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The .45 diameter and “carbine” bullet weight would also suit another popular Boer arm, the Westley Richards Monkey Tail. These used a paper cartridge as breechloaders or could be muzzle loaded Though not used in the ABW, these were very common in the 1870s/1880s in SA, and were official OVS govt purchases as late as 1883 because in a landlocked Republic they could be used without a supply of imported metallic cartridges. One wonders whether this Boer with his crude, hand made bullet mould had fallen back on earlier ways of survival in the veldt…
Anyone who’s cast lead bullets will probably wonder how wrinkled the resulting casting must’ve ended up, and how was it persuaded to come out of the mould?

Another possible match for the bullet produced by this mould is the Westely Richards No.1 carbine round. This round was a 45. Caliber round used in Westley Richards tipping block carbines. These rounds were to an extent scaled down versions of Westley Richards No. 2 Musket cartridges used in their full length tipping block rifles, sometimes (and somewhat incorrectly) known as Free State Martinis or "Improved Martinis". I have found such a cartridge case on the site of a 2nd ABW skirmish in Bloemfontein along with a shredded MK II V .303 round.

Westley Richards No.1 carbine rounds with their original packaging.



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This bullet, brought home as a souvenir by 30708 Trooper W. Clark, 88th Coy, I.Y., looks like it could be a contender. Photographed with MHR round for comparison. No idea what rifle fired it. Base is similar to that of the MHR projectile and it appears to have seven rifling grooves. Could the lack of a crimping cannelure be a clue?






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