sleepysquirrel2
Member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2020
- Messages
- 42
I was always taught that air gap in black powder cartridges was dangerous. The logic was from muzzleoading, where if you short-started but forgot to ram down a ball, you ended up with a bore obstruction some 2 feet away from the powder charge, leading to a risk of ringing the barrel.
While that may happen with black powder muzzleloaders, this phenomenon was never considered a risk by individuals loading black powder cartridges in the 1880's (prior to the invention of smokeless powder).
In the 1880's, US government issued black powder gallery cartridges using full-sized 45-70 cases, a 5 grains of black powder, a large air gap, and then a ~.455" (140 gr) round ball seated at the mouth of the case. NO FILLER WAS USED.
Yes, these were .455", which matches the weight of 140gr (though tolerance from .454" to .459" was allowed). See the picture of the winchester "45.5 Armory Practice Round Balls" as further evidence. And no, these were not "collar button" bullets, these were clearly round balls, as marked on the winchester box.
Captain Stanhope Blunt's 1889 Small Arms Firing Regulations further specifies that the powder charge can range from 4gr-7gr, depending on the powder type available (Fg, FFg, FFFg). These balls were coated with a wax lubricant.
And before you cry "well that's only 5 grs of powder, that's nothing", the Frankfort Arsenal made a heavier gallery load in 1902. They used a normal 45-70 case, a charge of 20 grains of black powder (probably FFg), a large air gap, and old leftover 230 gr 45 colt bullets seated at the mouth of the case. (remember, the military had swapped to the 38 long colt 1892 revolver at that point, and didn't officially swap back to 45 colt until 1909, so they had leftover 45 cal revolver bullets)
In essence, a light 45 colt load, loaded into a 45-70 case, and a large air gap in between.
Other companies like UMC (prior to the merger with remington) also manufactured these gallery rounds from the 1880s to at least the 1900's. Note the crimp showing that the 140gr 45 cal round ball is seated far away from the 5 grs of powder.
Not only that, but these air-gapped black powder cartridges were expected to be used hundreds of times over. Regarding the roundball gallery load, Blunt's manual reads "The endurance of the service shells when used only for gallery practice is between 200 and 300 rounds; they should be occasionally washed in warm water, and if they become expanded so as to fit tightly the chamber of the gun they should be resized; this, however, will not often be required. The lead recovered from firing can be re-melted and cast three or four times.
Therefore, we know that leaving an air gap in a black powder rifle cartridge is dangerous is 100% myth. The US army and the Frankfort Arsenal regularly loaded 45-70 with large air gaps for practice rounds.
Filler is not necessary. Seating the bullet to the powder is not necessary. Sure, accuracy may (or may not) be as good as a properly loaded cartridge with compressed powder or fillers, but according to the US government, it is not dangerous to load black powder cartridges with an air gap! In fact, casings from these gallery loads was encouragted to be re-used hundreds of times!
Further, these gallery loads were encouraged over fully charged 45-70 for practice purposes. Many trapdoor service rifles that were stuck in barracks and not used in the Indian wars (e.g., on the east coast) would have seen more light-loaded 45-5-140 gallery loads than fully charged 45-70-405 loads in their lifetimes!
https://americansocietyofarmscollec...s/2019/06/2017-B116-Military-Marksmanship.pdf
The article above tells you more about how frequently gallery loads were used and encouraged for practice. Evidently the US government was a lot more frugal about their training budgets back in the day
While that may happen with black powder muzzleloaders, this phenomenon was never considered a risk by individuals loading black powder cartridges in the 1880's (prior to the invention of smokeless powder).
In the 1880's, US government issued black powder gallery cartridges using full-sized 45-70 cases, a 5 grains of black powder, a large air gap, and then a ~.455" (140 gr) round ball seated at the mouth of the case. NO FILLER WAS USED.
Yes, these were .455", which matches the weight of 140gr (though tolerance from .454" to .459" was allowed). See the picture of the winchester "45.5 Armory Practice Round Balls" as further evidence. And no, these were not "collar button" bullets, these were clearly round balls, as marked on the winchester box.
Captain Stanhope Blunt's 1889 Small Arms Firing Regulations further specifies that the powder charge can range from 4gr-7gr, depending on the powder type available (Fg, FFg, FFFg). These balls were coated with a wax lubricant.
And before you cry "well that's only 5 grs of powder, that's nothing", the Frankfort Arsenal made a heavier gallery load in 1902. They used a normal 45-70 case, a charge of 20 grains of black powder (probably FFg), a large air gap, and old leftover 230 gr 45 colt bullets seated at the mouth of the case. (remember, the military had swapped to the 38 long colt 1892 revolver at that point, and didn't officially swap back to 45 colt until 1909, so they had leftover 45 cal revolver bullets)
In essence, a light 45 colt load, loaded into a 45-70 case, and a large air gap in between.
Other companies like UMC (prior to the merger with remington) also manufactured these gallery rounds from the 1880s to at least the 1900's. Note the crimp showing that the 140gr 45 cal round ball is seated far away from the 5 grs of powder.
Not only that, but these air-gapped black powder cartridges were expected to be used hundreds of times over. Regarding the roundball gallery load, Blunt's manual reads "The endurance of the service shells when used only for gallery practice is between 200 and 300 rounds; they should be occasionally washed in warm water, and if they become expanded so as to fit tightly the chamber of the gun they should be resized; this, however, will not often be required. The lead recovered from firing can be re-melted and cast three or four times.
Therefore, we know that leaving an air gap in a black powder rifle cartridge is dangerous is 100% myth. The US army and the Frankfort Arsenal regularly loaded 45-70 with large air gaps for practice rounds.
Filler is not necessary. Seating the bullet to the powder is not necessary. Sure, accuracy may (or may not) be as good as a properly loaded cartridge with compressed powder or fillers, but according to the US government, it is not dangerous to load black powder cartridges with an air gap! In fact, casings from these gallery loads was encouragted to be re-used hundreds of times!
Further, these gallery loads were encouraged over fully charged 45-70 for practice purposes. Many trapdoor service rifles that were stuck in barracks and not used in the Indian wars (e.g., on the east coast) would have seen more light-loaded 45-5-140 gallery loads than fully charged 45-70-405 loads in their lifetimes!
https://americansocietyofarmscollec...s/2019/06/2017-B116-Military-Marksmanship.pdf
The article above tells you more about how frequently gallery loads were used and encouraged for practice. Evidently the US government was a lot more frugal about their training budgets back in the day
Last edited:
