Enfield Cartridge Testers

[ResearchPress]

This is a follow up to my picture quiz (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?269172-Picture-Puzzle-what-is-it)…

Commencing in 1860 the NRA(GB) held their Annual Rifle Meeting on Wimbledon common. Rifle Volunteers (akin to the US National Guard) in their competitions with the Enfield rifle were issued ammunition (cartridges) from the NRA magazine. While the Government paper cartridges may have been sufficiently accurate for military purposes, for the discerning Volunteer Rifleman wishing to compete successfully at the rifle range they left something to be desired in the control of the quantity of powder employed.

Not surprisingly, enterprising men developed new tools for the Rifle Volunteer to add to his kit bag, and pictured below are two cartridge testers. That on the left is by ‘Dixon & Sons’ and on the right by ‘Parker Field’.

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Each is designed to be placed in the muzzle of the Enfield rifle and into which the powder from the cartridge is poured. The measures have a capacity equal to that of the government cartridge and permit a volumetric check on the powder charge contained within the cartridge. After discarding the excess or topping up any shortfall as necessary, the powder was simply released to fall down the barrel.

The design of the Field Cartridge Tester was registered in 1865, and below is an advert from 1867 published in the Volunteer Service Gazette.

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There’s at least one more design, but I have yet to find an example, only having seen contemporary adverts for it.

David

[dondiego]

How would you release the powder in the Dixon &Sons? Just turn it over?

[ResearchPress]

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/pics/quiz01e.jpg

To use the above, the tester was placed in the muzzle of the Enfield, the small collar holding it in place. The cartridge opened and powder poured in so that a visual check could be made that the tube was correctly filled. Once satisfied, the inner tube of which the funnel is part is lifted, opening the tester for the powder to drop down the barrel.

David

[Nicholas]

Why didn't this design persist as a simple way to recharge firearms consistently? It looks like it would work better than the any of the one shot measures I have. Of course, it would require a specific load be developed.

[fouronesix]

The modern ML version has a swivel cut-off spout on top of an adjustable charge tube.

As far as the item in question goes- I've always wondered why they were (are) called "testers" not "chargers" :veryconfu

[ResearchPress]

A press report in 1866 notes that "Many volunteers who are fond of shooting still seem to be unaware of Captain Field’s handy little invention, the cartridge tester, for measuring the exact amount of powder in each cartridge as it is used."

I have an original NRA(GB) rule book for the Wimbledon rifle meeting of 1869, which states under section 10 Ammunition: "N.B. - No objection will be made to the Competitor measuring their charge with "Testers," provided these are used at the firing point only, and at the time of loading".

Also in 1869 a shooter writing about the Wimbledon meeting noted: “The Government ammunition was justly complained of; a great many of the cartridges were short in powder, and what was still worse sometimes the clay plug was found left out altogether, this would invariably cause a miss, sending the ball over the target.”

I've also found some press notices that include published rules from County shooting association matches, some of which say that testers were not permitted. One event report from 1870 further noted: "The use of cartridge testers, which are much valued by some of the principal shots in Camp, was not allowed, and a few attributed their comparatively low scores partly to this circumstance." Another one for the shooters list of excuses!

David

[Omnivore]

Well I learned something. Thanks, RP.