the block and breech pin would render it inoperative. So far as the merit of the gun is concerned as a repeater we shall consider that hereafter.

THE BALLARD RIFLE.

This gun (and the Peabody, which will be next described) is one of the simplest and most effective of American breech loaders that we have seen. It is made of four pieces-the hammer, mainspring, trigger and double spring-the mainspring being encased in the lock, and thus protected from being broken. The principle on which the gun is made is simple, and but for one defect, which shall be mentioned, it would stand the equal of all competitors. The lever which protects the trigger being pulled down, the lock, including the hammer, falls below the breech, leaving the chamber of the barrel exposed. Under the chamber and about two inches from the breech is a small knob attached to a spring, which, being pushed towards the breech, ejects the exploded shell entirely from the piece and leaves the chamber free for the insertion of another cartridge. When the lever is pulled down the hammer is half cocked by the action, so that on the lever being drawn up and the breech effectually closed all that remains is to complete cocking the hammer and to fire the gun. In addition to its adaptability for metallic cartridges the Ballard rifle can be fired with paper cartridges and purcussion caps. Directly in front of the hammer, and on the breech block, a nipple is fixed, so that in the event of metallic cartridges giving out the old system can be followed, still loading by the breech. As will be seen by the above description, the weapon is free from all complicated machinery and can be fired with great rapidity. Experiments with this gun have been made on several occasions, with various results. As many as twenty shots per minute have been fired from the carbine, and the inventors claim that in the hands of an expert twenty-five shots can be fired. Last year fiftyone breech loading rifles were examined at Springfield by order of the United States government, and of this number five were selected as being the best adapted to army use. The "Ballard," "Peabody," "National" and "Berdan" rifles, with two others, were the ones selected. Notwithstanding the many merits of the Ballard rifle, it still has one defect. As the gun is made at present the ejector and the lever require two motions to work them. By attaching them together, and thus causing the shell of the cartridge to be ejected, the instant the lever is pulled down and the breech is opened, the last fault in the weapon would be removed. It is understood that this improvement will be made, and when it is, the rifle will be a most dangerous arm in the hands of a well drilled soldier. The Ballard rifle is well made and elegantly finished, possessing great strength, united with lightness. The carbine weighs about seven pounds, and the army gun, when made, will weigh about nine pounds. At a distance of 1,200 yards, with a load of forty-five grains of powder and 285 grains of lead, the rifle is very accurate, retaining its initial force throughout that distance.

THE PEABODY RIFLE.

This weapon is constructed upon the same principle as the Ballard gun, with the exception that the opening of the breech and the ejection of the exploded shell take place simultaneously. The breech block is a solid

piece of steel, hollowed out at the top to receive the cartridge. When the lever is pulled down this block falls below the chamber, and exposes the breech; the cartridge is then inserted, the lever pulled back and the breech closed. And here is the only objectionable feature in the Peabody rifle. Unless the cartridge is inserted into the chamber, flush up with the breech, there is great danger of a premature discharge from the sudden contact of the breech block with the fulminate. As it now stands the utmost care is needed in loading the piece. It seems to us that by giving the end of the breech block a slight incline the danger would be removed, for if even the cartridge was not shoved home, instead of a sudden shock there would bo a gradual pressure which would force it into its proper position. While the Peabody rifle is undeniably an excellent weapon of warfare, there is a lack of finish about it which requires correction. Like the Ballard rifle it can be fired twenty times per minute.

BERDAN'S BREECH-LOADER.

For converting muzzle loaders, Colonel Berdan's invention is perhaps the best before the public. The manner in which the conversion is effected is as follows: About three inches of the upper part of the barrel in front of the breech pin is cut away, leaving the breech pin intact, so that it may form the recoil bearing for the breech. The breech is composed of two pieces of steel, one being in front of the other. The front piece constitutes the breech piece proper, and the rear one a brace which sustains the breech piece against the recoil, in firing. The breech piece is hinged to a band which is clamped around the barrel, and a brace is hinged to it. The rear end of the brace and the recoil bearing are so formed that the breech cannot rise until the brace rises by a movement in the hinge. In opening the breech for loading, a knob on the right hand side of the brace is pressed upwards with the finger, thus relieving the brace from the recoil bearing, against which it was pressed by the force of the recoil. The brace is lifted up from the recoil bearing until a stop upon it comes in contact with a stop on the breech piece, above the hinge. The breech piece and brace are then moved together from their position, and thrown forward in the direction of the muzzle, thus exposing the chamber of the band. The firing pin is made of two pieces which meet at the hinge joint, so that the pin does not prevent or interfere with the opening of the breech, which it would assuredly do were it constructed of one piece. To eject the exploded shell, there is a small spur upon the hinged part of the breech piece. This catches hold of the end of the fulminate, and as soon as the breech piece is thrown forward, the shell is thrown completely out. For the purpose of preventing the escape of gas into the breech piece, from the charge, after it is fired, there is a projection upon the right hand side of the brace, behind the knob, so arranged that the hammer must pass over it as it descends. This is an excellent arrangement, for should the brace not be in its proper place, the head of the hammer slides over the projection, forcing the brace down, and effectually closing the breech. The description of Berdan's rifle as given here is taken from drawings published in the American A tisin, and prepared under the personal supervision of Colonel Berdan, the inventor. As we stated before, the gun possesses considerable merit, and if the breech piece could be so improved as to simplify it, and thus do away with a portion of its mechanical arrangement, the weapon would become more valuable.

