muzzle versus breech loaders. 75 



not load so well after being once fired. These Eng- 

 lish tipping guns, therefore, do not seem to me to an- 

 swer as wholly satisfactory weapons, on account of 

 their peculiar construction on the one hand, and their 

 decidedly objectionable ammunition on the other. 



Is there, then, no satisfactory breech-loading shot- 

 gun, and have we only an impracticable theory for 

 such a weapon ? Before deciding this question let us 

 examine carefully an American gun, a breech-loader, 

 manufactured by Messrs. Ethan Allen & Co., of 

 Worcester, Massachusetts. A superficial examination 

 shows us that this gun equals in its finish the English 

 guns, and at the same time is made of as good mate- 

 rials. Having found fault with the tipping breech- 

 loaders, we look to see if there is any modification of 

 the principle in this American gun. Certainly there 

 is. The barrels of this gun do not tip at all. In fact, 

 they do not move at all in loading, but are secured 

 in their position in a way that does not admit of the 

 slightest spring or straining by any conceivable use. 

 Of course, it being a breech-loader, there must be means 

 of opening or getting at the breech-ends or chambers of 

 the barrels for purposes of charging. This is done by 

 making what I may call false chambers in the barrels 

 of about two and a half inches in length, with an open- 

 ing on the top for the purpose of slipping the cartridges 

 into their real places or chambers. When the car- 

 tridges are properly placed in the real chambers of 

 the barrels, the false or open chambers are firmly closed 

 by a piece of iron fitting perfectly to its place, and 

 with its attachments filling the space of the false 



