The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-11 00:00:00

Lockfast Breechloaders.

While the greot story of the guns has been narrated from
day to day, and Armstrong and Whitworth, like the princi-
pal heroes of a drama, have held possession of the stage, an
underplot has been advancing, pari passu, and in the opi-
nion of very many of quite as much interest. Ten years
ago the English fowlingpiece and rifle were looked upon as
the acme of perfection, and yet in less than seven years a
revolution in these arms has occurred as rapid and complete
as the triumph of the percussion cap over the flint. During
these seven years many patents have been taken out for
improvements on fire arrnF, chiefly for breechloaders, some
which have enjoyed an ephemeral reputation, but none of
which have acquired, among alen of experience, the slowly,
surely, but soundly earned approval. Mr Dougall, who hnd
long enjoyed considerable celebrity not only as a gunsmith
but as an able writer on fire arms, and the art of shooting, in
the year 1359 had his attention drawn to the insufficiency
of the French breechloaders for the exigencies of British
sportsmen. The superior strength of our gunpowder and
the heavy charged used, demanded a solidity not possessed
by any breechloader then extant. The absence of an inter-
locking of barrels and false breech was painfully apparent,
At every discharge of the gun the breech rose, recoiling off
the upper surface of the bed in which it lay—on "action,"
as it is technically termed. For every degree the breech so
rose the muzzle dipi,ed some thirtyfold, and this rising had
also the certain effect of loosening the whole fittings and
jointing of the gun. To remedy this defect Mr Dongall
choose a most simple and effective means. The hinge
upon which the barrels play to expose the breech and for the

insertion of the cartridge had hitherto been a fixture, per-
mitting no longitudinal play of the barrels; but by convert-
ing this fixture into an eccentric rod he gained at once a
stronger hinge, and the means of opening and shutting the
barrels directly upon the lace of the false breech, instead of
these merely meeting as flAt surfaces upon each other. Ot
this direct impingement upon each other he was not slow to
take advantage. Ho had gained the means of completely
sealing up the rear end of the barrels before firing the gun;
whereas formerly a mere piece of grit would have prevented
the closing of the barrels, ho had it now in his power to fit
on the face of the false breech projecting discs, one of which,
and exactly fitting it, enters each barrel, or, to write more
correctly, the barrels retire on the discs, thus not only clos-
ing up their rear, but of necessity preventing any of the
dipping of the muzzle and other insufficient grip formerly
complained of. Thus, with much less mechanism Mr
Dougall has gained greater results, and produced a breech.
loader that appears as solid as any muzzleloader. The
locking power is certainly over 1,2001 b, and this can be in-
creased for heavy guns at pleasure. The cartridge used is
Eley's, which has its advantages, and is much safer ogainst
accidents, Those conversant with firearms are aware of the
fact that in breechloaders the base of the cartridge is rarely
•

it ever in contact with the face of the false breech, so that
on being fired " cushioning " and great consequent loss of
powder takes place. In Mr Dougall's guu the "cushion-
ing" is prevented, the above locking power being equally
exerted upon the cartridge. The superior result in shoot-
ing powers are theoretically an immediate consequence,
and, practically, we have been at tho trouble to ascertain,
is a matter of fact, the experience of five shooting seasons, a
sufficient test fur any gun whatever, having proved the
"lockfast "to possess extraordinary powers. From the
velocity which it discharges its projectiles, and its perfect
solidity, the gun has consequently been adopted by many
experienced Indian sportsmen, and we believe that several
of these guns will be the chi 3f prizes at the meeting of the
Northern India Rifle AssOciation in December next. To
produce a breech as strong as a muzzleloader, and capable
of firing either explosive shells or solid conical balls, with
heavy charges of powder, is no mean triumph. Whether
or not the lockfast gun be adapted for military purposes is
an open question. For oavalry it is probably an available
arm, and kir Dougall was lately requested by the military
authorities of a foreign Government to send in hia estimate
for 20,000 of these guns, all double-barrelled, and adapted
for firing Explosive shells, made to burst with frightful
effect on striking au objet. If to put an cud to war by
making it annihilation be thshable, in each weapons and
projectile we have a eueans to an end.