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Back in about 1950 as a small boy I found some large brass foil cartridges complete with lead bullets when raiding a derelict shed. I recently identified them as Martini Henry manufacture. Were they used like this or were these test pieces? I feel they would be very vulnerable to damage on the battlefield. They had steel black painted "base plates". I lost them years ago and have been searching in vain for just 1 to bring back memories.

Yes this is correct. The .45 Boxer Henry service cartridge was made with a brass foil case fixed to a lacquered steel base . Drawn brass cartridges were still a developing technology at the time. Later in the Martini's service life it was supplemented with drawn brass cases. According to period records they seemed to perform quite well. The only difficulties with them seem to have been encountered in the Sudan campaign in 1885 with ammunition that had been bashed about and allowed to corrode in bandoliers.

Foil, drawn, and my version I shoot today.

I would like one of those foil cartridges. I can get hold of a bullet from ebay. Anyone know where I can get one?