The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-02
The Snider Rifle.

The new Snider rifle appears, from all ac-
counts, to be the most perfect weapon yet pro.
duced Tor infantry use, and its advantages may
be summed up as folOws:-
l. The breech-loading arrangement is most
simple-the breech is opened and shut in TWO
motions, whereas the Prussian needlegun re-
Quires hye
2. The converted Enfield will be superior in
every respect; five rounds per minute is the
average OF the Prussian rifle, eleven 10 fifteen
per minute tiiat OF The English Snider.
3. The ammunition prepared by Colonel Boxer,
Royal Artillery, is simple and effective; it does
not foul or heat the rifle, and does not deterorate
by time or transport, as is the case in the Prus-
sian system. 1t has also exhibited extraordinary
powers OF resistance to damp; 1t seems to be
capable OF standing almost any amount of rough
usage, and to enjoy perfect immunity from
miss-nres.
4. The Snider-Enfield is capable of being dis
charged, not "elght or ten times in q minute"
as has been said, but fifteen; its accuracy of fire
is not much below thatuf the best small-boIe
rife; 1t is intellectually superior to that of the
overpraised needle.gun.
8. The accuracy of shooting OF the Snider rifle
over that OF the Enfield, taking an average of
all ranges up to 1000 yards, is as 80 per cent,
and the relative rapidity of fire of the two arms
is, in round numbers, about as to l. and in
freedom from toulme, its nonllability to dete-
rioration by bad weather, and in facility OF
manipulation, the Snider rifle has proved itself
remarkably superior to the uncovered arm.
The following rough general description will
convey a good idea of the new arrangement in
the Sniderrihe:-
"a portion OF the upper side Of the breech end
of the barrei is cut out for the admission OF the
cartridge. This vacant space is closed after
loading by lump of steel-the 'breech-stopper'
or 'breech.piece,' which hinges upon one SIDE of
the barrel, and forms false breech, against the
face OF which the back end of the cartridge
rests; the barrel is in fact shortened to this eX
tent. A plunger or piston transmits the blow of
the hammer through the stopper to the cap of
the cartridge, which is withdrawn after firing
by little instrument which forms part OF the
stopper. The cartridge is on the central tlre
system, and exhibits no special novelty of
construction in this respect, the ordinary ar
rangement having merely been slightly mod-
lied to increase the safety OF the ammunition,
and to ensure against mss-ires. The most
salient novelties are the cartridge case and
the bullet. As regards the former, the object
has been to provide a case which shall uncoil or
unwind to q certain extent on discharge; and
this object is attained by rolling thin sheet
brass into hollow cylinder upon suitable
former. One end of the cylinder tits into the
metal cap which forms the back end of the car
fridge, the other end receives the bullet into the
hinder canneure of which it is choked. The
brass case is covered either with paper or calico,
and rendered completely waterproof by wax or
vaIuish The nature of this outer case, however,
is of secondary importance, the desired end
being obtained by the arrangement of the
interior case, which on discharge, however dis
figured uncoils to the'dimensions otthe chamber,
and after discharge has q tendency slightly TO
contract and facilitate the withdrawal OF the
empty CASE"