MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
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as the military cartridge of the United States, and hence the great variety of 
rifles which have been produced in that country adapted for its use. 
The case of the cartridge is formed of one piece of copper, without joint, 
pressed into its form by a die. 
Tig. 1 is a section of such a cartridge, a, a the base with 
rim into which fulminating powder is distributed by centri¬ 
fugal motion given to the cartridge case; the copper of the 
case at h, h is swaged into one of the cannelures ccc of the 
bullet, which is thus effectually kept from falling out. 
The thickness of the copper case, about 0*011", is such, 
that when the bullet is in the case, even without powder, 
the case cannot be bent or distorted by hand pressure. 
The lubrication usually employed for these cartridges is 
pure tallow, or a preparation of stearine. 
A cartridge of this kind is not easily injured by wet, 
and will stand cpnsiderable rough usage by reason of the 
strength of the copper; but it is questionable whether it will remain ser¬ 
viceable for a length of time, subject to such variations of temperature and 
climate as British service cartridges must be exposed to. 
I have seen specimens of these cartridges sent from America, in which 
while in store the bases of the bullets had become converted into white lead 
to such an extent as to swell and burst open the copper case and render the 
cartridge altogether unserviceable, moisture had penetrated through the 
porous white lead to the gunpowder, and had destroyed its original 
character. 
This corrosion of the bases of the bullets had been produced by the 
acid matters in the grease used as a lubricant, favoured by the influence of 
air and moisture. 
Most of the rifles adapted for these cartridges have many points of 
resemblance. The breech mechanism and lock are fitted into an iron frame 
into one end of which the barrel is screwed, and to the other is fastened the 
stock. The most ordinary method of opening and closing the breech is by 
means of a lever which acts also as a trigger guard, and which works on a 
hinge underneath the barrel. By means of this lever and the mechanism 
attached to it, not only is the breech opened and closed, but, when opening, 
the cartridge case of the last round fired is either thrown out clear of the gun, 
or so far withdrawn that its subsequent removal by hand becomes a simple 
and rapid operation. 
The locks of these rifles resemble in every respect those of ordinary muzzle¬ 
loading rifles. The hammer, however, has sometimes a slight projection at 
the side arranged to strike the rim of the cartridge, or it falls on an inter¬ 
mediate striker, the end of which is in immediate contact with the rim of the 
cartridge. 
The accuracy of fire hitherto attained by these American cartridges in 
experiments carried on in this country has not been satisfactory, owing 
doubtless to the insufficiency of the powder in proportion to the weight of 
the bullet. It would appear that precision at long^ranges is not sought for 
by the American government, but that they are content with moderate 
accuracy at 500 yards, combined with a less violent recoil than given by the 
English charge of 2| drs. powder and 530 grain bullet. 
Fig. 1. 
