Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-11-01
COL. BERDAN's VIEW RIFLE.
Remarkable Experiments at Utica,
n. Y..--The James Rifle S'nOWhere"
---Berdan Hits the BuIIs-eye, sight
ing with the eye alone, at I,290
Yards.

.--Berdan Hits the BuIIs-eYe, sight
ing with the eye alone, at 1899
Yards.
Colonel Berdan, the well-known COM
mander Of the United States Shsrpshoot-
ers, has been for several months engaged
in experimenting upon rifles ana their am
munition, with the view of constructing a
weapon which should combine the requi-
sites of cheapness, hghtness and accuracy
in greater degree than any now in use.
For several years before entering the SER
vice Col. Berdan has enjoyed the reputa-
ton of being one of the most expert shots
with the rife in America, and his three
years services in the front have taught him
the objections to the various forms of rifle
in use in the army. When we add that
hP is an excellent mechanic, it will be seen
that the business could not be in more
competent hands.
The common Springfield or Enfield ri
fled musket, though effective at short
ranges, has not force or accuracy to fit it
for the use OF shsrp-shooters at long range.
The best rife hitherto known for accurate
long-range firing. Is the. James telescopic
target rifle; but this again, besides bein g
very expensive, is too bulky and weighty
to be used as an arm for marching regi-
ments and the few in use by our sharp
shooters are always from necessity carried
in the baggsge-wsgons on q march. Both
the Springfield and the target rife sremuz-
zle-loading and the process of loading
them while IN action compels the soldier
while in action to stop from time to time
when advancing, thus tending TO break
the formation of the line, and 20 delay the
march often st the most critical moment.
To overcome these objections breeeh-load-
ems have been invented, and have been en-
ployed to some extent, but it has been found
impossible to give them a high degree of
accuracy Oe account of the tendency of the
bali TO upset and become slugged in It's
passage from the chamber 70 tho barrel
proper.
H. JvI0nvt- Derdan un-
dertoOk to solve was no less than that of
the construction Of rife which should be
breeeh-l0sding, light edough for ordinary
infantry, economical, and Rt the same time
possess greater accuracy and effectiveness
at long range than any weapon known.
These results he claims to have effected
gnd the rife in which he sought to com
bine these dessidersts was publicly tested
BY him in Utica on the 25th instant, in
the presence of a large number of experts.
Utica was appropriately chosen as the
scene of this exhibition, as it is the head
quarters of rifle making in the Union, the
celebrated establishments of Mr.. Ferris
and MIR. James being situated there. Mr..
James, himself being an unsurpassed shot,
was present with one Of his best heavy
target rifles with telescope sight. Col
Berdan's rifle was externally an ordinary
United States Springfield rife with sim
pie breech-loading attachment. The tar
get was placed at the extreme distance of
twelve hundred measured yards, and after
firing two or three preliminary shots to
get the range, Colonel Berdan, sighting
with the eye alone, without telescopic aid,
struck the bulFs-eye five times out of six
shots, and then gave place to Mr.. James,
who fred at the target several hours with
cut being able to reach this shots invari-
ably striking the ground two OF three hun
dred yards short. Atthe end Of this time
he gave up the contest, admitting that his
rife could not compete with Colonel Ber-
dams at such long range. When it IS re-
uOnUoISO LHhL UI6eCH-lOhQBTS nave QlLQ-
erto been wholly ineffective at long ran
ges, it will be seen how great revolution
in firearms this fact foreshadows.
The penetrating power of the guns was
then tested against a target consisting of
thirty one-inch boards, fixed in frame
one behind the other, with inch spaces be-
tween them. Mr.. James rife penetrated
eleven of these, Colonel Berdan's twenty
nine, and stuck fast in the thirtieth; the
Springfield musket penetrated eleven,
Shsrp's rife fourteen, the Spencer repeater
thirteen.
Colonel Berdsn's invention comprises
First-s new, ingenious and simple
breeeh-losding apparatus; second, a new
form of rifing the barrel and cartridge
chamber; third, an entirely new form. of
ammunition or cartridge, which enables it
70 pass through the barrel without any
change of form or loss of power by fric-I
tion, and which enables the soldier to use
at discretion single ball for long range
or three or more round balls for close vol
ley firing, with equal efect-M 2. Post