Aphid 3, 1884.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



198 



Fig. 3. 



RIFLES OF TO-DAY. 



THE WHITNEY RIFLE. 



TO tell the story of the Whitney arm in its entirety would give op- 

 portunity to rehearse the entire history of American small arm 

 manufacture, besides leading us away into many interesting by-ways 

 and opening up chapters of American skill in invention and produc- 

 tion. 



Eli Whitney, the elder, is probably best known as the inventor of 

 the cotton gin, and the Whitney works started for the purpose of pro- 

 ducing these machines, was opened in 17D8. He soon turned his atten- 

 tion to fire-arm manufacture and was the first to recognize the im- 

 portance of using hardened jigs or sample pieces of each part of an 

 arm. so that the pieces might be interchangeable. He also applied 

 machinery to the making of the different parrs, and many features of 

 rifle manufacture which are now regarded as standard in the different 

 works, took then 1 start in the Whitney Armory. While Thomas 

 Jefferson was Secretary of State he requested Mr. Whitney to under- 

 take the manufacture of these arms and interchangeable parts. The 

 ide*. was laughed at by the English and Frenoh military men who 

 had been accustomed to the old system, but upon the model of the 

 old Charville flint lock. Mr. Whitney demonstrated the entire feasi- 

 bility of the system demonstrated, and when the Springfield armory 

 was established in 1800, this idea of making the corresponding part 

 of each aim exactly alike was put in force and is now the system 

 throughout the world. In fact the making of breechloading arms 

 compels its use. No patents have ever been placed upon the old 

 Whitney inventions, they remain the free property of all who care to 

 improve upon tbem. 



The Whitney viile Armory, near New Haven, is now one of the 

 largest in the United States, and has a working force of over350men. 

 The water power is ample, and many interesting and ingenious bits 

 of mechanism are to be studied there. The name is still retained in 

 the persons of the son and grandson of the original inventor, and the 

 name of Eli Whitney is still a dominant one in the management of the 

 works. 



The system of breechloading small arm, with which we have 

 specially to deal, had iis start in the inventions made by Mr. J. Still- 

 man, of the Springfield armory, in 1865, and by Col. T. T. S. Laidley, 

 U. S. A., in 1866. At that time it was patented in the United States 

 and also in foreign countries. It was the system of a breech-block 

 pivoted below the barrel, moving upward and toward it in closing 

 the breech. At the time of its invention the arm was put to the most 

 severe test, not only by the United States boards of examination, but 

 by foreign boards as well, and many favorable reports have been 

 made upon it as an excellent arm for military service. 



Col. Laidley's first models were in form very like the present Whit- 

 ney rifle, and this form was subsequently adopted by the Remington 

 Company for their arm, after the Laidley models had been made and 

 exhibited. 



There have been many modifications placed upon the original 

 Laidley invention. It is claimed that it can be loaded and fired with 

 a rapidity equal to that of any other single breechloader, and for 

 continuous firing that its rapidity cannot be excelled even by any 

 repeater or magazine arm. It has very few parts, indeed. The firing 

 pin is withdrawn by positive motion and is not liable to remain pro- 

 jecting and thus reach the primer and ignite the cartridge prema- 

 turely. The ejector has a strong hold on the cartridge head, and by 

 it the shell is withdrawn and ejected clear of the chamber. Special 

 care is taken in the materials used and in the workmanship. It has 

 been fired on the first trial by a person strange to the arm as often as 

 Twenty-three times per minute, and when "time" was called a cart- 

 ridge was waiting in the chamber, For a severity test upward of a 

 thousand shots were-fired from a rifle without the failure or injury 

 '.o a single part. 



: actions of leading and firing are p^'formed with one band. 

 To load the hammer is' cocked and the breech block thrown back. 

 This withdraws the firing pin ajjd ejects the empty cartridge shell. 

 The new cartridge is then inserted in the chamber and with the clos- 

 ing of the breech block the arm is cocked ready for firing, or it may 



be let down to the half-cock notch and the arm is then in a condition 

 for safe carriage by a competent rifleman. 



With such large works and the facilities for turning out great quan- 

 tities of arms, special effort has been made to secure contracts for 

 military arms, and many have been filled with foreign countries. 

 To Mexico over 20,000 of the Whitney musket and carbine have been 

 sent. Madagascar has taken a consignment of 5,000 for the use Of 

 the native troops.while scattered about other foreign nations 50.000 of 

 the arms may be found. It would be an interesting point to have some 

 return reports from the several native armies, which have been sup- 

 plied not only with the Whitney, but with other American rifles. As 

 a target rifle on American ranges, the Whitney has not been pushed, 

 and records are not as numerous as with other makes. It has done 

 good work, however. At Marinette, Wis,, Rifle Club range on May 5, 

 1877, James Watson made 99 in a possible 100 at 800yds., following it 

 up.with73ina possible 75 at 900yds., and Mr. Watson at 1.000yds., 

 scored 59 in a possible 60; at 500yds;. H. O. Fairchild led off with a 

 close center and then put in 15 consecutive bullseyes. 



