Also known as: driving band, expanding band.
| Function | Takes the rifling and seals the bore |
|---|---|
| Material | Soft metal, usually lead or copper |
| Action | Propellant pressure expands the band into the grooves |
Taking the rifling
In many rifled systems the projectile was slightly smaller than the bore and carried a band or coating of soft metal. When the charge fired, the pressure upset the soft metal outward into the rifle grooves, so the projectile was both sealed against gas escape and turned by the rifling to spin in flight.
Bands and coatings of lead and copper were central to Civil War rifled projectiles, and the way a band was formed and attached, whether a base cup, a raised ring, or a full coating, distinguishes one inventor's system from another.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- United States Army, Ordnance Department. The Ordnance Manual for the Use of the Officers of the United States Army. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1862.
- Benton, James G. A Course of Instruction in Ordnance and Gunnery. 2nd ed. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1862.