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been even more remarkable than those which have been made in cannon. The old classification of breech and muzzle loaders is still maintained; but while, for the greatest possible accuracy in target-shooting, or that capacity for hitting with almost unerring certainty a small object at very long range, which has been displayed by some of our sharpshooters, the American target rifle, with its "telescopic sight," "false muzzle," and "starter," have no equal, the weapon is too heavy (weighing from 26 to 50 lbs.), and too delicately constructed, to answer for military service or for hunting, where it must be carried by the huntsman. The Springfield government rifle, a muzzle loading weapon without the adjuncts named, to insure perfect accuracy, is nevertheless as good a muzzle-loading rifle as can be made for military use, where weight, facility of carriage, and ease of handling are concerned.

It is worthy of note, however, that all the improvements in the rifle which have been made within ten years past have been confined to the breech-loading weapon. Breech-loading guns may be divided into two general classes, the first including those which may be loaded with loose powder and ball, or a paper, linen, or metal cartridge requiring a cap for its ignition, and the second those which use a metallic cartridge, having the fulminating composition in its base, which is fired by a blow of the hammer directly upon the cartridge itself. This last class may be further subdivided into those which use only a single metallic cartridge, and require reloading after each shot, and the magazine, or repeating rifle, in which a number of cartridges are inserted in a receptacle prepared for them, and which may then be fired in rapid succession till the magazine is emptied.

The metallic cartridge certainly possesses

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some advantages over the ordinary paper or linen cartridge, or over the method of loading with loose powder and ball. It is water-proof, avoids the difficulty of loading in the ordinary way. Where, in the excitement of battle, the bullet is often put in before the powder, obviates the necessity of measuring the charge, does away with the ramrod, the priming wire, and the percussion cap, and enables the soldier to deliver his fire with great rapidity, without sacrificing precision or aim. The principal and most serious objections to them are their liability to premature explosion in the hands of the gunner (which seems to be obviated in some of the rifles using this cartridge), and the danger of their explosion from concussion, as by a serious blow on the cartridge-box of the soldier, or its being struck by a bullet or a fragment of shell. The first of the breech-loading rifles which have come into very general use was SHARPS', a very simple but effective weapon, using ordinarily a patent cartridge with a conical ball, the cartridge enclosed in stout linen, but capable of being used effectually also with loose powder and ball. It may be fitted with Sharps' or Maynard's primer, or with a percussion cap. The rifle is small, light, and has a very long range, and is thus an excellent weapon for cavalry service, for which purpose it has been largely used.

The MERRILL rifle, the invention of a Baltimorean, belongs to the same class as Sharps', and like it uses the prepared paper cartridge and conical ball, or the ordinary round ball with loose powder. It is fired with the common percussion-cap. It is said not to be liable to fouling or to the escape of gas at the breach, and to possess a range fully equal to the Sharps'. It is so simple in its construction that muzzleloading rifles of any pattern can be easily and without weakening transformed into breechloaders, on its plan, and the Government have caused large numbers of rifles to be thus changed with great advantage. Two drawings are subjoined (see previous page), showing the construction of the military rifle and the sporting-rifle complete. The cavalry carbine of the Merrill patent weighs but 64 lbs. and the infantry rifle but 9 lbs.

ASHCROFT's rifle, another new weapon belonging to the same class, is highly commended by Mr. H. W. S. Cleveland, author of "Hints to Riflemen," and decidedly one of the highest authorities in this country on the subject of rifles for military or sporting use. "The breech block of this rifle is constructed with a cylindrical gas-check, which enters the breech of the barrel and shuts against a shoulder; and this gas-check being slightly concave in its external form, the effect of the explosion is to strengthen and thereby to lengthen it, so as to press it against the shoulder, and effectually to prevent the slightest escape of gas. The proof that it does so is afforded by the fact that it has been fired eight hundred times in succession without cleaning, and the working of the parts was as

easy at the last as at the first, and the gascheck itself remained as bright and unsullied as before it was used, which would not have been the case had there been any escape of gas.".... "The whole arrangement of the working parts is admirably simple and effective, and no breech-piece of solid metal could be more safe and unyielding than this when fixed in position; and by a very simple arrangement, it is impossible to fire the gun till this position is attained." Mr. Cleveland made a thorough experiment of the powers of this rifle, in comparison with several others, as to the penetration of the shot at thirty yards. The target was made of inch pine boards, free from knots and of even grain, and it exceeded all others except the Greene rifle, of which we shall speak presently, which was a much longer weapon, and used a heavier bullet and a much larger charge of powder. As compared with the Sharps' rifle of the same length and using the same cartridge, its average penetration was found to be one inch greater.

GREENE's rifle, patented by Lieut. Col. J. Durell Greene, United States Army, in 1857, and now manufactured at Worcester, Mass., is a weapon of great merit. Though a breechloader, its construction is entirely different from any other rifle in the market. It has been introduced into the French and Russian service, and is regarded with great favor in both. This is the only rifle manufactured in this country on the Lancaster system of rifling, that is, with an elliptic instead of a grooved bore, which imparts the rotary motion by giving the longest diameter of the ellipse a turn of three-fourths in the length of the barrel. The bullet is round, but assumes the elliptic shape on entering the barrel, though the varia tion from a sphere is but slight. The peculiarities in the construction of the gun are as follows: a cylinder of iron containing a breechplug, which slides backward and forward within it, is inserted at the breech of the barrel, and moved forward by a projecting knob, which moves in a slot on the top of the barrel till it closes the breech, when it is turned to the right and secured in place by shoulders. The knob is held by a catch, which may be loosened by pressing a pin at the breech of the barrel. The hammer is on the under side, in front of the guard, and the nipple is so arranged that the fire is first communicated at the forward end of the cartridge, thus insuring the ignition of all of the powder. The cartridge has the bullet in its base, with a greased wad between it and the powder, which, with the bullet, packs the joint perfectly at every discharge, and prevents the slightest escape of gas. After each discharge this bullet is pushed forward by the breech plug to the end of the chamber, the cylinder is then drawn back, and the cartridge inserted in the slot which is thus opened. The cylinder is then pushed forward, pressing the cartridge before it, and the knob being turned to the side and the nipple capped, the

