232 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Apkil U t 1884. 



lubricated bullet. Is there any system of rifting for which manifest 

 superiority can be claimed, taking into account the twofold service 

 indicated? Or are the requisites named so different that they can- 

 not be combine! in oue weapon? 



7. The matter of bullets has only to be mentioned, and innumerable 

 questioners whii have pone through hopeful, baffling, disappointing 

 experiments, clamor for answers that will at least give them tem- 

 porary rest. The leading manufacturers of target rifles are alloying 

 their patched bullets of the same weight and shape in widely differ- 

 ent proportions, varying from 1 to 16, to 1 to 40. Is the result of 

 the experience ot expert riflemen so different? 



If there is any standard authority for the length of a bullet adapted 

 to guns having a short uniform twist, it is three times the measure 

 Of its diameter. Yet. it would be interesting to know how arbitra- 

 rily this standard is to be adhered to, more especially in the case of 

 difference of caliber, or variation of powder charge. The blunt, 

 pue-uosed bullet seems to have won its way to nearly universal 

 adoption It has the obvious advantage of being weighty at the 

 point, aud thereby aiding the counterpoise of its polarity. It strikes 

 the air so as to leave a larger circular vacuum in which to maintain 

 its rotary motion unimpeded. It is an open, and perhaps urgent 

 question, whether bullets of blunter points thau are in general use 

 might not raise the scores of all grades of marksmen. J. J. P. 



Worcester, Mass. 



IGNITION OF THE POWDER CHARGE. 



Editor Forest and Stream; 



In your issue of April 3 James Duane would have us believe he 

 goes to the bottom of '-the distance the flash of a primer permeates 

 the charge of powder." He selects a shell with three holes for the 

 flash of the primer to be divided into. Let him take a shell with a 

 central orifice, so the full force of ihe primer may go up the middle 

 of the charge; then he must think that the flash bums a hole as it 

 goes in, which it cannot accomplish when entering sand. 



The "point," which be also makes, is something out of his province 

 to decide, and he goes a long distance out of his way to put it in. the 

 i for which I cannot fathom. Holding Well. 



::aoo. April 15. 



Editor Forest and Stream; 



My innocent aiticle on powder ignition in a recent issue of your 

 journal has developed such a storm of opposition among my friends 

 that I have undertaken a new series of experiments, substituting a 

 variety of materials, covering a wide range of specific gravities, f )r 

 the sand used in my first experiment. 



I had intended to hold my peace until these experiments were corn- 

 eluded, but your note received this morning, inclosing the comments 

 of ••Holding Well," has decided me to speak at once. I hope that 

 this effusion of "Holding Well" will be published in your next issue, 

 that your l eaders may appreciate the unfair, not to say dishonest 

 tone of his criticism. 



In the first place, he says that I "would have us to believe he goes 

 to the bottom," etc. Now, I do not think that my communication 

 warrants any such statement. I made a few experiments to satisfy 

 myself, sent you my results, with a description of my manner of 

 making them, and drew my inferences in all diffidence. 



It may be proper to add that my subsequent experiments, made 

 With ma'terials varying in specific gravity from charcoal to shot, con- 

 firm my first deductions. Practically noh-combustible materials were 

 purposely selected, as the mechanical and not the chemical action of 

 the flash is what we wish to investigate. I find that the depth the 

 flash will penetrate is nearly independent of the specific gravity of 

 the interposed medium, but is greatly influenced by its coarseness of 

 granulation. That is, the larger the grams the larger will be the 

 voids between them, and the less will be the loss of head of the jet of 

 flame due to friction. (I employ a term more applicable to water, but 

 it will serve to illustrate.) The great objection, however, to employ- 

 ing any granulated material, is the difficulty in obtaining uniform 

 granulation. 



An admixture of small grains, filling the spaces between the 

 larger oner, will occur in spite of all ordinary care, and will be de- 

 structive of uniformity. I have, therefore, devised the following 

 method for testing the relative performance of primers, which, when 

 properly applied, will give practically uniform results. Hold the gun 

 muzzle down, push a bullet a short distance into the barrel from the 

 breech, insert a tube and pour a small quantity of powder through it 

 on top of the bullet, the object being that no powder shall adhere to 

 the sides of the barrel: then insert a primed shell and discharge it. 



If the powder is ignite 1, repeat the experiment, the bullet being 

 pushed in further, and so on until the powder is not ignited. This 

 •will give a correct limit to the range of the flash in an air space in 

 each case. [The air space should be of a uniform temperature, as 

 the flash will range further in hot air than in cold.] 



