Antique Cartridge Works produces period-authentic combustible, paper, and transitional-era cartridges for Curio & Relic collectors, black powder enthusiasts, and students of 19th-century arms. Every cartridge is fabricated from documented materials — sumac-tanned gut, tallow-beeswax lubricant, shellac sealer — following original manufacturing practice, not modern approximation.
Antique Cartridge Works is presently in preparation and has not yet commenced the sale of goods. Products are in active development following period specifications and documented manufacturing practice.
It is anticipated that the Works will open for trade in the Spring of 1862 — that is to say, Spring 2026.
Parties with an interest in period-authentic combustible, paper, skin, foil, or transitional-era cartridges for antique firearms are invited to return at that time, or to direct enquiries to the address below.
On Authenticity
The pre-metallic and transitional era of American small arms represents one of the most consequential and least-reproduced chapters in ammunition history. The cartridges produced here are built from the record — not from inference, not from modern analog.
Read More →For the Collector
These cartridges are produced for Curio & Relic firearm owners, display collectors, and historians who require documentary-grade accuracy. Component kits and molds for home production are in preparation and will be listed as available.
View Components →