The earliest efficient modern cartridge case was the pin-fire, patented, according to some authorities, by Houiller, a Paris gunsmith, in 1847; and, according to others, by Lefaucheux, also a Paris gunsmith, in or about 1850. It consisted of a thin weak shell made of brass and paper which expanded by the force of the explosion, fitted perfectly into the barrel, and thus formed an efficient gas check. A small percussion cap was placed in the middle of the base of the cartridge, and was exploded by means of a brass pin projecting from the side and struck by the hammer. This pin also afforded the means of extracting the cartridge case. This cartridge was introduced in England by Lang, of Cockspur Street, London, about 1855
Depends what you're talking about. Rimfire? Pinfire? Paper?
I think about theoldest COMPLETELY SELF-CONTAINED round made in the U.S. is the S&W "rocket ball" made for the Volcanic pistol, the mechanism of which, modified of course, became the Henry then Winchester repeating rifles. The "rocket ball" was a hollow-based bullet with a charge of fulminate of mercury opriming compound in the hollow. The fulminate was both priming and propellant.
I think the "BB-cap", or "ball-cap"type round was originated in France as a 6mm indoor target round by Flobert and perhaps others as well, about 1847. (A lot happened that year in Paris!) It consisted (and still does, as the .22 BB Cap) of a round ball in a copper case propelled by fulminate alone. The .22 CB cap round is similar, but used a conical ball instead of a round ball.
The first commercially successful U.S.-designedcomplete round holding priming, powder, and bullet in acartridge case was the .22 Short, adesigned by Smith & Wesson foruse in the S&W No. 1 revolver. Some pinfire shotshells were made here also, but I am not certain when their U.S. manufacture began.
__________________
"Bitte, trinks du das Wasser nicht. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen."
Strange the the French would be the first to create a weapon! I guess first to create but last to use....
Tom
The French were also the first to field a modern, smallbore smokeless-powder rifle, the 8mm Lebel. They were at least three years ahead of other countries with this development. In addition, beginning with Napoleon I, the French were the world's leader in advanced field artillery technology, vis the lightweight "Napoleon" 12-pound gun/howitzer such as used in the War between the States, and up to the famous "French 75" and their 155mm "Grand Puissance" field pieces of WWI....
What happened to France was that the Germans killed off most of the decent ,brave Frenchmen in the Franco-Prussian War and WWI, leaving nothing but the sick, lame and lazy as breeding stock. (Just the same as killing off all the decent bucks in a deer herd!) The results of this are obvious today. And I think the Krauts are suffering from a similar problem today, as ismost of the rest of Continental Europe. Makes it easier for the Jihadists to take over.....
__________________
"Bitte, trinks du das Wasser nicht. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen."
Histoy Lesson
