Confederate Soldier of the American Civil War by Denis Hambucken & Matthew Payson

Author:Denis Hambucken & Matthew Payson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Countryman Press
Published: 2012-03-04T16:00:00+00:00

Buck & Ball Cartridges

To improve the effectiveness of smoothbore muskets, many regiments were issued buck & ball cartridges. These combined the heavy stopping power of a .69-caliber lead slug with three pellets of buckshot that spread out in a wide pattern. Even a poorly aimed buck & ball shot was four times more likely to find its mark than a single bullet. Thus, one regiment supplied with buck & ball ammunition effectively had the same firepower as several.

THE MINIE BALL

The Civil War introduced America to a devastating new bullet that combined increased range with the loading speed of the smoothbore musket and the accuracy of the rifle. The Minié ball was named after its French inventor, Claude-Étienne Minié. Its main feature was a hollow skirt designed to expand in the barrel upon firing.

a) The undersized bullet is easily rammed down the barrel in spite of the rifling or gunpowder residue buildup.

b) The deflagration of the gunpowder flares out the skirt at the base of the bullet.

c) This produces a very tight fit against the rifling of the barrel, resulting in increased velocity and spin for longer range and improved accuracy.

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