MILITARY RIFLES 373 



III. SMALL A^MS 



Since 1909-10 there has been no technical development worth notice in regard to the 

 sword (E. B. xxvi, 269 et se'q.) or bayonet (E. B. iii, 557-8) ; but further progress has been 

 made in regard to rifles and pistols. 



Rifte (E. B. xxiii, 325 / seq.} In 1911 a new cartridge, known as Mark VII, was 

 introduced for the British service. The bullet has a sharp point like that of the German 

 " S " bullet. Its weight is 174 grains as compared with the 215 grains of the round- 

 nosed bullet, and its core is a compound one, the rear portion being a cylinder of lead 

 while the front portion is a cone of aluminium. While reducing the weight, the length 

 of the bullet has thus been kept the same as that of the Mark VI bullet, and a change of 

 magazine has been avoided, while the surface which bears on the bore is kept long enough 

 to ensure accuracy. The propellant is cordite, but the modified form of that explosive 

 is used in which the proportion of nitro-glycerine is much diminished and the heat pro- 

 duced by its ignition is thus considerably reduced. The charge, which is in tubular 

 form, has been increased in weight by about 25 per cent. This increase, and the reduc- 

 tion in the weight of the bullet, have led to an increased velocity of about 400 foot 

 seconds, and to a consequent lowering of the trajectory. The battlesight range, cover- 

 ing a man 5 ft. 3 ins. high, is now about 675 yards as against 500 yards with the Mark 

 VI cartridge, and the vertex of the 800 yards trajectory is 9 ft. as against 13 ft. 



The introduction of this cartridge has necessitated the re-sighting of the rifles, the shape 

 of the ramp of the backsight being altered and a new dial plate fitted. The opportunity has 

 been taken to issue rifles having a "U" notch in the backsight and a blade foresight, a com- 

 bination much superior to the "V" and barley-corn of the old sight. The action is un- 

 changed, but a bridge charger guide is fitted in place of the sliding charger guide on the 

 bolthead. The breech has not been strengthened to withstand the higher pressure though 

 the bridge charger guide does something towards strengthening the body. 



No nation has undertaken re-armament since the issue of the Japanese 38th year rifle 

 in 1907, but all the military powers except Austria and Italy have adopted a high velocity 

 cartridge, and this has necessitated re-sighting, which has in all cases been a more com- 

 plicated and costly process than in the case of the British rifle. 



No trustworthy automatic rifle has yet made its appearance. Rumours of the adop- 

 tion of a rifle of the kind by Continental European powers are probably due to a confu- 

 sion of ideas, the " rifle " referred to being really a rifle-shaped portable machine gun. 

 Military opinion in all nations is agreed that the disadvantages of an automatic rifle out- 

 weigh its advantages, and the possession of one would be a constant anxiety owing to its 

 liability to fail, though the increased rate of fire possible at a critical moment, averaging 

 perhaps 20 to 25 rounds a minute, and the diminution of fatigue to the firer would be 

 notable gains. The distribution of ammunition to men in the firing line would tend to 

 become a more difficult problem than ever, and the allowance of ammunition for peace 

 training would have to : be increased materially if an automatic rifle were adopted. 



The title of " Portable Machine Guns " has been given to a type of weapon which, 

 though rifle-shaped and fired from the shoulder with a forked support for the muzzle, is 

 too heavy to be carried and used by the already heavily loaded infantry soldier. It 

 occupies a position between the machine gun and the automatic rifle. Such guns are 

 fed with ammunition by hoppers, magazines or flat clips, either device holding about 25 

 rounds. A considerable volume of fire can be produced by these guns, but as the 

 provision for cooling the barrel, owing to considerations of weight, cannot be thorough- 

 ly efficient, the duration of fire is somewhat limited. 



Several types of portable machine-guns are in existence or under trial, the best known 

 being the Madsen or Rexer, recoil-operated and fed by hoppers, and the Hotcnkiss (known 

 in the United States as the Benet-Mercie), gas-operated and fed by flat clips. The former 

 was used considerably and with effect by the Russian cavalry in Manchuria, but seems 

 likely to be displaced by the Hotchkiss, which has been adopted by the United States and 

 is being studied by several European powers. Both these guns can be operated by one man, 

 though a; more continuous fire can be obtained, particularly with the Hotchkiss, if two men 

 are employed, one to supply ammunition and the other to fire. The Madsen weighs 18 Ibs. 

 and the Hotchkiss 26 Ibs. Both can be adapted to fire any small-arm cartridge. 



The Lewis gun recently produced in the United States belongs to this family, though 

 more cumbrous. It weighs 25! Ibs., is gas-operated, and is fed by a drum-shaped hopper. 