THE REMINGTON RIFLE.

Much has been said about this weapon, and the inventor has been assiduous in his efforts to convince the public that his rifle is the most effective firearm extant. But an examination of the weapon proves the fallacy of this claim. That it is simple in construction is quite true, and before going any further we will describe the gun. Unlike most of the other breech loaders, the breech block works backward and forward with the hammer, thus necssitating a full cocking of the gun before the piece can be loaded. The breech block is a solid piece of steel pierced by a firing line and acting in conjuncting with a tumbler attached to the hammer. At the lower part of the chamber of the barrel, is a spur for ejecting the exploded shell, which is connected with the breech block by a spring. The mode of operation is as follows: The hammer is first cocked to its fullest extent, then the breech block is pulled backward to the hammer which catches it by a nip, and thus keeps the breech open. On the cartridge being inserted, the block is pushed forward, and the breech closed. Nothing then remains but to fire the piece. The defects in the gun are these: In the first place, unless the breech block is kept thoroughly well oiled, the greatest difficulty is experienced in pulling it backwards with the fingers. Now as in active service soldiers have no time to take out the block and "grease" it every day, it will be seen that a great delay in loading must ensue. In the next place the spur or shell ejector is entirely too small, and will not eject the shell unless it (the shell) is also thoroughly well greased. In the presence of the writer one of these guns was operated with, and the result was that even with the shell well greased the spur failed to eject it oftener than once in five times. A great deal of trouble was experienced in forcing back the breech block, in consequence of the inability of the spur to eject the shell. When the block was at last forced back it was found that the spur had merely cut through the metal without ejecting the shell. We are thus minute in mentioning the defects of the Remington gun because of the claim for superiority inade by the inventor. How the defects can be remedied it would be difficult to explain. The breech block is really the stumbling block. Without a shell in the chamber, it is pulled back with comparative ease; but with the exploded shell resisting the forward action of the spur it requires a finger of uncommon strength to operate it. So far as the "greasing" of the cartridges is concerned the statement that such greasing is a necessity only renders the gun more objectionable. In nearly all of the other breech loaders now prominently before the public it is immaterial whether the metallic cases of the cartridges are well greased or not, the spurs possessing sufficient width and bottom to eject the exploded shells entirely from the chamber of the barrel. It is stated that the Austrian government has adopted this weapon; but the statement has no foundation in fact. Austria has not yet adopted any particular breech loading firearm for her army.

COCHRAN'S BREECH-LOADer.

This weapon does not rank among the first of American inventions, but it contains merits which are peculiarly its own. The housing is light, but strong, and into this the barrel is screwed. The breech block, having a

