The Snider Cartridge
The Snider
Cartridge is a standard center fire rimmed cartridge. Its standard length
is 2 inches long. Some "Cadet" ammunition found is only 1 and
5/8 inches long but this can still be fired in any safe to fire Snider
rifle.
The Snider
cartridge started out its life as a coiled brass concoction that was prone
to deformation and other damage. Luckily for us we do not need to worry
about such archaic things. Standard solid cases were soon in use.

The basic
cartridge schematic never changed too much throughout its life. Black
powder filled the roomy case. The powder was separated from the bullet
by a small tuft (about half a grain) of carded wool.
The wool kept the powder from being contaminated from any bullet lubrication
that may melt and migrate in that direction. It would also protect the
bullet base from the flame cutting action of the burning powder.
Carded wool
is simply sheep's wool that has been sheared and then "combed"
into more separated strands. It is the process done to wool before it
is spun into thread. It can be found at some craft stores or from small
sheep farms that supply traditional wool shops. I believe it can also
be found through some online shopping venues.
The bullet was the component that did change a bit through the Sniders
Military history.
Remember that the Snider was originally a conversion from muzzle loading
firearms that shot the same .577 Caliber bullet as was to be used in the
Snider. Why use the same bullet? Because the stores in the Commonwealth
held millions of them and cost was a very large factor in deciding to
convert these still viable muzzle stuffers to breech loading design!
Now most folks that would be reading this would know enough about muzzle
loaders that the bullet used in them has to be quite undersized...Remember
that the bullet has to be hand pushed down the barrel, even when fouled
with powder from previous shots. Try pushing a modern jacketed bullet
into a rifle barrel these days and you quickly learn the different strategies
used in muzzle loaders versus breech loaders!
What all this
means is that the military history of the Snider cartridge was mainly
a series of changes to existing undersized bullets in order that they
would obdurate reliably enough in the bore from the pressures exerted
on them when fired, to be grasped by the bores rifling and flung at a
target with the required accuracy of the day.
Surprisingly, the engineers succeeded with these tasks and the Snider
was well known for being a reliable and accurate rifle.
But luckily
for us, like coiled brass cases, today's Snider shooter does not need
to restrict himself ONLY to undersized bullets. Read on to find out more
what today's Snider shooter can do to keep his rifle on target.
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