The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-22 00:00:00

THE SOPER RIFLE.

There can be no impropriety, while there clearly may
be advantage, in giving a description of one of the new
weapons—the Soper rifle, which has become favourably
known by its performances at the lest Wimbledon meet-
ing, at Basingstoke, and elsewhere ; but with regard to
which it is understood that no official test or examination
has yet been applied. The breech mechanism of this gun
differs in construction from most of the rifles which are pro-
minently before the public. These, speaking generally
make of the trigger guard a lever acting upon the breech.
Mr Soper, on the contrary, holding that a falling trigger
guard necessitates the raising to that extent the rifle from
the ground, which may be(a disadvantage in these days of
firing from close cover, and that a lever in that position is
liable to injury, places his lever at the right side of
the stock, so that it can be depressed by the
ball of the thumb and the breech thrown open the
very moment after the forefinger has pulled the trig-
ger. One and the same pressure upon this lever forces
back the striker, raises the breech-block, places the lock
at full cock, and ejects the old cartridge case. The breech.
block does not sink down, as in the Martini system, when
it is desired to introduce a cartridge, but, being mounted
upon a pin, rises and turns outwards in a circular direc-
tion, at right angles to the line of the be:L.:el, so that
the marksman can see into and along the barrel if he
chooses, or can even clean it, if necessary, when about
to push in the cartridge. An upward motion given to
the side lever drops the breech piece into its place and
fastens it, and the rifle is then ready to be fired. The
lock is placed in the centre of the piece, and thus ad-
ministers a direct blow to the striker, which is a pin
passing through the breech-block, and acting directly upon
the base of the central fire cartridge. There are no
special features calling for description in connection
either with the ammunition or the barrel of the rifle
for these elements, having been determined by the
report of the Special Committee, are now so common to
all the English rifles of modern invention. Mr. Soper
has rejected spiral springs altogether, and has assimilated
his lock as closely as possible to the Enfield, on the ground
that this gun has established its durability by service in all
parts of the globe. The mainspring, swivel, nipple, and snap-
cap of his rifle are, in fact, taken from the Enfield, while
the sear and tumbler are filed from the same patterns.
The arrangements, however, are greatly simplified,
as will be evident from the fact that while the
several parts of the Enfield rifle are exceedingly
numerous, and the Snider breech mechanism comprises
39 pieces, in the Soper rifle there are only 23. There are
but two springs in the whole rifle, and both these are
made from flat pieces of steel. The stock, like the
Enfield, is solid, and of probably equal strength. In the
Martini, it will be remembered, the stock is divided
into two portions by the case enclosing the breech
mechanism. This brief outline of the details of the
piece will. shew that it is, in principle as in ap-
pearance, totally distinct from that which has been
adopted for the service. It is stated to have been ten-
dered for examination to the Special Committee, but not
until some very short time after they had closed their
experiments, and to that circumstance is owing the fact
that the weapon was not subjected to the severe sand
and exposure tests applied to all the rifles which
were placed in their hands. At Wimbledon,
however, the sand test was actually, though unoffi-
cially, applied this summer; while as regards endurance,
the same rifle must have been fired some thousands of
times in the course of the meeting. The sensation will
not soon be forgotten which was created by the per-
formance of Private Warwick, of the Ist Berkshire, in
the stage for rapidity, or 200 yards distance for the Duke
of Cambridge's prize ; and since then a list, taken from
the official returns of the National Rifle Association, has
been published, shoving the actual number of " highest
scores ' attained with this weapon, which is very
remarkable.