gun is ready to fire. The movements are perfectly simple, and all the parts are strong and well adapted to stand the rough usage of military service. The Greene rifle is made with a 36-inch barrel, and this size carries a bullet weighing 575 grains or 1 ounces, and requires a charge of 88 grains of powder. With this charge its power of penetration is greater at thirty yards than any other of the modern rifles with the possible exception of the Whitworth, in which a leaden bolt, not a ball, is used. In Mr. Cleveland's experiments with ten different rifles, this penetrated his target of pine boards thirteen inches, while the Ashcroft penetrated eleven inches, and the others ranged from six to ten inches. It is fair to say, however, that the others had all shorter barrels, ranging from twenty to thirty-one inches, and carried smaller bullets, the charge of powder being also less.

The MAYNARD rifle, invented in 1851 by Dr. Edward Maynard, of Washington, D. C., but since that time considerably improved, is a most ingenious instrument, and for efficiency, strength, and simplicity has hardly been equalled. It is remarkably compact, and without any sacrifice of strength. The barrel can be disconnected from the stock by the removal of a single pin, and the whole gun can then be packed in a case 20 x 6 x1 inch. Barrels of different calibre, either for shot or rifled, may be fitted to the same stock and changed in a

few seconds. Springs, bolts, and catches are not used in this rifle, but the ends required are attained by the careful adjustment and excellent finish of the several parts, which work with mathematical precision, and give it the solidity of a mass of steel, which is not affected by any strain to which it can be exposed. The ammunition is contained in a metallic cartridge, having an aperture in the base through which the fire is communicated from the cap. These cartridges are so constructed that when charged, by means of a very simple implement which accompanies every gun, the ball is not only of necessity mathematically exact in its position, but is held, without compressing the cartridge (as is done in the self-exploding cartridges) simply by being fitted to it, so firmly that it cannot be moved after being placed in the chamber (which is enough larger than the calibre to admit of the presence of the cartridge), in any direction except with a perfectly true delivery through the calibre. The cartridges can be used over and over again for an indefinite period, being loaded by the gunner himself. There is also an arrangement for using loose ammunition, the ball being first inserted at the breech, and followed by a cartridge or charger, which is simply filled from the flask at each shot. By a recent improvement the empty cartridge after firing is started from its place by the act of raising the breech for reloading, so that it may easily be withdrawn.

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MAYNARD RIFLE-Fig. 1. Showing Rifle loaded, cocked, and with back sight raised.

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MAYNARD RIFLE.-Fig. 2. Showing Rifle in position to receive the cartridge, and with the magazine also opened, showing the primer.

The Maynard primer, used in connection with this rifle, and invented for it by Dr. Maynard, consists of a narrow strip of varnished paper of double thickness, having deposits of fulminating powder in cells between the two, at equal distances apart. Each strip contains three dozen of these cells, equivalent to the same number of caps. The strip is coiled in a magazine concealed beneath the lock-plate, and brought up by the motion of a wheel in the act of cocking, so as to bring a cell directly upon the top of the nipple. The fall of the hammer explodes it and at the same time cuts off the paper behind, so that it is not seen again till the gun is again cocked. Mr. Cleveland, after long experience, prefers the smaller sized barrel (inch calibre) to the larger, which is of half inch calibre, as being better adapted to its charge. He says of this smaller calibre, "In accuracy and force I have never seen it surpassed by any gun fit for field service." We subjoin two cuts of this rifle, one showing it loaded, cocked, and with back sight raised; the other in position to receive the cartridge, and with the magazine opened, showing the primer.

Its

The SMITH'S patent breech-loading rifle, manufactured by Poultney & Trimble of Baltimore, is another very simple, yet accurate and effective rifle. The cuts show its construction as completely as any description. There is nothing about it which can get out of order. range is 2,000 yards or more, and it can be fired ten times a minute. The cartridge used for this rifle is a metallic one, but the case collapses after firing, and can be withdrawn by a single motion of the finger. It has not the fulminating powder, but uses an ordinary percussion cap.

The BURNSIDE rifle belongs to the same class. It is now manufactured by the Burnside Rifle Co. in Providence, and is a breech-loader, having a breech-piece of wrought iron morticed to receive the chamber and movable breech-pin. The upper end of this breech-piece is screwed to the lower end of the barrel, which is of caststeel and rifled with a gain-twist. The opening and closing the guard and its attachments are analogous to those of opening and closing a door by a thumb-latch and catch. The cartridge is similar to that of the Smith rifle; but by a slight peculiarity in its construction, and that of the chamber and perforated platinum case which fits to it, it is water and air-tight when loaded. It is fired with a common percussion cap.

Of the rifles using the self-exploding metallic cartridge, two only have much reputation, among those which are not repeating guns, and must be recharged for every shot. These are F. Wesson's and Ballard's. The WESSON rifle is light, the 24-inch barrel weighing only six pounds, and the 28 and 34-inch barrels not over seven and eight pounds respectively. Dr. I. J. Wetherbee, of Boston, an experienced and skilful shot, gives the result of extensive trials of this rifle with others, and gives it the pref

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