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FRANKFORD ARSENAL 1” GATLING GUN ROUNDS – RARE
BENET AND BAR ANVIL INTERNALLY PRIMED CENTRE FIRE
CARTRIDGES – EXCELLENT SPECIMENS:
These massive internally
primed centre-fire cartridges were manufactured at
Frankford Arsenal ca. 1866-1872 for the 1” Gatling Guns
purchased by the US Army. While Richard J. Gatling
attempted to sell his famous multi-barreled gun to the
army during the Civil War, it was not until 1866 that
the army placed its first order for 50, .50 caliber guns
and 50, 1” guns, which were manufactured by the Colt
Firearms Company.
Two of these cartridges
were obviously fired as evidenced by the firing pin
strike on the base. They were reassembled with a fresh
projectile, most certainly during the period that these
massive guns were in use when the freshly fired
cartridge case and extra projectiles were available.
That these previously fired cases were reassembled and
kept as a souvenir of these historic Gatling guns is
ample evidence that the importance and the unusual size
of these cartridges was recognized by the Indian War era
soldiers just as they are today by modern collectors.
Due to the low number of guns ordered in the 1" caliber,
and the short period these heavy guns were in use before
being supplanted by other firearm developments, these 1”
cartridges are relatively rare today.
Measuring 3 ¾” long, these cartridges weigh in excess of
one-half pound
- needless to say, the largest internally primed
centre-fire cartridges of the Indian War era.
An impressive display in its own right, this cartridge
is a must for any complete display of Indian Wars era
Frankford Arsenal cartridges.
Each cartridge is shown in the photographs below with an
accompanying description.
[NOTE: For size comparison purposes, a 1” Gatling
cartridge is photographed next to a .56/56 Spencer
Carbine cartridge. The Spencer cartridge is not
included.]
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