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Crimean
War Small Arms Ammunition Found On Site
by William S. Curtis
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During
a visit in 1998 to the area of the Crimean War it was observed that
large numbers of bullets are to be found on the sites of the Crimean
battles, the siege lines and the camp sites of the Allies. For the
most part these are already in the hands of enterprising local inhabitants
who will part with them for a consideration. The small number of
local collectors and students who have made a study of these greatly
impressed me with the extent of their knowledge which was not confined
to the Russian side of the conflict. Their friendship, interest
and co-operation were very much appreciated.
 The
bullets that are found are for the most what is termed "dropped"
in that they have never been fired. Some of these may have been
dropped in the act of loading during the heat of battle. Others
may have been found in the remains of the abandoned stores dating
from the time that the Allies left the Crimea in July of 1856. For
this reason it is impossible to accurately date them other than
"not later than mid 1856." Only approximate average weights
have been used when studying these because, with the exception of
the British, the bullets were cast in moulds and any modern bullet
caster will tell you that without great skill and patience it is
impossible to cast every bullet to the same weight. The British,
by contrast, made all their bullets, including musket balls, by
compression machinery. Check weighing the specimens shows their
marked regularity affected only slightly by oxidation and wear.
Other finds include a number of "pulled" bullets. These
have been loaded and then extracted without firing for whatever
reason. This is often necessary when coming off picket duty. It
may also have occurred when a round could not be forced fully home
due to fouling. These are characterized by either a hole in the
nose showing the screw threads of the extracting tool or by a major
distortion around the circumference caused by the two-pronged worm
which was also used for cleaning.
Fired bullets are, by comparison, rare and usually not to be seen
on the display stands of the dealers. Language difficulties precluded
much discussion on this subject but the feeling that I had was that
the mis-shapen lumps of lead were not highly regarded or thought
to be of collector interest. It may well be that, as a result, most
of these have been melted down. However, those that have survived,
and I was fortunate in being given a small bag full, show signs
of having struck obstructions at only short distances from the muzzle.
They are well and truly impacted rather than "spent."
The main variation from this is found in the bullet of the Russian
two-groove or "Luttich" rifle (also known as the Russian
Brunswick) which can be found more or less intact. As these were
often fired at long range against the Allied siege lines, this is
understandable.
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GREAT BRITAIN
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P-1839 and P-1842 smoothbore muskets - These
muskets took the same cartridge with a ball which when found
today measures anywhere between .680 and .705. Weather and corrosion
often ensure that they have lost their original specified size
of .685, assuming they actually were this size when made. These
balls were made by compression.
P-1851 Minie - There are two patterns of bullet for this
arm.
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Type
1 - The original specification for this rifle called for
a bullet which is  conical
for its entire length. The cavity in the base carries an
iron cup which is forced up the cavity by the explosion
of the gases causing the sides to expand and grip the rifling.
This design is not ballistically sound as the absence of
a cylindrical section in the length of the bullet leads
to the possibility of its tipping slightly in the bore with
consequent wild shots. The bottom edge is tapered. A redesign
had already been undertaken before the start of the war.
Nevertheless, two examples of this type were located in
the area. They weigh 655 and 670 grains with their cups.
Type 2 - This bullet has a cylindrical section. It is what
is known technically as "cylindro-conoidal." The
bottom edge is squared off and carries four opposed "broad
arrows." The skirt is slightly thinner allowing easier
expansion into the rifling. This new design was considerably
more efficient. The weight variation is much less in my
samples, being in the range 690 to 698 grains.
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P-1853
Enfield - There are two patterns of bullet for this arm and
there may be variations of the second type. Specimens of this
type showed the greatest regularity in weight than the bullets
of any other nation.
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 Type
1 - The "Pritchett." This was the original design,
in fact, the rifle was originally referred to as the "Enfield-Pritchett."
The bullet was designed to act without an expansion plug or
cup by the combined effect of the gases, acting in the hollow
base, and the inertia of the bullet, which momentarily held
it in position while the end was deformed by the gas pressure.
Unfortunately, the concept which worked well in trials did
not stand up to active service in the Crimea where the rifle
was found inferior to the P-51.
Type 2 - The "iron cup" Enfield. A report made on
May 12, 1855, stated:
"The condition of the service ammunition for the rifle
1853, from the trials made, was found to be very unsatisfactory....
In order, therefore, to correct any imperfection which may
exist, either in diameter of bullet or bore of barrel, it
is desirable to adopt at once an iron cup in the Pritchett
bullet, as in the Minie [1851] to insure increased expansion.
Experiments are now being conducted at the School of Musketry
to test the efficiency of the Pritchett bullet (fitted with
an iron cup), the result of which shall be reported in a few
days."
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