The arm may be seen in its complete state in cut No. 1, which is a 

 target rifle model. E. A. Leopold, of Norristown, has done much 

 shooting with the Whitney arm, and very good shooting too, 49 out 

 of a possible 50 at 200 on Nov. I, 1878, at 100yds. ; 15 consecutive shots 

 were put into a 4-inch circle. From that time to the present all 

 manner of matches have been shot by Mr. Leopold and with great 

 success. 



Cut No. 2 represents the arm in section showing the breech action 

 with block down. In it the parts are numbered as follows: 1, re- 

 ceiver; 2, guard; 3, barrel; 4, breech block; 5, hammer; 6, breech- 

 block pin; 7, hammer pin; 8, extractor; 9, main spring; 10, trigger; 

 11, ramrod stud. 



Cut No. 3 is the arm opened, showing the disposition of the parts 

 when the weapon is ready for the reception of a new cartridge. It 

 will be seen that the force of the recoil is carried down through the 

 breech-block to the hammer block, and in that way transmitted to 

 the hammer pin. and so to the breech frame ane stock. The arm is 

 one of the simplest to take apart in case of necessity. To do so turn 

 the screw in the side of the receiver that holds in place the two large 

 pins (hammer and breech-block t>ins) sufficiently to release the 

 heads or flanges, then turn them away from the screw. Bring the 

 hammer to full cock, take out the extractor screw (found on the side 

 of the receiver below the breech-block pin), take out the breech-block 

 pin and remove the breech-block and extractor together. Let the 

 hammer down so as to relieve it from the pressure of the main spring, 

 take out the hammer pin and the hammer. 



To assemble the arm put the hammer in position in the receiver, 

 pressing it forward so as to avoid the pressure of the main spring, put 

 in the hammer piu and cock the hammer. Put the breech-block and 

 extractor into the receiver together, as when taken out, and after re 

 placing the breech-block pin and extractor screw, bring the flanges 

 of the two side pins together and tighten the screw that holds them. 



The arm is a comparatively cheap one, the prices running: 



Muskets— ,433-caIiber, length of barrel 35in., weight 91bs. 5oz., $16; 

 .45 caliber, length of barrel 35in., weight 91b-<. 3oz., $15; .50-caliber, 

 length of barrel 32^in., weight 9lbs. 3oz , $14. Carbines— ,433. .45 

 and .50-caliber, length of barrel 2o}£in., weight 71bs. 2oz., $13; .50- 

 caliber, with rim and center fire breech-block, $13. Light or Baby 

 Carbines—. 46-cahber. rim Are, length of barrel 19}4in., weight olbs. 

 13^oz., $13; .44-caliber, extra light, either center of rim fire, length 

 of barrel, lS>£m., weight olbs. 7oz., plain military flnish, $13. The 

 .44-caliber carbines are chambered for the .44-rim*flre shot, long and 

 extra long Winchester, and the .44-ritn fire flat (Winchester '66 

 model). The . 44-caliber center fire Winchester '73 model, or the .44- 

 caliber central fire Smith & Wesson cartridges. When ordering, it 

 must be stated which of the above cartridges it is desired to use, as 

 they are not interchangeable. Sporting and Target Rifles— .38, .40, 

 .44, .45 and ,50-caliber central fire; .38 and .44-caliber rim fire; bam Is 

 20 to 34fn. long, weight 8 to lOlbs.; .44-caliber central fire, chambered 

 for 40, 60, 77, 80, 100, or 105 grain cartridges; .40-cauber central fire, 

 chambered for 50, 70. or 90 grain cartridges : .45-caliber central fire, 

 chambered for 60, 70, or 100 grain cartridges; prices from $18 for 



round barrel, open sights, to $38 for Vernier and wind-gauge sights, 

 spirit level. 



.23-cali ber long, rim Are. 24 irch octagon barrel, weight 7 lbs.. $20 



.22 " '• » 28 " " " " 7H " • 2" 



•82 " " " 28 " " " " 7 " .. 20 



.32 " " " 30 " " " " 7% " •• 21 



.88 " " cen'r fire, 30 " " " " 8 " ..21 



.44 " (44-40) " 30 " " •' " 8 " .. 21 



RANGE AND GALLERY. 