For the benefit of "Holding Well," I will state that I have tried this 

 experiment in a .local, gun, with both ihe Berdan No. 1 and the Win- 

 chester No. 2J4 primers, with the following results: The Berdan will 

 ignite the powder at an average distance of 3>£in., once it did so at 

 lin , but there was a distinct hang fire, and the result may have been 

 due to grams of powder adhering to the surface of the barrel at less 

 distances than lin. The Winchester failed to ignite the powder at 

 234in., but did ignite it at 214m. Thus we may infer, with "Holding 

 Well's" permission, that the Berdan No. 1 is stronger than the Win- 

 chester No. 2%. It will also ignite the charge more thoroughly 

 through its three holes than the Winchester through its one. 



•That the flash burns a hole as it goes in" is irrelevant. It ignites 

 the grains with which it comes in contact, these ignite the next, and 

 so on. Thus, if we take a pound of powder and make a train of it 

 several feet long, and apply a match to one end, the match may be 

 said to ignite the further end of one train, but it does so by very in- 

 direct means. 



Next he comes to the "point" that 1 made, and considers it some- 

 thing out of my province to decide. I think there are many men who 

 are at least the equals of "Holding Well" on both theoretical and 

 practical gunnery, who will agree with me that my point was well 

 taken, and that I did not "go a long distance out of my way to put it 

 in," as Igave two very pertinent illustrations of my po'hi tin this same 

 letter. 



Before giving another illustration I wish to assure "Holding Well" 

 that I do not intend to be offensively personal, but that I must be per- 

 sonal to be understood. 



To quote Mr. O'Brien, though 1 do not wish "torevayle to him the 

 fact that 1 had penethrated his incognitow" I may venture a shrewd 

 guess that he is an off-hand marksman of some note. Thus he is a 

 fair type of a certain class of riflemen who have had considerable ex- 

 perience in a narrow field. 



Contrast with him Prof. Francis Bashforth, who may never have 

 tired a gun in his life, and possibly could not hit a barn off-hand at 

 800yds. Yet Prof. Bashforth could probably give us more points on 

 scientific rifle stfooting in a day than a dozen such men as "Holding 

 Well" in the course of their natural lives. James Duane. 



New Yoke, April 19, 1884. 



NEW YORK STATE PRACTICE.— General Orders, No. 7, current 

 series. Adjutant General's office, Albany, promulgates the classifica- 

 tion and order of duty in rifle practice for the season of 1884, pre- 

 scribed by Brigadier-General Charles F. Robbins, G. I. R. P. With the 

 exception of some few modifications the order is identical with that 

 of 1S83 in its requirement. The principal change is the doing away 

 with carbine practice, only those troops armed with and using the 



as formerly Explicit instructions are laid down to be observed by 

 officers in conducting skirmish drill with ball cartridge. Instead of 

 commencing at 250yds., firing on the advance at such points as they 

 may determine bust, ordering the march in retreat at 50yds., and fir- 

 firing two shots while going to the rear, it is directed that 

 "commandants should use discretion and tact, varying the 

 drill according to their ground and targets, commencing 

 at 275yds. in front of the targets, deploying men and taking such dis- 

 tances as target and range will allow, firing on the advance one shot 

 at 250, one at 150 and the third at 50yds. At this point order the 

 march in retreat and fire one shot at 100 and oue shot at 200yds." The 

 prizes offered last year to the companies having the largest number 

 and percentage of marksmen and highest figure of merit, based upon 

 an enrolled strength of not less than 60 men, have been dispensed 

 with this year. The practice for the season will close on Saturday, 

 Nov. 8, and no scores made after tnat date will be recognized. No 

 alteration is made in (he conditions attaching to qualifications in 

 matches, and ammunition will be limited to forty rounds for each 

 officer, non-commissioned officer and private enrolled, as per quar- 

 terly returns for quarter ending March 31, 1884. Transportation will 

 be furnished by tne State only for first general practice to each or- 

 ganization located more thau three miles from its range, at the 

 actual cost of the same, but nofiu any case exceeding fifty cents for 

 each man actually parading. All subsequent practice will be had at 

 the expense of the individual or organization. 



NEWARK.— The total scores for the season of six tournaments are 

 as follows, the Frelinghuvsen leading. Possible 3,00*3, 10 men per 

 team, 10 shots per mam Freliughuyseu R A., 2.707; average, 466 1 6; 

 Essox Avenue R. O, 2.77,9: average, 443 1-6; Celluloids, 2660 ; average, 

 4431-6; Domestic R. and R. A., 2,645; average, 441; Warren R. O, 

 2,557; average, 428 1-6; Plymouth R. A., 2,i0ti; average, 418. 



Fig. 2. 



Fig. a. 



