TFoley]

TMK the Minié ball was predominantly military in use.

 

[dave951]

Watched a short documentary on the Minnie ball and being developed in France 1841; was it in widespread or limited use at the tail end of the fur trade or the western expansion years prior to the Civil War ? Were they made available to the public outside the military ? When did it replace the patched round ball in general use ? Just curious. -Thanks

The minie was a military item. It never did replace the PRB in general use by the public at large as it was one of the last developments in muzzleloading before cartridge guns became viable.