SARATOGA RIFLE CLUB.— Score of the Saratoga Rifle Club 

 Wednesday and Saturday. March 19 and 22. On Wednesday the 

 severe snow storm SO Interfered that at times it was impossible to H ee 

 the bullseye. Saturday the light was good and the wind was fairly 

 steady— 200yds. off-hand, Massachusetts target; 



J Havs ....: ....11 10 10 11 11 10 11 11 10 ll— 106 



FD Wheeler 10 12 11 11 10 10 11 10 10 11-106 



WmBGage 12 10 1112 111111 9 11 8-106 



I Davis 10 11 10 9 12 11 11 10 11 10-105 



II Wellington 11 9 10 11 11 9 10 10 II) 11—102 



W H Gibbs 11 11 11 10 II ,0 10 11 9 8-102 



A Hull 10 10 12 10 9 13 9 10 12 8—102 



F A White 7 10 12 8 10 12 9 13 12 10-102 



A F Mitchell 1112 9 9 8 10 9 10 10 8-96 



A C Rich 8 10 9 9 9 9 11 9 7 7-88 



BOSTON.— Some very fine shooting has been done the past week at 



the Mammoth Gallery, as the scores will show. Mr. M. L. Pratt has 



the lead for the first prize, and A. B. Loring for the second, and H. 



M. Drew for the third in Now Beginner's match: 



Amateur's Match No. 1. 



ML Pratt 46 46 46 47 48— 233 



A B Loring 17 47 46 46 40-232 



B. Ford 46 40 48 16 16—230 



BW Gardner 45 45 45 47 17-228 



New Beginners— Amateur's Match No. 3. 



HMDrew 43 43 43 42 44-215 



EAPeirce 41 44 41 II 43-210 



W Gray 42 41 42 42 40-207 



EFStevens 39 40 40 41 40-200 



JAMESTOWN, N. Y., March 27.— At our club medal shoot to-day 

 the following scores were made, 200yds. off-hand, 10 Shots 00 Creed- 

 moor target, wind light 5 o'clock: 



A F Warner 5 5 4 5 3 4 4 5 5 5-45 



R H Burns 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 4 4-44 



G W Shattuck 5 4 4 3 4 5 o 4 5 4—43 



S N Avres 4 4 4 13 14 5 5 5-42 



H Lilly 3 4 15 3 5 4 5 5 4—42 



W Sprague 4 4 3 113 4 5 4 4—39 



H Briggs 344 3 4 4444 3-37 



NEW YORK. March 20.— Regular weekly shooting of the Bnllshead 

 Rifle Club, 3W Third avenue, 12-ring target, possible 120: G. Zimmer- 

 mann 118, M. Dorrler 118. C. Rein 118. A. Lober 117. J. F. Oampbe.ll 

 106, J. Jordan 106, W. D. Seltzer 101, S. F.C.Weber 96, D. Lowinskie 97. 



GRAND CENTRAL TOURNAMENT.-The following are the Ivsl 

 scores made in the tournament at the Grand Central Rifle Range, No. 

 5 Vanderbilt avenue: 



JHBrown 67 67 87 00 00-333 



AOehl 68 65 05 64 68— «SS 



G Zimmerman 65 65 64 64 64—822 



WM Farrow 66 63 63 68 62-317 



Wm Kline 62 62 60 60 59—303 



C Rein 61 60 60 60 59-300 



Wm Simpson 62 60 58 58 57-295 



MDorrler 64 58 57 57 55—291 



CE Keator 62 62 57 55 55—291 



A J Hewlett 61 56 55 51 52-278 



W H Diuilap 59 51 r.'i 58 52-271 



NODonnell 62 56 51 51 47—267 



OMHoneywell .HI 55 49 50 16—261 



DFManice 59 53 53 <l 11-553 



SBnzzini 58 51 50 48 I 



CEdffar 57 53 53 51 42— 250 



Dr Toal 51 50 50 49 47-247 



For the week ending March 31. 



MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., March 28. -To-day the first long-range 

 shooting for 1884 was done on our range; wind very fishtaily and 

 strong from 5 to 8 o'clock, and bright sun at 800yds.; both wind 

 light: much better at 900yds.; only one flag on the range. Great 

 difficulty was experienced in finding the target, and to the surprise 

 of all the elevations at 800 were up to one or two points of our figures 

 of last summer's 900yd. elevation. The following scores, consider- 

 ing the weather condition and the first practice of the season, does 

 not discourage us. No sighters at 900yds. : 



800yds. 900yds. 



