CS "Buck and Ball" cartridges

[PArebel]

Good day,
Had the awesome experience of relichunting part of a battlefield near Richmond--private ground of course.
Found some buckshot and musketballs.
Have been showing these finds and people have asked how the load was positioned in the musket. I do not know. Which leads to the question.
Would the soldier load the buckshot first, then the musketball and use the paper from the cartirdge as a wad to hold everything in place?
Would appreciate hearing from someone who knows.
HH

[hammered]

Hi there, if you click on the link and go to the 3rd picture down you will see one version of a "buck and ball" load, and, just in case no one else has said it, welcome to Tnet .


hammered


ps It would help if I actually put the link in wouldn't it , here it is.

http://www.hdwt.net/civil-war-relic-hunting-4.html

[ivan salis]

big ball in rear -- the 3 buckshot to the front * was the loading pattern.

[PArebel]

Thank you for your replies. Both of them helped to answer my question. The link showed a picture of the "buck and ball" and stated the 3 buckshot were "bound" on top of the .69 musketball. I guess that opens the question as to how they were "bound". Probably a little lead was melted and used to bound them together, but not enough to prevent them from seperating when firing.
I was under the impression the buckshot and musketball were loaded loose. Great to have people on this forum to answer questions for a beginnner such as myself.
Thanks so much
HH to all.

[21stTNCav]

Thank you for your replies. Both of them helped to answer my question. The link showed a picture of the "buck and ball" and stated the 3 buckshot were "bound" on top of the .69 musketball. I guess that opens the question as to how they were "bound". Probably a little lead was melted and used to bound them together, but not enough to prevent them from seperating when firing.
I was under the impression the buckshot and musketball were loaded loose. Great to have people on this forum to answer questions for a beginnner such as myself.
Thanks so much
HH to all.

It could have been bound within the paper cartridge??

[ivan salis]

paper or linen --powder , big ball then three little balls then top and bottom twist tied--- when loaded the rear of the "cartridge" was tore away to expose powder to dump in barel the the rest was shoved in the barrel -- once the powder at the rear of the barrel was set off --it would propel the whole mess down the barrel easily --this was used in "smooth bore" type muskets which were similar to a modern shotgun barrel (no rifling)