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Paper covered Coil cartridge

Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 4:24 pm
by DoubleD
This cartridge is a Battlefield pick up from Isandlwana. It appears to be a linen or paper covered coil case 577/450.

http://www.fototime.com/C715CE82EB9FCEC/standard.jpg[/pic]

Here is a second one compared with a 577/450 and paper 577 Snider

http://www.fototime.com/F6849195723CC05/standard.jpg[/pic]

Here is another picture with the two cartridges.

http://www.fototime.com/5B939E35B922D9A/standard.jpg[/pic]

As you can see the cartridge is a coil cartridge covered with linen or paper.

The paper portion is considerably shorter than a Snider paper cartridge. The coil portion is as along as 577/450.

This a paper covered coil cartridge.

Does anyone have any information on this cartridge or any paper covered coil cartridge?

FYI, these cartridges are on display in a small museum near Isandlwana

Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 12:59 am
by Tom-May
As I understood matters, the (infantry) issue Martini-Henry cartridges were not paper covered, which was one of the problems causing jamming in the conditions in South Africa - a paper film would have provided a shear layer which may have prevented some of the jamming/cartridge tearing problems under those service conditions.

Could the round be private purchase/reloads used by one or other of the local forces or 'irregulars' along with the column?

Just a thought.

Tom

(waiting to be shot down in flames)

Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:00 am
by DoubleD
Tom-May wrote: Could the round be private purchase/reloads used by one or other of the local forces or 'irregulars' along with the column?

Just a thought.

Tom
(waiting to be shot down in flames)
This is what I suspect and is why I asked for the location on the battlefield.