Caie Maudlin 5<?5554455555585— 69 585555666855865 71—140 



C M Skinner 535545544545559—68 525555555553555-70—138 



C W Weeks 443555555555505—66 451554514554554 - 68—134 



1 A Dexter 553555554414535—67 664544545564548- 67— 1 34 



A F Elliot 835245545535545-68 455454445435443- 63— 1 26 



J Cooley 452555554435054—62 555534550345345- 61-123 



Wind Gauge. 



BOSTON, March 29.— At Walnut Hill to-day the conditions of the 

 Breather were not good for high scores. The h'ght was good, but the 

 wind blow from 12 o'clock, and was tricky, and spoiled good holding. 

 J. B. Fellows, with his new .32-caIiber Maynard, made a clean score 

 of ten bulls, counting £8 out of a possible 100 on the paper target. 

 This was his first clean score, and it is the first clean score ever madn 

 with a gun of this description. Capt, H. G. Parker, of the CarSQfl 

 City Kifle Club, of Carson City, Nev.. who is visiting friends in Bos- 

 ton, was present and made some good shots. He stated that he 

 thought the range the finest of any he had seen in this country. 

 Oreedinoor Practice Match. 



II Gushing 4454544545-14 H G barker (mil) .... 4 154531444— 41 



HA Barnes 4511545415—4 1 1) F Farwell 8544554484—41 



TO Field , 5354445155-44 .1 Payson (mil) .. ..4134.131535-39 



C A Andrews 5444454444—13 A Keach 4484864845- 89 



Henry Dennison .... 5454445414—43 G H Bond 5255885548—89 



B A Lappen. 5444445144—42 F W Fowle (mil)..,. 1145344334-38 



Creedmoor Prize Match. 



J B Thomas 554554^544—46 B A Lappen 5454445445—44 



G W Locke 5555544444—45 H A Barnes.. .....4444514545— 1,1 



J P Bates. .. 4145544455 - 44 Henry Dennison . . 4435544444— 11 



Rest Match. 



J P Bates 8 9 7 9 9 9 8 9 7 10—86 



ALBrackett 5 9 9 9 6 10 7 9 6 9—79 



CW Locke 9 59 7 79089 8—77 



JACobb 9 7 7 7 9 5 5 8 8 10—75 



Victory Medal Match. 



JBFellows 8 10 8 9 8 9 9 8 10 9—88 



CW Locke 9 10 10 8 7 6 2 5 7 7—74 



H A Barnes 5 5 8 4 7 9 9 7 8 4—66 



The West Medford (Mass.) Gun Club has elected the following offi- 

 cers: President, C. H. Parker: Vice President. E. F. Kakas; Treas- 

 urer, J. E. Ober; Secretary, W. T. Morse; Executive Committee, J. 

 A. Rock wood, E. G. Morse, F. O. Brown. 



THE TRAP. 



ST. CLAIR, Pa., March 29.— Fourth monthly contest for club's sil- 

 ver medal, was held by the St. Clair Sportsmen's Club, Feb. 22, result- 

 ing as follows: 



Sproats 0001101100-4 Daddow 0111001011-6 



Fame OOlOOlOOw —2 Evans 0000101011—4 



Daddow won the medal. 



Fifth contest took place to-day with following result: 



Evans 1001111100—6 Sproats 1011100111—7 



Long .1000101101—5 Walker 0110100111—6 



Daddow 0000010110—3 Lee... 0001110000—3 



Little 0010011110-5 



Both shoots were at clay pigeons, 18yds. rise. 2 Ligowsky traps 

 ecreencd, 3d notch, angle 30 degrees, direction ot flight changed for 

 sach shot. 



COLLEGE MARKSMEN.— Harvard has a live corps of marksmen. 

 Last year the shooters in college were found to be numerous enough 

 to warrant the formation of a shooting club. Now some of the rifle 

 men of the club propose to organize a rifle team, with an eye to inter- 

 collegiate matches. Friday afternoon last the gentlemen interested 

 met in the room of J. A. Frye to talk over the project, and the out- 

 come was that it was decided to send letters to Yale. Columbia, the 

 University of Nov. York and the University of Pennsylvania in re 

 gard to forming an intercollegiate rifle association. The University 

 of Pennsylvania already has a rifle team, and possibly such teams 

 exist at the othfr colleges. If favorable replies are received, the 

 Harvard boys will put a team in training at once. Where they will 

 shoot is not yet decided. There is a range up toward Arlington, usee 

 by the militia companies in Ciimbridge, which may bo secured, or 

 perhaps the arsenal range in Watertowh may be used. If a team can 

 oe got together, however, it will not be very hard to find a place to 

 practice, and there are plenty of teams in and around Boston to com- 

 pete with. The shooting club use the grounds of the MiddL-ses Club 

 at East Watertown, and are very handy for the college men. A 



