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MINUTES OF PKOCEEDINGS OF 
capsule, b papier-mache disc,/ 1 a cup with small aperture at the bottom and 
flanged at the mouth to prevent its being pushed bodily into the cartridge, 
c an anvil or small piece of metal with flat sides, d a common percussion cap 
of small size fitting neatly into the brass cup f, e the case, which in the Boxer 
cartridge is made of brass foil,/* the cap chamber. 
It may be worth while here to compare the bullet of the Boxer cartridge 
with that for the muzzle-loading Enfield. The lubrication for both is pure 
beeswax. In the case of the M.L. bullet it is applied on the outside of a 
paper envelope which is rammed down the barrel with the bullet, and thus to 
a certain extent lubricates the barrel before the charge is fired. In the bullet 
for the Boxer cartridge there are four grooves or cannelures round the bullet, 
and the beeswax is applied immediately to the bullet, these grooves ensuring 
the proper transmission and spreading of the lubrication on the interior of the 
barrel when the rifle is fired. Both bullets have a cavity at the base with clay 
plug, but the amount of work done by this plug in expanding the bullet is 
very different. The diameter of the barrel is 0*577", of the M.L. bullet 0*55", 
and of the B.L. bullet 0*573", or the M.L. bullet has to be expanded 0*022" 
to fit the barrel, and the B.L. bullet only 0*004". 
The M.L. bullet has a solid elliptical head, the B.L, bullet has an elliptical 
head with a cylindrical cavity in the apex, which extends to within 0*1" from 
the cavity at the base. This cavity is plugged up with wood. The object 
is to lighten the fore part of the bullet which is found to produce a great 
effect upon its accuracy of flight. 
The weight of the new bullet for the Snider rifle is 525 grains; only 
5 grains less than the M.L. bullet. 
Eig. 4 is a section of this bullet. 
a, clay plug in cavity at base, 
by wood plug completely filling the cylindrical cavity in 
the apex, 
ccy cannelures to hold the lubrication, 
The brass case of the Boxer cartridge extends sufficiently 
far over the bullet to cover and protect the lubrication, and 
the case is swaged into the cannelure nearest to the base of the bullet, which 
keeps the bullet in its proper place. 
Fig. 4. 
The Needle Gun . 
Not only is this rifle different in its appearance and* manipulation to all 
other B.L. rifles, but the cartridge is peculiar to it and not applicable to any 
other form of rifle. The bullet is shaped somewhat like an egg, the 
rear end being the smallest, and is somewhat flattened. It is rather less in 
diameter than the bore, and during its passage through the barrel does 
not touch it at all, the twist being communicated to it by means of a papier- 
mache wad or sabot, in which the bullet is bedded, the wad fitting the barrel 
closely. At the back of the sabot is a circular patch of detonating compo* 
