Eventually Gunners realised the problem could be overcome by weighing the charges and enclosing them in bags of some combustible material. Cartridges of linen or paper were being used in England in 1560, and of canvas in 1563. By 1800 flannel began to be employed, followed a little later by serge. The search for a material which would be completely consumed on firing is why so many different materials were tried. Not only did residue from unburnt cartridge bags tend to clog up both bore and vent, but it often remained smouldering after the gun had fired, thus creating a dangerous situation not always corrected by sponging the bore - as not a few one-armed Gunners in those days could testify.

Flannel and serge were the most effective materials but the problem was not entirely solved until the adoption of silk for blank in 1868, and in 1875 for live. Shalloon, a type of coarse silk, was adopted later.