The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-08-28
The Minuie Rtsle.

nC l4hm HIT H41uues
vague idea has taken possession or the
public mind that the southern rebels ara
abundantly supplied with better arms than
our selves, and that Floyd stole from nor.
thern arsenals all the best Minnie rifles Ieav.
ing us nothing but the old fashioned muskct.
This idea is giving much uneasiness to tim
id minds, with whom there exists sort Of
indefinite foreboding that which they have
been taught to believe is so deadly, will be
certain to cxterminate the other. But the
truth in relation to this mater will dissipate
world of error, and restore cquanimity to
manv disorganized nerves.
In the first plare, though this rife is res,.
lv the effective aim in use in this country.
or. in fact, anywhere else, yet Floyd did not
steal all We had on hand. nor have the reb.
els any Of the machinery by which they are
made. except that portion which escaped des.
t'1'ction at Harper's Ferry, BY means of
which they are now cobbling up about Is
rifles daily. according to their own story,
which is likely to be much exaggerated. All
other factories are in the North, and the
embargo is now 50 perfect that there is little
probability oftheir receiving further supplies.
from any quarter with strong prospect of the
chance of coming battles resulting In dj.
minution Of the quantity now in hand. At
the same time, all our factories are prcdu-
chg them in large numbers. while our ports
are open for as many as we my desire
Z, import
Judging by what one reads daily in the
newspapers, or hears in conversation, it does
not seem to be generally understood what q
rifle is. We all know that an ordinary gun.
such as musket or fowling piece, is fur.
nished with barrel the inside of which is
perfectly smooth. Now take such gun
and cut on the inside of the barrel three or
four grooves, all running from the breech to
the muzzle, spirally, like cork screw. and
the gun becomes what is known as r,f1e.-
Ifcut in musket, it is called iflcd mus.
ket, if in cannon, riRed cannon.
The operation can be performed on any
weapon new or old. The rifling of CANNON
is a modern invention OF Sir William Arm.
strong, hence when the Armstrong gun is
spoken of. it is understood to be rifled can.
non. The object Of thus rifling guns is to
secure greater certainty of the bal! striking
the target, whether it be man or beast, a.
well as being able to kill at greater dis.
tance than from smooth bore weapon
The rife accomplishes both, by giving the
bali. as it is driven out. spinning motion,
in consequence Of its following the winding.
course of the groves on the inside Of the bar.
rel. 1t turns in the piece as often as
the entire curve is repeated in the length
of the bore, and continues the same motion
after it leaves the muzzle.
The deviation OF a ball is caused by the !.
resistance to its passage offered by the air.
The effect Of rifling ball is to make it keep
the same part always to the front; hence the
retarding effect Of the air is much more uni,
form than it would otherwise be.
The process of rifling gun is extremely
simple; but vast patience, science, skill and
experimental trial have been devoted TO the
business Of determining how many grooves
are best, what curves are most serviceable,
how long the barrel should be. how much in
diameter, with the shape Of the ball, togeth.
er with the relative superiority Of loading at,
the muzzle or breech. The invention of the !
percussion cap sprung from these expert !
ments. Then followed the saber bayonet,
and finally the bullet now known as the min.
ME. These combined have converted the
ordinary rifle of half a century ago into
weapon Of unsurpassed efficiency