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Guys,

Always endeavouring to improve my impressions and equipment I decided, back in 2005, to upgrade my leather accoutrements. I was keen to do this as my budget option I had bought was no longer acceptable to me or to the standards that I aspired to. But what to buy and from whom put me into a bit of a quandary.
Ever mindful of the requirements of multi-impression and period I followed Andrew Imlachs article which had just been published on this very subject In the AES journal which offered sound advice and stood me in good stead on the way forward.
For an early war cartridge box which will serve for either Federal or Confederate impression may I suggest the following:-

Pattern 1857 .69 Calibre Rifled Musket Cartridge Box.
These were early war Federal contract boxes generally found without makers marks and un-riveted belt loops. Also some boxes were made with belt loops spaced wider apart as the New York Arsenal pattern. Allegheny Arsenal set the pattern with the loops central under the shoulder straps.
I decided to keep the box au natural and not mount the brass US oval box plate on the outer flap.
In conjunction with this box I also purchased the Pattern 1850 Cap Pouch Standard.
This was the standard US style production cap pouch made from early 1850 through the earl part of the Civil War. This pouch has no rivets in the waist belt loops.
Both the Cartridge Box and Percussion Cap Pouch I purchased from Rob Serio, at Missouri Boot and Shoe.

For a Federal Eastern Impression post January 1862 I opted for the following:-

Pattern 1861 .69 Calibre Rifled Musket Cartridge Box
This was the wartime contract box with riveted waist belt loops. Federal contractors were required to mark their products. Production began in July 1862. However, some of 57 Pattern items made after Nov. 1861 reflect the rivets in the waist belt loops.
So there was something of a transitional period. The .69 Calibre Smoothbore boxes were out of production in Feb. 1862. Following that date, when Smoothbore arms were issued the .69 Rifled Musket Box was issued. When necessary, Cartridge Boxes were issued on the basis of if the ammunition fits.
Again I purchased this item from Missouri Boot and Shoe and asked for it to be stamped with a C.S. Storms / New York contractors mark. For an alternate Eastern theatre contractor you could choose J.B. Thaxtor / Portland Maine or for Western theatre you could have J.B. Sickles / St Louis whom supplied over 10,000 sets of Infantry accoutrements during the course of the war.

In conjunction with this box I also purchased the Pattern 1861 Cap Pouch. This was the 1861 contract standard US style Cap Pouch made with with rivets in waist belt loops. Again from Rob Serio.
I chose Missouri Boot and Shoe because they offer high quality goods at very reasonable prices, cartridge boxes on average are $105.00 and cap pouches at $40.00. The latter are lined correctly with 100% lambs wool and come with cone pick loops. Another excellent supplier for these items would be C.D. Jarnagin who sell the 1861 box for $152.00 more expensive but completely hand sewn with linen thread and again high quality.

I was also able at a later date to purchase a Cartridge Box sling from Joe Hoffman at the Jersey Skillet Licker which was also stamped C.S. Storms c/w with the round Eagle Breastplate already mounted with manufacturer W.H. Smith (no, really) Brooklyn backmarks.
Unfortunately this item, like most of the items stocked ( or more to the point out of stock) doesnt seem to be available any more. Im afraid that this splendid source of quality uniforms, accoutrements and sundries is not what it once was and seems to offer less and less items every time I tune into their website.
The information that I have reproduced for your information here was taken from the Missouri Boot and Shoe online catalogue and I hope that these recommendations are helpful to you.

All the best

Grits

Martyn,
Good point about my owning a 0.58 calibre weapon and opting for a .69 calibre box. As i said i used Andrew Imlach's article as a basis for my selection. One would rightly assume that you would opt for a box that matches the calibre of the weapon that you are equipped with. But than it is clear that most units that we will represent statred with .69 calibre weapons. Most likely that weapon would've been the .69 calibre 1842 musket or even an earlier .69 weapon. Hence a .69 calibre box.Also it appears that even in the US army boxes were issued provided the ammunition would fit. So the early .69 box will take .58 cartridges and not vice versa.
I also was mindful of K.C. MacDonalds uniform and Accoutrement guidelines that he published for Army of Tenessee Western theatre impressions. Again the .69 1857 box together with the 1850 cap pouch were recommended.
As i said before i was trying to purchase equipment that would cover multi-impressionism.

regards

Grits