Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-11-27

lowlag account of a new system OF prlmlng
for fire arms, which seems to possess some
decided advantages over the method which
depends on the use of the percussion cap
Another remoddeling of gunocks, which has
hardly yet been completed for that which de-
pended on the use of the flint, will conse-
quently become necessary.
Some time since patent was granted to
DR.. Z. Maynard, of this city, as the inventor
of new system of priming for fire arms
The invention was brought to the notice of
our Government, and it was considered wor-
thy of trial to test its efficiency. A joint
hoard of distinguished officers of the army and
navy was appointed and most severe and
protracted trial was made.
The report made by the board was so full
and favorable that the Government appointed
another joint board, with the general-in-chlet
as its president, to consider and report upon
the propriety of purchase of the patent right
for Government use. The board reported IA
vorably, and the purchase was made.
Last year an order for a practical field trial
was given, and two hundred muskets and
thirty thousand primers were sent to Texas,
where for four months they were subjected by
the United States troops to the usual trials
and exposures of military arms in field ser
vice. The report of the officers entrusted
with this trial is alike gratifying and credita
BE to the inventor, and interesting to all mil
itary and gnn-using persons. A knowledge
of its merits ard advantages secures all that
is now necessary to insure the adoption of
this system wherever the most perfect and
efficient arm for military purposes can be re-
quired, and where the same advantages are
appreciated for sporting guns, rifles, &c.
This invention is extremely simple; it
changes neither the model, weight. nor &C.
ton of the gun, and is applicable to any kind
of firearms. The arms used for the Govern
ment trials up to this time have been flint
locks, altered so as to use either this primer
or the percussion cap. The very slight in
creased cost of the arm upon this system is
so mconsiderabie as to be covered by the saw
ing on ive-hundrcd primers, these costing
less than one-fourth as much as caps.
So far as the act of priming is concerned,
'ahe most difficult act the soldier has to per-
form in battle, this invention makes the gun
performs the act itSeIt-and,
that, too, with a precision unattaipable by
hand" without regard TO position, or temper
ature, or climate, or light or benumbed, or
bruised, or clumsy fingers, or awkardness OF
the soldier.
As may be supposed, the increase in pid-
ity of frng is very great; it is reported TO be
from twenty-five to thirty per cent ordinarily,
and, under some circumstances which embar-
rass the soldier the increase would be some
hundreds per cent.
As under some Of the European patent laws
a published description would debar the in
ventor from obtaining patent, we will mere
ly say that this system differs entirely from
those in which the detonating msterials is in
the form OF loose dowder [Forsyth's) or in
small pills, or in metallic or other tubes,
{ Nobles) all of which systems
have been tried for military purposes, and
have been abandoned some for insecurity or
lnetiiclency, and some because they cannot
be understood, handled and managed bv the
common soldier. The new system is reported
as safer than the cap, Heretofore regarded
the most safe,) and Us being easily understood,
and managed with entire simplicity and ease
by the most untutored and, and when once
applied TO the gun, lasts, without the neces- .
slty OF being touched by the hand, for the du-
ration of the longest battle Some of our
sportsmen are partially acquainted with this
invention, 1t having been applied to Sharep's
celebrated rife by Nippes and Butterfield, and
a mandatory of the same arm and primer,
upon a very large scale, is in progress at
Hartford, CT. The Messrs. Remington. of
fferkiner, n. Y. celebrated for their barrels,
both for the United States and private arms,
have recently completed double barrel gun
upon this system of priming, for the inventor.
Its beauty, compactness, simplicity, and utili-
y, we have never seen equalled. 1t cannot
All to arrest the attention and please the
,aste of the sportsman. Before we saw this
We were not aware that such beautiful and
perfect double barrel sporting guns were made
n this country.
The many and favorable reports that have
been made respecting this important inven-
ION, and the unanimous verdict given in its
avor by all military and sporting gentlemen
who have tried it, leave but little doubt of its
general adoption in this country and abroad.