THE RIFLES OF TO-DAY. 



MARLIN REPEATING RIFLE. 



THE Marlin repeating rifle, manui'actured;by the Marlin Fire Arms 

 Company, New Haven, Conn., is an arm of the "Colt" class, 

 operated by thelever. Ithas only recently been pushed in the market. 

 There are a number of inventions embodied in it, which were per- 

 fected at various times. For a long time before its introduction it 

 was, in the opinion of its manufacturers, apparent that the magazine 

 guns then on the market did not meet the sportsman's practical 

 wants in a number of ways. The .44-40-grain rifle had too little powder 

 and lead to be effective, while the larger calibers used special ammu- 

 nition not always obtainable readily, and of but poor range and 

 accuracy. This, combined with;the call for a gun having fewer pieces, 

 and an action which was not likely to break down through a defec- 

 tive cartridge or rough handling, was the first incentive toward pro- 

 ducing the Marlin. 



Although a number of other magazine guns have since been put on- 

 the hnarket, it still claims the lead for simplicity, strength and accura 

 acy. The fact that the BalJard rifle is made by the same company is 

 guarantee of good workmanship. 



The Marlin is made to use the regular .45-70 Government cartridge, 

 copper or brass, also a ,40-cal. cartridge with 60grs. of powder and 

 260 of lead, which is very effective up to 800yds., and possesses an ex- 

 ceedingly flat trajectory, It has obtained the reputation, in some 

 quarters, of being the best cartridge for hunting deer, antelope, and 

 the like, now on the market, and has frequently killed such game 

 with one shot, the animal dropping dead in its tracks and the bullet 

 going clear through the carcass. 



As soon as the Marlin became known, the demand was such, it is 

 said, that the factory for over two years could not furnish one gun 

 where ten were ordered. In 1883. the capacity of production was in- 

 creased three-fold, bur still the orders were about three months ahead 

 of the supply all through last fall and winter. 



Its special claims are; first, that it has about one-half the number 

 of pieces used in other magazine rifles ; second, the solid bolt behind 

 the cartridge, preventing any accident, no matter how effective the 

 ammunition may be, as all strain comes against the former; the re- 

 ceiver is also one solid piece, no lock plates being used: third, the 

 rifling which has obtained its great reputation in the Ballard ; fourth, 

 ease of manipulation and of loading: the cartridges can be inserted 

 with the lock either open or closed, and all ten shots have repeatedly 

 been fired in less than five seconds. Dr. Carver found that it was 

 suitable for his rapid and accurate work, and for over a year, the 

 markers assert, he has used no other. 



For those who may want a heavier cartridge the .45-cal. is made 

 also to take 80grs. of powder and 300grs. of lead, making in all three 

 sizes, .40-60-260, .45-70-405, .45-80-300. There have been frequent calls 

 for other sizes, but as yet the company cannot make any new ven- 

 tures, owing to their inability to supply the present demand. 



Besides these, a Marlin magazine shotgun is made of the same cali- 

 ber as the .45 rifle. The shell used is 2J4in. in length, and will hold 

 40grs. powder and %oz. of shot. It holds the same number of cart- 

 ridges as the rifle and is made in same styles and and at same prices, 

 which are as follows: 



Octagon or half octagon barrels, 24in., £30: 26 and 28in., $32; 30in., 

 835, weighing respectively 9, «!4. 9J& and lllbs., the latter extra 

 heavy. The sights used are the favorite Rocky Mountain rear and 

 knife-edge front. Double set triggers are $5 additional; 28-in. barrel 

 is the standard size, holding cartridges in the magazine and can be 

 loaded into the barrel, which latter is convenient for patched bullets 

 to be used in target shooting. Half magazines can be furnished at 

 same prices if preferred. 



The Marlin, belonging to the sporting class of weapons, has no 

 special target record. From various parts of the country reports 

 have come which show it to have good holding qualities. C. G©ve, 

 of Denver, Col., on Jan. 11. 1881, shot a Marlm before a number of 

 spectators. He shot fifty shots in nine minutes twenty seconds, and 

 of this time four minutes were consumed in replenishing the maga- 

 zine and passing a wet whisk through the barrel after each ten shots. 

 The score at 200yds. off-hand was 220 in the possible 250. 



This rifle was entered at the government trial, before a board for 

 selecting a magazine gun in 1881, and was put through the regular 

 tests. In the test for endurance there was an explosion of a cart- 

 ridge in the magazine. The Board of ^Officers "were of opinion that 

 the explosion u as due to the jolting encountered in feeding down 

 through tire magazine and the repeated blow on the base of the cart- 



ridge fromUhe column behind it, caused by the recoil of the piece 

 at each shot, and possibly combined with an over-sensitive cart- 

 ridge." Subsequently the arm fired 500 shots in good order. The 

 dust test was passed in fine style, but the gun was not chosen by the 

 board for provisional issue to the army. 



