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 
80 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 