rolling bearing at its rear end, is fitted to the housing, with a pin inserted into the bearing for the purpose of keeping the breach block in its proper place. The front of the breech block against which the cartridge rests, when the breech is closed is a spherical convex, and is so positioned with the barrel, that the pressure of the shell aids in keeping it firmly locked. The operating lever of the breech block forms the trigger guard, and is somewhat similar in appearance to the Ballard rifle. There is one feature in it, however, which no other breach-loader's lever possesses. The end of the lever, instead of resting near or on the stock, is turned up and enters the stock, so that when the breech is open there is no possible chance of its lever catching against anything. The piece in the stock is elastic and has a kind of hook at the top, which catches hold of a notch (in the stock) and serves either to keep the breech effectually locked or to prevent the lever from coming out of the stock entirely when the breech is opened. The lever being pulled down the breech block is forced upward by the action of the hinged end of the lever against the rear end of the lever against the rear portion of the block. The breech is thus exposed and the cartridge is inserted into the barrel, under the breech block, or, if not under, the gun must be turned over. This is a very awkward manner of loading, and notwithstanding its originality, is the most objectionable feature of the gun. It is true, that to facilitate loading, the under part of the breech block is made bollow, but this only weakens the block, while it does not, to any great extent, facilitate loading. It is urged by the inventor that one of the advantages arising from this method of loading is, that should there be a premature discharge, the powder will escape downward, and not upward, so as to injure the face. This is very doubtful, inasmuch as that all explosions have an upward tendency, and the result of a premature discharge of the cartridge would be the blowing out of the breech piece directly toward the face of the soldier. The shell ejector is, perhaps, the best feature in the gun, although it is not equal to the ejector of the Peabody rifle. It consists of a straight piece which slides on a guide formed between the lower portion of the barrel and the breech receiver. A rod of steel connects it with the operating lever, which is contained in the breech receiver, to the right of the block. On the lever, or trigger guard, being pulled down the rod is pushed backward, carying with it the ejector and consequently the exploded shell. On the lever being liberated, the spring at the end of the ejecting rod straightens itself, throwing the ejector forward and drawing the lever back to its proper place. By means of a notch under the breech receiver the ejector can be operated with the finger and independently of the lever; but as this would only increase the time required for firing it will seldom be used. Should the connection with the lever become destroyed it would then be of use, but not otherwise. As stated before, the Cochran rifle possesses merits, but as a military arm it can scarcely become a favorite. The difficulty, or rather discomfort, of loading from beneath the breech block is a most serious objection.

THE HENRY AND WINCHESTER RIFLES.

Almost every reader of this paper has heard of the Henry repeating rifle, and the fact that it contains a magazine under the barrel, into which sixteen cartridges are stored at one time. It is merely the Spencer rifle

reversed, and as a repeater has the same objections. The magazine is composed of a tube running under the barrel, from the breech to within five inches of the muzzle, and is partially open along its entire length, at the bottom. At the top of the magazine and up to the muxzle is a tube which moves on hinges to one side, exposing the chamber of the magazine, so as to admit the cartridges. This tube contains a follower, which is pressed forward by a spiral spring, thus forcing a cartridge into the breech as fast as the lever is pulled down. On entering the breech the cartridge is forced into the barrel by an upward movement of the main spring. The shell is ejected by a spring catch, which seizes it by the rim and ejects it, room being left in the barrel for it to rise over the rim. An improvement on this rifle has been recently made, and the new weapon is called the "Winchester." Instead of the magazine being partially open it is entirely closed up, and instead of loading from the top the cartridges are inserted into the magazine from the breech, thus enabling the gun to be used as a single loader or as a repeater. By this manner of loading the cartridge last inserted is the last one fired. The cartridges are inserted in the magazine through an opening in the side of the frame, back of the lower block. A spring lid, grooved on the top, and of a length to correspond with the size of the cartridge, opens inward by a slight pressure of the cartridge, which is then pushed forward, and as it drops in its place is held there by a shoulder, the lid then rises to its place and closes the aperture. If the Henry rifle was condemned for its complications, the “Winchestor" has certainly not improved the defects. However terrible both weapons would be in the hands of experts, they are totally unfit for military service. The charm of being able to fire sixteen rounds of ammunition without cessation would be quickly dispelled by the slightest injury to any one part of the delicate and complicated machinery contained in the Henry and Winchester rifles.

SHARP'S, BERG'S, ALLEN'S AND STARR'S.

Lack of space will compel us to abstain from elaborate descriptions of the above named firearms. They have in reality almost gone out of use, having been found unequal to their promises. Sharp's, it it true, still retains some prominence, but the "trap door" system, so universally condemned, will prevent its ever being adopted as a military arm. The Berg gun is too complicated for effective use, and requires too much time to operate it. To load it the barrel has to be thrown over the shoulder, after having been released from the stock. Priming or percussion caps and paper cartridges are used with this gun. The Allen gun is also on the trap door" system. To operate it the hammer is first half cocked; the lever is pulled down and the breech exposed, the shell being ejected at the same time. The cartridge is then introduced, the breech closed, and the hammer being pulled back to a full cock, the gun is ready for firing. Starr's rifle is on the trap syste:n, and is so made that much dificulty is experienced in inserting the cartridge.

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OTHER BREECH-LOADERS.

Within the past four years a large number of breech-loading firearms have been invented in the United States, and it will not be exceeding the actual figures when we assert that between $150,000 and $200,000 have