262 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
Action of Bullet . 
It may be noticed that the bullet in Westley Bichards, or any breech 
loader of that class, is forced through a bore of smaller diameter than itself, 
here on the other hand it enters the grooves by expansion, squeezing the 
lubricant out between its own surface and that of the bore, thus the 
lubrication does not depend on a wad left by a previous round, but simply 
on the bullet itself which has no lubricating wad whatever; in fact, the 
action which ordinarily causes fouling, here cleans the barrel: this was 
exemplified by a rusty rifle fired experimentally, which after a certain number 
of rounds, shot as well as a clean piece. 
The effect of hollowing out the bullet is to place its centre of gravity in 
sucli a position, and to give it such proportions as to enable the same ball 
to shoot well with both the service twists, viz. one in six feet six inches, and 
one in four feet. 
A shorter bullet with a solid head answered well with the long barrel and 
slower twist, but not with the more rapid one. 
Besides the length and external form being affected by the hollow, the 
spin of the bullet is steadier, because by the mass being distributed further 
from the axis the radius of gyration is lengthened. 
On this principle a large flat top spins better than a tall one. 
On this principle a rifled shell carries more truly than a shot. 
The fact that more work is done on the barrel in spinning a projectile with 
an increased radius of gyration is of trifling importance in small arms. 
The curve of the head is that which is found by practice to give the best 
effect, this tells chiefly towards the latter end of the bullet's flight where its 
axis deviates most from the tangent to the trajectory. If this bullet's point 
be cut conical or even slightly altered in form by shaving the shooting falls 
off, especially at long ranges. 
Case . 
The case holding in one the powder (charge 2^ drs. rifle E.G.) and bullet 
extends up as far as the shoulder of the latter, it consists of sheet brass rolled 
to •003" thickness and annealed, cut in a rectangular strip of such a length 
as to wind round the charge with two complete turns and a little overlap, it is 
choked into the rear cannelure of the bullet and covered with thin white paper 
attached by shellac and india-rubber cement. A layer of cotton wool is placed 
between the powder and base of the bullet which with the choking completely 
prevents escape of any grains of powder or the entrance of moisture. The 
Case is fixed at the base in a brass cup (vide Eig.), being protected from the 
edge of the latter, which might otherwise cut it in firing, by a narrow strip 
of sheet brass termed the base coil." The “ base cup " contains the cap 
chamber" in which is placed the detonator [vide Eig.) being supported by a 
brown paper pellet rammed in tightly round the cap chamber and holding 
the sheet brass firmly to the inside of the cup, besides pressing out and 
supporting the latter during discharge. On the end of the base cup is a 
“ base disc," riveted on by means of the cap chamber, this disc fits the 
