Here is a nice .45 caliber hexagonal Whitworth cartridge. It's housed in a hexagonal pasteboard tube closed on the bottom with cloth tear strip and green paper tape. The hexagonal bullet is paper patched and there is a bees wax wad behind the bullet.

This is known as the "Short cartridge" due to the fact that there was no gun powder included in the cartridge. These were meant for match shooting, and the proper measure of powder would be added as needed. This style of cartridge was used from the 1860's-1880's. Reference “Round Ball to Rimfire” Part Four, page 244.

In 1854, Sir Joseph Whitworth, a prominent British engineer and entrepreneur, patented the concept of cannons which had a twisted hexagonal bore rather than the established smooth or rifled round bore.  The combination of the hexagonal cross section of the bore, and the corresponding shaped shell added range and accuracy to the projectiles.

Whitworth applied this same concept to small arms with an eye to creating a rifle that was more accurate than the Pattern 1853 Enfield. In the subsequent Arms Trials of 1857, Whitworth's rifle outperformed the Enfield in both accuracy and range. Notably, the Whitworth rifle scored successful hits on a target at a range of 2,000 yards, while the Enfield’s effective range was limited to 1,400 yards.  In spite of this performance, the British government ultimately rejected Whitworth's design, citing the tendency of the barrel to foul more than that of the Enfield, and due to cost; the Whitworth rifle cost approximately four times more than the Enfield to manufacture.

Whitworth combined a bore diameter of .451 firing a long, slender bullet, compared to the Enfield .577 caliber. The Whitworth had a 1-in-20" twist bore, much tighter than the 1-in-78" twist of the 1853 Enfield, or the 1-in-48" twist of the later M1856/1858 Enfield.  These innovative bullets proved to have greater stability, and hence improved accuracy at longer ranges.  Two bullet designs were used in the Whitworth Rifle, hexagonal and cylindrical. The cylindrical bullets were made of soft lead and had a small hollow base which upon firing would expand to form to the hexagonal shape of the barrel. These were easier and faster to load and so were intended for military use. The hexagonal bullet, pre-formed to the shape of the bore, was made of a harder, alloyed lead and intended for target shooting.

This is an excellent specimen and a rare piece to add to your Civil War ammunition display.  [jet] [ph:L]

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