"revolver cartidges?" Topic

When a cavalryman had both a carbine and a revolver, I assume his cartridge box contained cartridges for his carbine, so where did he carry cartridges for his revolver? Or did he? Pockets? Saddlebags?

Cavalrymen had the cartridge box for the carbine attached to the carbine sling. A separate, small,cartridge box for pistol cartridges was carried on the waistbelt, at the small of the back. A small box for percussion caps for the carbine was carried on the waistbelt, to the wearer's right, of the belt buckle.

Pistol caps were usually carried in the inside pocket of the jacket or fatigue blouse (sack coat). These caps were either in a small tin (if purchased privately) or in small paper tubes.

Pistol cartridges were usually of nitrated paper (self-consuming) with a conical ball on top, similar to a small mini-ball. The entire cartridge was placed into the chamber and then rammed home with the attached loading lever. As the round was loaded, a small ring of lead was sheared off, which provided a gas seal when the weapon was fired.

Pistol cartridges came in wooden or paste board boxes of 6 cartridges. These boxes were split into two halves, vertically, and wrapped in a water-proof paper cover with a cut-string attached, like with a pack of gum or cigarettes.

4 of these boxes could be held in the pistol cartridge box.

Officers, whether of foot or horse, normally only wore a sword and holster on their waistbelt. One or two boxes of pistol cartridges, and a small tin of percussion caps, would have been carried in the vest or coat pocket(s).

V/R

Here is one type of cartridge block and cartridges, shown with a Remington revolver.

Here are views of an original pistol cartridge box. These were leather, and had only a single unlined compartment for holding four blocks of cartridges.

link

This is why I still come to TMP. You can post a question on a relatively obscure subject and get a comprehensive answer ten minutes later.

Hats off to TKindred. Nicely done sir.

Very interesting. Thanks, TK! Are you saying that revolvers used a different kind/size of percussion cap than the typical carbine used?

Yes, it was a small cap designed to fit tightly onto the cone behind the chamber. When the weapon was fired, the cap split slightly so it could be easily removed.

Here is a modern tin of pistol caps beside a modern tin of musket caps.

link

So far I have never seen the carbine cartridge pouch attached to the carbine sling.

My understanding is that both cartridge pouches and the cap pouch were worn on the saber belt. But I wasn't there. I do wonder how the weight of the carbine cartridge pouch with that lead would ever stay in a position on the sling so that it was accessible. Even the weight of the buckle usually sends it down to the bottom.

Tom

I only have about a 32-33" waist and when I was doing cavalry reenactment I was surprised that it all fit.

Tom

When the weapon was fired, the cap split slightly so it could be easily removed.

That's funny. I thought they were designed to split and fall into the pistol's inner parts. At least, that's where I find shards of copper while cleaning!

I thought that they split so they could fall into the mechanism and jam the cylinder so it won't turn. Or splinter so it cuts the ear of the guy standing next to you.

Garryowen,

The box was designed and intended to be worn on the sling. That's one of the reasons for it's longer and shallower shape.

There are period images showing the box being worn in this manner. I do know that a number of "dismounted" cavalry reenactment groups wear the carbine box on the belt. The explanation I was given was that they didn't bother with the carbine sling since they didn't have horses, (facepalm).

Many of those guys also wore "cylinder boxes" with 2 spare, loaded, cylinders for quick reloading. Go figure. It was a case of wanting to fire faster, and they refused to believe me when I mentioned that such a box was a reenactorism, that no such box was ever made for the military.

But I digress.