APPENDIX.— D. 



Ballard's JBreech-Loading JZifle. 



Since the Author's opinions on Sharp and Perry's breech-loading 

 arms, so generally entertained when this work was prepared in 185G, 

 many important improvements have been introduced. The Ballard 

 Rifle is admitted to be the most perfect breech-loading weapon for 

 sporting or military purposes now before the public. Its superiority 

 consists in the simplicity of its mechanism, superior workmanship, 

 the barrels of the finest steel, and rifled in the most approved man- 

 ner, rapidity of loading and firing, accuracy and great penetration 

 in shooting ; it can be loaded any length of time without injury, 

 and draws the empty shell of cartridge after discharge. 



Many of our best rifle shooters have heretofore claimed that no 

 breech-loader could be made to shoot as accurately as the old-fashion- 

 ed muzzle-loaders, the power and rapidity of the former has long been 

 admitted by the most inveterate of its enemies ; they contended it 

 could not be made to shoot so accurately as the latter, but the 

 copper cartridge has removed the last objection. The progress made 

 in the science of fire-arms during the last few years, has dispelled 

 many old notions that were once held with the utmost tenacity 

 which are now admitted to be errors, and none are more fully proved 

 to be so than those held in relation to breech-loading arms. Indeed, 

 it is generally conceded that the Ballard breech-loader combines all 

 the qualities and advantages of both the muzzle-loading and breech- 



