In 1877 the British Army was not engaged in any major campaigns, with only the Zulu Wars and the second Afghan War on the horizon. The Armt itself was in a state of change, with the Martini-Henry rifle replacing the Snider rilfed musket, and with the slow arrival of breech loading guns for artillery use.This official manual of the ammunition in service in December 1877 is one of a number to be reprinted by Naval and Military Press (others will include the ammunition maunual;s for 1915 and 1936, and enemy ammunition in the Second World War).It gives complete details on propellants and fuzes, and the construction and design of shells for artillery use, both for smooth bore and rifled guns. It also includes small arms ammunition and rockets. The importance of this edition of the manual cannot be overemphasised, coming as it does at the very point in time when the rifled waepon was coming in to use, slowly replacing the smooth-bored muzzle-loading weapons of the Napoleonic age.There is a number of colour plates included ogether with many black and white drawings and tables with complete detail.