ORDNANCE. 



637 





gun is ready to fire. The movements are per- 

 fectly simple, and all the parts are strong and 

 well'adapted to stand the rough usage of mili- 

 tary service. The Greene rifle is made with a 

 36-inch barrel, and this size carries a bullet 

 weighing 575 grains or 14 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 Whit- 

 worth, 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 pen- 

 etrated eleven inches, and the others ranged 

 from six to ten inches. It is fair to say, how- 

 ever, 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 MAYXA.P.D rifle, invented in 1851 by Dr. 

 Edward Maynard, of Washington, D. C., but 

 since that tune considerably improved, is a 

 most ingenious instrument, and for efficiency, 

 strength, and simplicity has hardly been equal- 

 led. 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 20xQxl 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 excel- 

 lent 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 cali- 

 bre 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 indefi- 

 nite period, being loaded by the gunner him- 

 self. 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 re- 

 loading, so that it may easily be withdrawn. 



MA.TXA.ED RIFLE. Fig. 1. Showing Rifle loaded, cocked, and with back sight raised. 



F.irix. Fig. 2. Shoiring Elfle In position to receive the cartridge, and with the magazine also openea, 



the primer. 