The construction of the weapon may be studied from the cut Fig. 1 

 representing the completed arm in elevation. 



Fig. 2, a cross section of the action closed. A represents the lever: 

 B the bolt, C the extractor, D the carrier block, E the ejector, Fthe 

 carrier block spring, G the hammer. H the trigger. I the firing pin. 



Fig. 3 is the same with the open position. It will be seen that throw- 

 ing forward the lever A withdraws the firing pin I. unlocks the bolt B, 

 and causes it to recede, carrying with it the extractor C, which ex- 

 tracts the shell of the cartridge ju?t fired, while the ejector B, at- 

 tached to the lower section of the bolt, ejects the same from the 

 receiver. By the same motion, the carrier block D is raised from its 

 natural position, as in Fig. 1, brings the cartridge with it, and places 

 the same in line with the chamber of the barrel, while the spring F 

 firmly holds the cartridge in place. The hammer G is brought to full 

 cock'bv the same motion, and held there by the action of the trigger 

 H, entering its full cock notch. Bringing the lever back to its 

 natural position causes thebolt to move forward, pushes the cartridge 

 into the chamber, lowers the carrier block to receive a fresh car- 

 tridge, locks the breech mechanism, and leaves the arm ready to Are, 

 The magazine is loaded through an opening in the side of the re- 

 ceiver, which opening is closed by a cover, as shown in Fig. 1. 



The manipulative directions for taking theaction apart are: First— 

 Take out the lever pin screw 7 , and drive out the lever pin, allowing 

 thelever to be removed. Second— Take out the tang screw (this 

 allows the stock to be removed), hammer screw, and front pin that 

 goes through the trigger strap ; now remove the trigger strap with 

 the lock work attacked. Third— The bolt can now be slipped out. 



To assemble the action, put the parts into the receiver in reverse 

 order from that in which they w r ere taken out. 



RANGE AND GALLERY. 



EXPLANATION WANTED.— Succasunna, N. J.— Referring to the 

 two wonderfully good targets in a recent issue published by Mr. A. 

 Armstrong and made by Mr. L. N. Walker, of Uion, N. Y„ will either 

 of the gentlemen tell us how the thing is done: Did Mr. Walker 

 make a six-tenths' inch (6-10in.) biillseye, put it up at 100yds. and fire 

 only ten shots at it, or did he make a larger bullseye and after shoot- 

 ing scribe his 6-l0in. circle around the shots'; It was stated the 

 weather was cloudy and light poor. How did he manage to see that 

 small dot at that distance with the naked eye? I put that size hulls- 

 eye at above distance and could but barely see it with both eyes open 

 and not at all through sights. Was a telescope attached?— Van. 



PENNSYLVANIA STATE RIFLE ASSOCIATION—The regular 

 spring meeting will be held at the Stockton range May 10. The offi- 

 cers recently elected for the year are as follows: 



Dr E. O. Shakespeare, President; Major Joseph H. Burroughs, 

 Vice-President: Henry C. Rushton, Secretary; J. L. Weatherly, 

 Treasurer. The standing committees of the year as made up by the 

 President comprise the following: 



Executive Committee— Lancaster Thomas, chairman; Dr. M. Price, 

 C. W. Zieber. 



Range Committee— Dr. M. Price, chairman; W. De V. Foulke, J. L. 

 Weatherly. 



Prize Committee— Major Joseph H. Burroughs, chairman; C. W. 

 Zieber, G. W. Miles, Dr. M. Price, H. C. Rushton. 



Finance Committee— C. W. Zieber, chairman; Wallace Prostor, L. 

 Thomas, J. H, Burroughs, G. W. Miles. 



THOMASTON, Conn.— A year ago, a ritle club of about fifteen 

 members was formed in this place. Their range is located about two 

 miles from the village, near Reynold's Bridge, and is named Bridge- 

 moor. Nearly all the members were uew at ritle shooting, but some 

 of them made very good scores in the course of the season, some of 

 them making as high as 107 out of a possible 180, Massachusetts ring 

 target. The first shoot of this season was on Good Friday, when the 

 badge was won with a score <sf 98. The weeklv shoots are held every 

 Saturday, P. M.. for a very pretty badge. We are fitting up a new 

 range somewhat nearer the village, and more accessible, t j visum ? 

 riflemen Many new members are now joining. Our shooting is off- 

 hand, distance, SOOycs.— Tred A. Perkins. 



