THE SMALL-ARMS OE EUROPE. 
7 
Remaining Velocity. —The remaining velocities in the tables are calcu¬ 
lated by an approximate formula, which gives values a little in excess 
of the truth. It may, however, be stated tbat at long ranges the English 
rifle has a marked superiority . 
The almost absolute identity of remaining velocities with the English 
and the ideal systems at about 2400 paces (2000 yds.) confirms this 
nearly self-evident principle of theory—that the remaining velocity at 
long ranges depends less on the muzzle velocity or the form of the head 
of the bullet than on the sectional density of the latter. It is, how¬ 
ever, also to be understood that the first condition for securing long 
range is to start with a relatively high muzzle velocity. 
The latter appears all the more imperative, if it be considered that for 
convenience of shooting* it is necessary, at short ranges, to do without 
sights, or at all events to use low sights, and consequently low angles 
of elevation. In this double aspect, system Y appears to show the 
progress that might be looked for in a new arm. 
The Dangerous Zone. —It is seen at a glance that to give the greatest 
extension to the dangerous zone it is right to have a heavy bullet, little 
influenced by the resistance of the air, and one which, in consequence, 
describes a flatter trajectory towards the end of its course. 
The previous remarks relative to the angle of drop are here ap¬ 
plicable, since the length of the dangerous zone varies directly with 
the magnitude of this angle. 
Exclusive of the system Y, the dangerous zones of which are notably 
superior to those of all the others, the English, French, Russian, 
Prussian, Spanish, and converted Austrian arms all give the same 
maximum range swept throughout. The differences between their 
dangerous zones at other distances towards the end of the trajectory 
are unimportant. The Italian and Swiss Yetterli arms are somewhat 
inferior to them. 
Time of Flight. —Besides the advantage there may be in introducing 
this datum into the tables with a view to firing against a moving 
object, it is worth remark that it may serve to indicate whether the 
arm is of a nature favorable to long-range fire. 
In glancing over the tables, it appears that for short ranges the 
times vary but slightly with nearly the same muzzle velocities ;* the 
differences in general being confined to hundredths of a second. 
At long ranges, on the other hand, the differences are very pro¬ 
nounced in favor of arm$ with bullets of the greatest sectional 
density. At 2400 paces (2000 yds.) they amount to 3 and even 5 secs. 
Table of Ordinates. —-The table of ordinates refers only to two main 
* The muzzle velocities given by writers on European small-arms vary considerably; because 
actual experiments lead to unavoidable irregularities, due to different kinds of powder. As there 
is not, in this theoretical paper, space to take this into account, the ratio of the weight of the 
charge to that of the bullet has been preferred as the basis. 
