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I wonder why the Minié ball or at least a sperical ball which acted with the same priciple, was invented only around 1848 and not, let say, a century eralier.
I do not understand this since a bullet looks much easier to me than some cumbersome device as a Puckle gun form 1718. Since this reapeating gun could also fire square bullets for non christians I asume the man did not know much of what he was doiing.
While I can immagine that a hunter, from Europe or North Amrica, which favorit weapon of choice was a rifle, in use since the early 17th century, was complete frustrated of the time and effort it took to load his rifle and in the prosses of ramming his not fitting round ball, broke his ramrot, dammaged his barrel and in the end missed his game.
When you cast lead bullets with a flat sulface form one side a shrink hole develop, which is almost the same as the hole of predessors, and the main principle of the Minie ball. It should be possible to invent a bullet like this and its advantages by acident.
So does any body have athought about this?

I have more quations but they come later.
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