Cartouch. A roll or case of paper, etc., holding a charge for a fire-arm.
Cartouch. In gunnery, a case of wood, about 3 inches thick at the bottom, bound about with marline, holding about 400 musket-balls, besides 8 or 10 iron balls of a pound each, to be discharged from a howitzer, for the defense of a pass, etc. It also implies an article made of leather, to sling over the shoulder of the gunner, who therein carries the ammunition from the tumbril for the service of the artillery, when at exercise in the field.
Cart-piece. An early battering cannon mounted on a peculiar cart.
Cartridge. For cannon, is the powder charge and its case. The case is a cylindrical bag of flannel, wildbore, or serge, in which the charge is placed. The mouth is closed by tying with twine, forming the choke, which is always turned towards the muzzle when the gun is charged. For chambered pieces the mouth of the cartridge-bag is closed with a [cartridge-block] to give it a proper form. For some services the cartridge is attached to the projectile, in others it is carried separately. See [Ordnance, Ammunition for].
For small-arms, is the complete charge when the powder and lead are in the same case; if separate, it applies only to the powder and its case. A case containing powder only is called a [blank cartridge]. Cartridge-cases for military small-arms were formerly made of paper. In loading the gun the case was torn and the powder and ball put in separately. By using an inflammable paper the cartridge was afterwards used entire, especially in pistols and breech-loaders. Paper cases made very strong and reinforced by metallic heads are still much used in breech-loading shot-guns. Linen or cloth cases were also used at one period.
The introduction of breech-loaders into the military service has led to the universal adoption of metallic cartridges. The cases are cylinders of copper or brass, closed at the breech end, and holding both powder and bullet, the latter being retained in the case by a slight crimp. A small quantity of fulminate in the base inflames the powder upon being struck by the firing-pin. England is behind all other nations in the use of the [Boxer cartridge], the case of which is made by a wrapping of thin sheet-brass. In the manufacture of metallic cartridges the United States leads the world. Millions were supplied the Turks in their late war with Russia by the Winchester Arms Company, of New Haven, Conn. Metallic cartridge are reloading and single fire. Reloading cartridges have an external primer, which can be renewed for successive loadings. The single fire have the fulminate inside the base, and cannot readily be reloaded. The copper cartridges for the U. S. service rifle, made at Frankford Arsenal, Pa., are of this latter class.
Cartridge-bag. See [Cartridge].
Cartridge-bags. See [Ordnance, Ammunition for, Ammunition for Field Service].
Cartridge-belt. A belt for carrying small-arm cartridges. A form extensively used in the Western United States, called the prairie-belt, has a number of leather or canvas loops sewed on the outside in which the cartridges are stuck.
Cartridge-block. See [Ordnance, Ammunition for, Strapped Ammunition].