120 MANUAL FOR YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 



termed in the Minie rifle, which tears the cartridge, and, 

 being inserted by a screw, is itself removable, so as to 

 render the chamber also pervious to light, air, and water, 

 for purposes of cleanliness. No ordinary gun can be 

 cleaned so rapidly and thoroughly ; nor can it be ascer- 

 tained of any other, so surely, whether it is clean or not, 

 before laying it aside. 



To this may be added, that it is the safest of all arms ; 

 since, while loading, the trigger is removed from the lock 

 on which it operates, and the cone with the copper-cap 

 subtracted from the hammer, not returning into position 

 so as to be subject to discharge, until the chamber is again 

 locked into its place as conjoined with the barrel. 



The ordinary load is a cartridge, containing the powder 

 and ball, or slug, which is merely thrust into the chamber, 

 when it is torn as described above ; and so soon as the 

 guard is drawn back to its proper place, the arm is ready 

 for firing, inasmuch as, if desired, it is a self-primer. 



The stock contains a long hollow tube or reed of brass, 

 enclosing a spiral spring, which, when filled with thirty 

 copper caps, is inserted at the butt, and at every return 

 of the breech to its place after the cartridge is received, 

 the old cap falling off as it is deflected, fits a fresh one on 

 the nipple. 



A peculiarity however, and a most important one, of 

 this arm is, that, should the supply of proper cartridges 

 run out, it can be loaded quite as readily, though not quite 

 so fast, with a common horn and patched bullet, as with its 

 appropriate charge ; or, that if by any chance the breech 

 should become fixed, it can be charged like any other piece 



