Facts, information and articles about the Minié Ball, a Civil War bullet
Minie Ball summary: The Minié ball, or Minie ball, is a type of bullet used extensively in the American Civil War. The muzzle-loading rifle bullet was named after its co-developer, Claude-Étienne Minié.
Although the Minié ball was conical in shape, it was commonly referred to as a "ball," due to the round shape of the ammunition that had been used for centuries. Made of soft lead, it was slightly smaller than the intended gun bore, making it easy to load in combat. Designed with two to four grooves and a cone-shaped cavity, it was made to expand under the pressure to increase muzzle velocity. When fired, the expanding gas deformed the bullet and engaged the barrel’s rifling, providing spin for better accuracy and longer range.
Its design dramatically increased both range and accuracy, which has long been accepted as the reason for the high number of casualties in the Civil War, although some historians today are questioning that because accuracy also depends on the soldier who pulls the trigger and throughout the Civil War, when target practice was minimal, the combatants tended to aim too high.
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