Chassepot needle rifle: Better than s...shooting

[whistlersmother]

We're anxiously waiting for the range report on the real black powder and improved cartridge manufacturing techniques.

Should be very interesting.

 

[SlowShooter]

Saturday morning test was a setback. It is really painful to say it was a total failure. Out Of 12 rounds, 11 did not ignite and I did not want to try firing the last round. Even if it went bang, it would not change anything, it just wasted me another hour cleaning the rifle afterward.

At this moment, I think, I know what went wrong. I was too optimistic and thrown in too many unknown ideas/materials into this little project. I will do a failure analysis and post it on this thread shortly.

"Life is like a box of chocolat..."

 

[SKIP]

Saturday morning test was a setback. It is really painful to say it was a total failure. Out Of 12 rounds, 11 did not ignite and I did not want to try firing the last round. Even if it went bang, it would not change anything, it just wasted me another hour cleaning the rifle afterward.

At this moment, I think, I know what went wrong. I was too optimistic and thrown in too many unknown ideas/materials into this little project. I will do a failure analysis and post it on this thread shortly.

"Life is like a box of chocolat..."

I feel for you but you never flinched once.

 

[SlowShooter]

Real men never show emotion at the shooting lines but I did cry a river on the way home!

 

[Blacksmith101]

It is a learning process and there will be setbacks along the way. You are adding valuable information to the accumulated knowledge base and both your successes and failures will help those who follow your lead.

 

[SKIP]

Good info and you might find a solution for cartridge ignition.
http://www.milsurps.com/google.php?...of=FORID:9&ie=UTF-8&q=Chassepot&sa.x=0&sa.y=0

 

[whistlersmother]

Okay, on a hunch those crazy casters would actually see these things, I took a look over at Cast Boolits:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...Chassepot-Cartridge-Construction-DIY-Insanity!

There's some other threads if you do a search for: chassepot

 

[SlowShooter]

Okay, on a hunch those crazy casters would actually see these things, I took a look over at Cast Boolits:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...Chassepot-Cartridge-Construction-DIY-Insanity!

There's some other threads if you do a search for: chassepot

Thanks for your input and the Link.

I did read and see a number of videos about making the ammo. However, you can not find the same tools or materials locally. Everyone very much playing with their Chassepot different way. It is similar to remote radio control planes. everyone buy the same kit but their P51 Mustang built and fly different. some fly like a champ. some crash on take off...

Looks like I am not the only one having fun here, but my mission is to find the simple and cheap way to produce reliable Chassepot paper ammo that everyone could do using material around the house/garage.

 

[SlowShooter]

When I am about to cut the fail ammo for examinnation, there were some idears came to my mind and I want to try firing the same batch of ammo again next weekend before I open them up.

I know my ammo are too light (light load) and too soft (using dryer lint instead of paper wads). 3 wing cap may not provides enough resistance for the needle to spark. Besides, the rifle's main spring may be already weaken.

I have seen kungfu master demonstrated that a very fast fist could punch through a stack of thin papers hanging loosly. If my rifle needle could strike fast enough, it could ignite the cap eventhough the cap is loosely packed inside the cartridge.

I have found a way to increase the main spring's compression force to atleast 10%. I also made a new needle with 3 mm longer in length compared to the pevious one. these modifications may help resolve last weeked issues. This is why I want to try one more time before I destroy them and make the next batch of new prototype ammo.

 

[SlowShooter]

I brought the Chassepot out again this morning to give it the second trial with the same batch of ammo that failed several weeks ago.

11 went off without hang fire. 1 aluminum cartridge failed to ignite. When I cut it out, I found the percussion cap sunk deep inside and the needle could not spear through it. The last shot of the day, I let the Range Safety Officer fire the rifle. I observed that the paper casing was shot 3 yards away in pieces without burning so fire retardant spray is not necessary.

Even Though this trial is a success, I don't know for sure if the black powder or the 3 wing percussion cap improves the locktime (no hang fire). More tests must be done.

A couple of things I learned from this test: We don't need toy caps. We don't need to glue the caps to the paper wads for the primers. The primer dish can be taped to the paper casing with masking tape. Last but not least, there's nothing a deep and powerful penetration can not resolve.

Next batch, I will construct the ammo using only paper, masking tape, 2F black powder (75 gr), 4F black powder (.4cc to fill around the 3 wing percussion cap before dumping in the 2F powder in), toilet tissue (for filler if need) and 11mm cast bullets (German 11mm cast bullet). No more aluminum casing (I saw no advantage using this)

 

[SKIP]

I'm happy for your success. Those reports were boomers unlike smokeless power.

 

[whistlersmother]

Great to hear of this success.

Any idea why no boom last week and boom this week with same ammo?

 

[SlowShooter]

Great to hear of this success.

Any idea why no boom last week and boom this week with same ammo?

Reach and snappier needle strike made the day. I did make the striker spring stronger and the needle 3mm longer compared to previous one. However, I am not satisfied with what I got. I will develop a more simple , quick and easy to fabricate paper cartridge for the Chassepot.

 

[SlowShooter]

Good info and you might find a solution for cartridge ignition.
http://www.milsurps.com/google.php?...of=FORID:9&ie=UTF-8&q=Chassepot&sa.x=0&sa.y=0

Thanks SKIP! I have found this link contains great information for the Chassepot in French and in English. I love those Canadians.

 

[SlowShooter]

It is a learning process and there will be setbacks along the way. You are adding valuable information to the accumulated knowledge base and both your successes and failures will help those who follow your lead.

I will try my best. Thanks for the comment.

 

[28Shooter]

Congratulations on the success at the range!

 

[SlowShooter]

Congratulations on the success at the range!

Thanks! But more improvements need to be done.

 

[SlowShooter]

I spent Memorial day crafting a new batch of test ammo. This time I made them so fast that I even had enough spare time to build a test jig for the ammo. This may save me some time at the range.

 

[Blacksmith101]

I spent Memorial day crafting a new batch of test ammo. This time I made them so fast that I even had enough spare time to build a test jig for the ammo. This may save me some time at the range.

Nice looking ammo. Just go back to post #5 to see how far you have come, sometimes we have trouble seeing our own progress because we are so close to the problem. You are doing great!

 

[SKIP]

I spent Memorial day crafting a new batch of test ammo. This time I made them so fast that I even had enough spare time to build a test jig for the ammo. This may save me some time at the range.

Patent Pending?