Aaron
posted this
30 March 2025
Will you be making base plugs?
Not with these. They are the Enfield Pritchett 1856 "Hay Pattern" bullets at .561" I used the base wrap method prescribed in the period Army literature.
From Forth Armory:
While this pattern absolutely existed in 1855, based on the dates of the sources for it, this is probably what the cartridge looked like back to 1853 when the Pritchett bullet was first used with the Enfield musket.
Our templates are based on drawings from Instruction of Musketry, Horse Guards, 1854, and The Artillerist's Manual and British Soldier's Compendium 7th Edition, F. A. Griffiths, 1856.
In both sources, the instructions for this cartridge instruct to "fold the remainder of the envelope on the base of the bullet". In addition, The Artilleryman's Manual describes the bullet as 530 grains (the weight of the Hay bullet with plug; the Pritchett bullet was 520 grains). This means that the Hay bullet, with it's wooden plug, must have been in use with this cartridge by this date.
The Pritchett bullet was abandoned by the British around 1855. This pattern of cartridge was probably identical to, or very similar to, that used earlier for the Pritchett. In any case, a .568" diameter bullet was used with this pattern of cartridge.
This style of cartridge was also produced by the Confederacy during the American Civil War (see Round Ball to Rimfire Volume 4, Dean S. Thomas). The Confederate copies of this Enfield cartridge did not utilize a plug in the base of the bullet.
End Forth Armory....
I prefer the 1860 Enfield Cartridge (Final Version) with its .550" Pritchett style bullet. I do use the plugs in these to address the windage matter. I make the clay plugs and fire them in the kiln at University. Clay is the only material that shrinks down upon drying to the correct size. Skulpy and auto body goop does not shrink upon drying to the correct size.
The 1860 style cartridges are more time consuming with their tie off below the bullet base. The gum wrapper is also needed to keep the outer wrapper and powder sleeve together. That version is a handsome cartridge, harder to make. The 1855 version is easier to make but has less windage, therefore can be harder to load.
Here are my cartridges I made today with the Old West bullet at .561". They are a tighter fit in the bore. Wrapping has to be TIGHT.
And yes, the rebs had graph paper! Use what is on-hand right? Notice no bullet plug. These are wrapped and stuffed into base of bullet.
With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.
