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John Young


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1020
Location: Lower Sheering, Essex
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Sawubona,

There's a photograph in Natal Carbineers Collection which shows the two bandoliers being worn at the muster in 1878. One was worn over the shoulder, the other around the waist.

John Y.
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mike snook 2


Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 920
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Sawubona

It's not possible to carry 120 rounds of .450 in ammunition on a bandolier no matter what yer man says. There isn't enough room on the belt and the discomfort would be beyond all reason.

The carbs may have mustered like that but I wouldn't mind betting the second bandolier would have gone into the saddlebags after the first 30 mile stretch in the saddle. With a cartidge vulnerable to moisture ingress you would not want to carry all your ammunition open to the elements in bandoliers.

Regards

Mike
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Sawubona


Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 1179
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Mike,
I agree, but I thought I'd pass that little gem on. As John states there are several photos of two bandoleers being worn, but there are likewise many images of irregulars with bandoleers that are not filled to capacity-- that is, 100 spaces doesn't necessarily translate into 100 rounds carried Incidentally, the fortunate "native" troops that were issued with rifles and their five rounds of ammo-- were they also issued "regulation" 50 round capacity bandoleers to carry them or were lesser capacity bandoleers made and issued?
Offhand I recall that the carbine round is a 410 grain slug with a marginally lesser powder charge than the 480 grain rifle round, but I pretty sure that the former was not particularly common in early 1879 in Zululand. And would the Swinburn-Henry as likely be used with the carbine round when available? I've never heard that the rifle round in a carbine is more prone to stoppages, just that it resulted in too vicious a recoil to be practical in the lighter carbine.
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All

Thanks for your replies.

On the subject of ammunition, there is a question about revolvers.

I think there were belts with loops for pistol ammunition, but I'm not sure how many rounds they could hold, or if was possible to acquire shoulder and waist bandoliers for this type of ammunition too.

In the ammunition pouches for pistols, would the rounds be loose, or were there loops inside to hold them secure ?

Thankyou

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Imperial Mounted Infantry At Isandlwana
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