THE
ARTILLERIST’S MANUAL,
AND
BRITISH SOLDIER’S COMPENDIUM.
MUSKET—FLINT LOCK.
PERCUSSION SMALL ARMS.
BLANK CARTRIDGES.
The charge of powder for Blank cartridges, for all the above-mentioned Small arms, is the same; viz., 3½ drams.
The cartridges are made withbluepaper.
MANUFACTURE OF CARTRIDGES.
The following articles are required for the manufacture of Cartridges:
Five tin measures, containing two and a half drams.
Five tin funnels. A large knife.
An iron straight edgefor cutting the paper.
Five cylindrical mandrelsof hard wood, to roll the cartridge.
A former, to make the hollow in the inner case, to receive the point of the bullet.
A set of tin patternsfor shaping the paper.
Cartridge paper and fine white paper.
Bulletsandgunpowder.
To construct the Cartridge.—Cut the paper according to the patterns, place the rectangle (fig. 9) on the little trapezium (fig. 10), the sides A B C of the rectangle coinciding with the sides A B C of the trapezium, lay the mandrel on the rectangle, parallel to the side B C, the base of the mandrel even with the side C D of the rectangle; roll the whole tightly on the mandrel; place it vertically, and fold the remainder of the trapezium paper into the hollow in the base of the mandrel; commencing with the acute angle of the trapezium, make use of the point of the former to close the folds; examine the bottom of the inner case thus formed, to see that there remains no hole for the escape of the powder when charged; introduce the point of the bullet into the aperture at the base of the mandrel; take the trapezium envelope (fig. 11), place the mandrel and bullet parallel to the side F G, the base of the bullet at half an inch from the base F H, of the envelope; press up the point of the bullet into the cavity; roll the envelope tightly on the bullet and on the mandrel; fold the remainder of the envelope on the base of the bullet, commencing with the acute angle; place the base of the cartridge on the table; withdraw the mandrel, squeezing the case of the cartridge with the left hand, and raising up the mandrel with the right hand.
To charge the cartridge, introduce the point of the copper funnel into the bottom of the case of the cartridge; pour in 2½ drams of fine grain powder from the powder-flask; withdraw the funnel, taking care that none of the powder escapes between the case and the envelope; squeeze the top of the cartridge, and twist it round.
Fig. 9.Fig. 10.Rectangle and trapezium1½ inch. 4 inches. Rectangle.2⅛ inches. 4 inches. 5 inches. Little Trapezium.
Fig. 9.Fig. 10.
1½ inch. 4 inches. Rectangle.2⅛ inches. 4 inches. 5 inches. Little Trapezium.
1½ inch. 4 inches. Rectangle.
2⅛ inches. 4 inches. 5 inches. Little Trapezium.
Fig. 11.Trapezium5½ inches. 4½ inches. 3¼ inches. Trapezium Envelope.
Fig. 11.
5½ inches. 4½ inches. 3¼ inches. Trapezium Envelope.
5½ inches. 4½ inches. 3¼ inches. Trapezium Envelope.
When completed, the base of the cartridge must be dipped up to the shoulder of the bullet in a pot of grease, consisting of six parts tallow to one of bees-wax.
SMALL ARM AMMUNITION.
Dimensions of Boxes.
Length, 1 ft. 4 in.Depth, 8⅝ in.Breadth, 7¼ in.including the cleat.
Weight of Boxes.
Empty, 7 lb. 6 oz.
Contents and Weight of Barrels and Boxes.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR BROWNING GUN BARRELS.
The following ingredients, viz.:—
1½ oz. of Spirits of wine,1½ oz. Tincture of steel,½ oz. of Corrosive sublimate,1½ oz. of Sweet spirit of Nitre,1 oz. of Blue vitriol,¾ oz. of Nitric acid.
are to be mixed and dissolved in one quart of soft water.
Previous to commencing the operation of browning, it is necessary that the barrel should be made quite bright with emery or a fine smooth file (but not burnished), after which it must be carefully cleaned from all greasiness; a small quantity of pounded lime rubbed well over every part of the barrel is best for this purpose: a plug of wood is then to be put into the nose of the barrel, and the mixture applied to every part with a clean sponge or rag. The barrel is then to be exposed to the air for twenty-four hours; after which it is to be well rubbed over with aSteel scratch-card or Scratch-brush, until the rust is entirely removed; the mixture may then be applied again, as before, and in a few hours the barrel will be sufficiently corroded for the operation of scratch-brushing to be repeated. The same process of scratching off the rust and applying the mixture is to be repeated twice or three times a day for four or five days, by which the barrel will be made of a very dark-brown colour.
When the barrel is sufficiently brown, and the rust has been carefully removed from every part, about a quart of boiling water should be poured over every part of the barrel, in order that the action of the acid mixture upon the barrel may be destroyed, and the rust thereby prevented from rising again. The barrel, when cold, should afterwards be rubbed over with linseed oil, or common oil. It is particularly directed that the use of the hard hair-brush be discontinued in browning, and the steel scratch-card or scratch-brush used in place of it, otherwise the browning will not be durable, nor have a good appearance. The browning mixture must be kept in glass bottles, as it will soon lose its virtue if kept in earthenware.
The locks are on no account to be made of the hardening colour, as the repetition of the operation of hardening has a very injurious tendency.
PERCUSSION FIRELOCKS.
Muskets with Percussion locks require to be carefully handled, to prevent the cocks being made loose, by which their direct fall on the nipples would be rendered uncertain.
They will, at all times, when unloaded, be used with the cocks down upon the nipples; but, when they are loaded, the caps, or primers, will be put on, and the muskets carriedat half-cockfor safety, there being then less risk of accidental explosion than with the cocks resting on the caps.
When marching with the cap on, the cock will be brought up under the arm-pit, the sling resting on the arm; but at other times the firelock may be carried with the barrel downwards, the right hand grasping the piece between the loop and swell; and the left the right arm just below the elbow.