O. N. Rood on Elongated Projectiles. 27 
only 100 feet, and at 500 yards it was reduced to 31 feet; showing 
that after a flight of some 600 yards the lighter projectile is over- 
en by the heavier. It may be remarked here that the average 
velocity of these two rifles during a flight of from 500 to 6 
yards, is as high or higher than the ¢nitial velocities of many Euro- 
pean guns! ‘hus the French Tige Rifle has an initial velocity 
of 1023 feet, the Enfield Rifle 1115 feet, the Belgian chasseur 
carbine 1007 feet, United States new rifle musket 963 feet and 
the altered Harpers Ferry rifle 914 feet per second. Certainly 
Maj. Barnard is justified in bis animadversions on the evils 
which have attended the introduction of the “shot-gun principle” 
into modern rifles; and with much reason he exclaims—“a deci- 
ded step has been made backwards in losing that most essential 
element to range and accuracy, initial velocity.”* 
Position of the Centre of gravity —In many European projectiles, 
every effort is made by hollowing out the base to throw thé 
centre of gravity “well forward,’ in order that the disposition of 
the ball to fly point-foremost may be encouraged as much as pos- 
sible, and for the furtherance of the same desirable end, grooves 
are usually made about its cylindrical portion That the first 
proceeding exercises a notable influence (at low velocities,) is 
generally admitted; that it virtually lowers the specific gravity 
of the ball and therefore retards the flight is no less certain; and 
if the rudder-like action of the grooves is admitted, their pres- 
ence also entails a farther loss of velocity. 
I have not as yet found time to experiment with either hollow 
or grooved balls, but the results obtained with solid projectiles, 
seem to show that it is of small moment whether ther centre o 
* This Journal, vol. xxix, p. 197. 
