Original paper patched bullet designs?

[Distant Thunder]

Hey, Don.

I was just going by Sellers' book:

"In the 1869 catalog they are listed as available with both the 457-grain grooved ball and the 500-grain patched ball."

"After 1876 the .50 caliber rifles were made only to order and no more cartridges were loaded. The standard loads were .50/70/425 grooved and .50/70/473 paper patched."

That last one was what I thought would be a good choice. Now when you say "naked bullet" is that a greaser or a to be patched bullet? The 1 1/16" sounds about right for a 473-grain bullet if it has a taper or not to blunt a nose.

I figured Sharps continued to sell just the bullets for loading after they discontinued selling the loaded ammo in .50 caliber. That I got from more he says about a .50-2 inch case which was apparently available for only about 4 years. He later mentions the 473-grain paper patched bullet being used in the .50-2 1/2 inch case as well.

So what weight .50 caliber paper patched bullets did Sharps offer either in loaded ammo or for loading in the .50-1 3/4 and the .50-2 1/2?

At this point it seems I going backwards, finding out less the more I read! I'll get there, eventually.

Thank for replying. Hope all is well.

DT