NUTHALL AND BOUCHER'S RIFLES. 323 



yards distance. Tliis can be corroborated by unquestionable 

 authority. 



" Mr. Greenfield, of Broad-street, Golden-square, lias been 

 in the habit of making my bullet-moulds, and, as my object 

 is to encourage rifle-shooting, he has full permission from me 

 to make moulds of this pattern for any gentleman applying 

 for the same. In giving the order, however, I would recom- 

 mend the barrel to be given to him, with instructions to 

 make the bullet large enough just to touch its sides, but to 

 fall to the bottom by its own weight. My reason for ad- 

 vising this is, that I never use paper or patch, but simply 

 dip the bullet half way in a very hot mixture of two parts 

 bees'-wax, one part soft-soap, and one part tallow or hogs' 

 lard, the refuse being previously carefully skimmed off. I 

 generally mix a few pounds of these ingredients together at 

 once, as it has then only to be made thoroughly hot and 

 liquid for use at any time afterwards. 



" Some years ago, when carrying on an extensive course of 

 experiments, with bullets of various sizes and forms some 

 with paper wrapped round them like the Service ammu- 

 nition, some with patches, and others in a naked state I 

 became so satisfied of the superiority of the ' naked' bullet, 

 and its simplicity in loading, over other methods, that I 

 have continued ever since to use such for my own private 

 shooting. Our most scientific military authorities have also 

 lately declared themselves in favour of this system. One 

 says : * The employment of a naked bullet, thus doing away 

 with that interfering medium, the paper, will be a matter of 

 great importance if we can succeed.' Another says : 1 I 

 entirely concur in what has been said as to the advantages 

 to be derived from the naked bullet in preference to one 

 with paper; it is evident that the naked bullet properly 

 supplied with grease will fill the grooves of the rifle better 

 than one which has the intervening substance of paper 

 around it.' A third adds : ' In my opinion it is to the paper 

 alone the defects in fouling and accuracy are attributable ; 

 bullets have lately been constructed and used without paper, 

 and the result has been that these bullets have not only 

 shown themselves superior to the plug, but barrels which 

 would have been rejected with the latter as bad barrels 



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