282 



VARIETIES OF SHOT-GUNS, ETC. 



machine sold by Mr. Lancaster; but care must be taken that 

 the base of the cartridge is not placed \ipon a shot or other 

 similar substance, for if this happened to be in the centre of 

 the capsule while the wads were being pushed down on the 

 powder or shot, or the lip turned over, an explosion might 

 occur which would be by no means pleasant, if not dangerous. 

 Fig. 56 is a section of the cartridge complete, as loaded ready 

 for use; while a perspective view of the same is shown of 

 full size in fig. 57. 



Tig. 57. 



CARTRIDGE-CASE. (FULL SIZE.) 



Mr. Lancaster claims for his gun the following points of 

 superiority over the ordinary breech loaders: Firstly, he 

 asserts that the breech is made more secure by the under- 

 cutting; secondly, the cartridge is not so likely to explode 

 in the pocket, because there is no projecting pin; thirdly, 

 there is no escape of gas, the capsule not beiDg pierced; 

 fourthly, the cartridge never sticks in the chamber, being 

 brought out by the little contrivance already described. 

 Over the ordinary needle guns the advantage is said to be, 

 that there is no corrosion of the lock by the usual escape of 

 gas; and that the explosion is more effectively made. 



In opposition to these assumed advantages of Mr. Lancaster's 

 invention over those of Lefaucheaux, Bastin, and Needham, 

 which may be considered its chief rivals, the only counter- 

 balancing defects that, as far as I know, can be alleged, are : 

 firstly, the greater prime cost of the gun itself; secondly, 

 the constant large outlay for its cartridges, which moreover 

 can only be obtained from the patentee; and thirdly, the 

 complicated nature of the extractor. These pros and cons 

 are, however, again carefully considered at some length in 

 the following pages. 



