Chassepot Cartridge Length(s)

[rescuerandy2]

Good Afternoon,

Next Saturday the Franco-Prussian War will live again. The Chassepot is ready for the range with cap-in-cap cartridges. I have made three lengths in readiness for fouling (72mm, 70mm, and 68mm), and am wondering if this is really necessary when firing a total of 20 rounds. Have seen videos with folks just blasting away and have also read where fouling necessitated changing cartridge lengths within five shots. What should I expect. Thanks, Randy.

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[Patrick Chadwick]

"Have seen videos with folks just blasting away and have also read where fouling necessitated changing cartridge lengths within five shots. What should I expect. "

If you are using a proper BP charge, and not some of that non-historical smokeless stuff, be equipped for frequent cleaning! My experience with BPCRs is that you need to allow for about 1mm crud build-up at the end of the chamber. I.e. make the cartridges to a length where the bullet would just touch the lands LESS 1 millimetre. If that is insufficient, then there is not enough grease in the cartridge! You need a wad/cookie about 4-5mm long.

A useful tool would be a "prodder" (felt wad on a bit of slightly bent wire) to push any paper remains from the cartridge right up to the start of the lands. Once past the throat, they will be pushed out by the bullet on the next shot. But scraps remaining in the chamber, i.e. before the throat, could cause a real jam when you try to load the next cartridge. The prodder should be just long enough to get any scraps into the rifled section - not way down the barrel, where they could cause problems as a dynamic obstruction. That's how I got my Monkey-tail to work, and the Chassepot is similar in this respect.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Looking once more at your film on cartridge making, you may find that the paper remains are so hard that it is easier to forget the prodder idea and use a "puller" - a (brass)** wire hook to pull the scraps out of the breech.

Anyway, I am eagerly awaiting the range report!


** Brazing rod? Something that is not steel!

[rescuerandy2]

Gentlemen,

Brought 20 Chassepot rounds to the range last Sunday and crushed 10 and then stopped!! Tried a new process to construct them and will go back to the first method that worked fine with my first success, and only success to date. Yes, that was with the cap-in-the-cap.

For the next go at the range, I am going to make the rounds 70mm OAL that worked for my initial success. Will then shoot as many as I can till chambering becomes an issue. At that time I will bring out a chamber brush and swab out any residue that remains. I am hoping to not have a great issue as I am using nitrated paper.

I have a very fussy 71/84 that needs its chamber cleaned to keep things happy. The '71 can fire 100 rounds, and I do on occasion, with not swabbing necessary?

Randy