[Low-Tech/High-Tech] Looting and Improvising arms and armour in Victorian London

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Varyon

I think it would actually be most efficient to indeed use bullets.

It would. Developing full pressure in a chamber that's open to the atmosphere would need large amounts of powder, if it's possible at all. Using a heavier bullet would make it easier to develop the required overpressure, but would be testing something different from the "cartridge accidentally overloaded" condition anyway. I have seen pictures of proof cartridges, and they look very much like normal ones.