603 
Extracts from the 
RUSSIAN SMALL ARM MAGAZINE. 
No. 3. 1880. 
BY 
LIEUT. J. WOLEE MURRAY, R.A. 
The miscellaneous section of this periodical contains a proposal by 
Captain Lapushkine, to employ a mixture of kerosine oil and mutton 
or beef fat as a preservative from rust. As the want of a good pre¬ 
servative is much felt, I quote verbatim :—» 
“ I have found from a series of experiments, that kerosine (employed 
alone) volatilises after a time, and the weapon is thus left without any 
covering of oil. In order to prevent the kerosine from volatilising, I 
propose to add to it beef or mutton fat. A rifle smeared with this 
mixture may be safely put by for a whole year, and the mixture itself 
does not solidify. 
“ To prepare the mixture, take mutton or beef fat, which has been 
cleaned and melted down, dissolve it, and pour it into warm kerosine, 
then place the mixture over a gentle fire and stir it for a quarter of an 
hour, taking care not to let it boil. 
“ The proportion of fat must be so regulated that the mixture does 
not harden on cooling.” 
The advantages of this mixture are, that it thoroughly preserves the 
weapon from rust, and does not coagulate; it leaves no trace behind 
when wiped off. On the other hand it affects, but slightly, the 
browning of the barrels, turning them a bright cinnamon colour. 
The appendix contains an article on the importance of rapid firing, 
and on the latest patterns of magazine rifles, and of apparatus for 
accelerating rifle fire. 
This article is continued from previous numbers, and the diagrams 
necessary for the descriptions of the Metcalf and Krenka quick-loaders 
are attached to No. 2 of 1880; consequently no description of these 
apparatus is attempted. An account of the Krenka will be found in 
the Proceedings of the U. S. Institution, Yol. XXIV., p. 383. The 
writer, who was present at the Russian trials, states the advantages of 
Krenka*s quick-loader to be briefly as follows 
It can be cheaply, easily, and rapidly manufactured. The manipu¬ 
lation of it is easily acquired. In order to fit it to the rifle no change 
is necessary. The soldier can see all his cartridges in front of him, 
and thus knows how many he has expended; this is not the case 
with a repeater. It is easier to shoot from behind cover (lying 
down) with this apparatus. The men do not require to uncover any 
part of the body to get at the cartridge, as is the case when the pouch 
only is used. Ordinarily, men lying down place a heap of cartridges 
beside them ; when the advance takes place, these cartridges are often 
