thumb|upright=1.35|US Cartridges 1860–1875 (1) Colt Army 1860 .44 paper cartridge, Civil War (2) Colt Thuer-Conversion .44 revolver cartridge, patented in 1868 (3) .44 Henry rim fire cartridge flat (4) .44 Henry rim fire cartridge pointed (5) Frankford Arsenal .45 Colt cartridge, Benét ignition (6) Frankford Arsenal .45 Colt-Schofield cartridge, Benét ignition thumb|right|Historic British cartridges Paper cartridges have been in use for centuries, with a number of sources dating their usage as far back as the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Historians note their use by soldiers of Christian I, Elector of Saxony and his son in the late 16th century, while the Dresden Armoury has evidence dating their use to 1591. Capo Bianco wrote in 1597 that paper cartridges had long been in use by Neapolitan soldiers. Their use became widespread by the 17th century. The 1586 round consisted of a charge of powder and a bullet in a paper cartridge. Thick paper is still known as "cartridge paper" from its use in these cartridges.Oxford English Dictionary, article on "cartridge" (subsection: "cartridge-paper"). Another source states the cartridge appeared in 1590., p. 2-3, stating "1590. Cartridges with ball and power combined were introduced for small arms." King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden had his troops use cartridges in the 1600s. indicates the period 1611–1632 and states the improved cartridge increased the rate of fire for the Thirty Years' War. The paper formed a cylinder with twisted ends; the ball was at one end, and the measured powder filled the rest., pp. 29–30.
thumb|upright=1.35|US Cartridges 1860–1875 (1) Colt Army 1860 .44 paper cartridge, Civil War (2) Colt Thuer-Conversion .44 revolver cartridge, patented in 1868 (3) .44 Henry rim fire cartridge flat (4) .44 Henry rim fire cartridge pointed (5) Frankford Arsenal .45 Colt cartridge, Benét ignition (6) Frankford Arsenal .45 Colt-Schofield cartridge, Benét ignition thumb|right|Historic British cartridges Paper cartridges have been in use for centuries, with a number of sources dating their usage as far back as the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Historians note their use by soldiers of Christian I, Elector of Saxony and his son in the late 16th century, while the Dresden Armoury has evidence dating their use to 1591. Capo Bianco wrote in 1597 that paper cartridges had long been in use by Neapolitan soldiers. Their use became widespread by the 17th century. The 1586 round consisted of a charge of powder and a bullet in a paper cartridge. Thick paper is still known as "cartridge paper" from its use in these cartridges.Oxford English Dictionary, article on "cartridge" (subsection: "cartridge-paper"). Another source states the cartridge appeared in 1590., p. 2-3, stating "1590. Cartridges with ball and power combined were introduced for small ar,ms." King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden had his troops use cartridges in the 1600s. indicates the period 1611–1632 and states the improved cartridge increased the rate of fire for the Thirty Years' War. The paper formed a cylinder with twisted ends; the ball was at one end, and the measured powder filled the rest. pp. 29–30.