The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Why no inventor built a simple automatic weapon during the War Between the States?

**Mike Irwin** · July 31, 2012, 05:58 PM

Here are two of those early soft-copper cases.

The one on the left is a .45 Schofield for the Smith & Wesson Schofield revolver. The one on the right is a .45-70.

Both appear to be rimfires, but they have the Benet inside-the-case center fire primer, which is identifiable by the crimp just up from the case head.

The Benet primer, developed at Frankford Arsenal in Philadelphia, allowed a centerfire round in a case that was made of copper, which was simply too soft to support a Boxer or Berdan style primer.

I figure both rounds were loaded sometime prior to 1885 or so, when drawn brass cases finally came into service.

July 31, 2012, 05:58 PM	#55
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,381	Here are two of those early soft-copper cases. The one on the left is a .45 Schofield for the Smith & Wesson Schofield revolver. The one on the right is a .45-70. Both appear to be rimfires, but they have the Benet inside-the-case center fire primer, which is identifiable by the crimp just up from the case head. The Benet primer, developed at Frankford Arsenal in Philadelphia, allowed a centerfire round in a case that was made of copper, which was simply too soft to support a Boxer or Berdan style primer. I figure both rounds were loaded sometime prior to 1885 or so, when drawn brass cases finally came into service. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.