RECREATION. 



421 



FIXED AMMUNITION. 



Editor Recreation. 



Chicago, 111. 



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The changes in small arms of projection 

 are indicated by the cuts here given, show- 

 ing various projectiles, from the old round 

 musket ball to the bolt-like projectile pro- 

 posed for adoption by the United States 

 navy. 



The diagram is a compilation made by 

 A. M. Fernandez de Ybarra, from the 

 works of Agnew, Bryant. Wyeth and 

 Fischer. 



As the bullets fired by infantry and 

 cavalry produce more than 80 per cent, of 

 all wounds in action, the recent adoption 

 of small calibre rifles by the armies of 

 most of the principal European nations, 

 and finally by the United States, gives 

 special interest to the subject of bullets. 

 The modern term for bullets is properties, 

 just as the name propellant has superseded 

 the old-fashioned word powder. 



Dr. Ybarra has made a special study 

 of the Mannlicher rifle bullet and its 

 effects, during the actual trial the arms 

 received in the civil war of August, 1891, 

 between Balmaceda and the revolutionists, 

 a campaign of eight days, but in which 

 10,000 lives were sacrificed. The gov- 

 ernment troops, under the defeated Presi- 

 dent Balmaceda, were provided with the 

 Winchester, the Comblain, the Remington 

 and the Gras rifle, but had no ammunition 

 for the Mannlicher, whereas the victo- 

 rious Congressists' army, under General 

 Canto, was possessed of the Mannlicher. 

 Sixty-six per cent, of Balmaceda's forces 

 (aggregating 20,000 to 22,000 men) who 

 were wounded, were wounded by the Aus- 

 trian small-bore magazine arm. 



This Mannlicher was selected by Major 

 Koerner of the Chilian army. It had a 

 calibre of 0.315 inch, weight 9 pounds 

 6 ounces ; the bullet was made of a core of 

 lead, hardened with 5 per cent, of anti- 

 mony, incased in a sheet of steel, nickel 

 plated. Its length was 1.20 inch; di- 

 ameter, 0.322 inch; weight, 215 grains; 

 projected by 35 grains of smokeless pow- 

 der ; initial velocity, 1.968 feet per second. 

 Its range was 2,500 yards, with a para- 

 bolic curve or trajectory at 600 yards' dis- 

 tance, of only about 4^ feet, which 

 rendered its aimed results very dangerous. 

 One hundred and fifty of these cartridges 

 weighed only 9 pounds 8 ounces, thus 

 enabling the soldier to carry with him, in 

 his cartridge box, from 50 to 75 per cent, 

 more of ready shots than with the old rifles. 



During this brief Chilian campaign, 

 3,446 men were provided with the Mann- 

 licher rifle. The consternation, demorali- 

 zation and defeat of the government troops 

 was due to the effects of the Mannlicher 

 rifles in the hands of the brigade under 

 command of Colonel Salvador. Between 

 eleven o'clock A. M. and 5 o'clock P. M., of 

 August 21, 1891, the Balmacedists lost 

 1,000 dead and 1,500 wounded; seven 

 days later the government troops sustained 



