Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-07-04
NEW PRINCIPLE IN GuNNERY.
a Breeoh Admitting of Powerful Ac cele rating
Force Invented by Frisco Man,
LErnn the Boston Adynrtiserl

From the Boston Adyertiser.l
new method Of applying force, con
slstIng OF newly devised breech, con-
structad upon philosophical principle,
and which admits of q powerful accelera
ting force beng applied to the projectile
before 1t leaves the mouth OF the gun,
has been invented by j. FL. Stewart, of
San Francisco. The Exchange Of that
city SAYS that the results thus far OBJ
tanned by crude experiments are really
astonishing, as can be attested by the
several targets used. In one Of the ex-
periments made an ordinary carbine,
5O-callber, about 20 inches long, weigh
ing seven pounds. was used, the same
having been altered by substituting
Stewards patent breech. The proiec-
tile consisted OF steel bolt pointed at
one eud, which was shot through tar
get, consisting OF a solid fat bar of re-
tined iron, one inch IN thickness, back
ca with sixteen inches Of wood. At an
other trial, the same gun being used, the
prolectile was shot through a target
consisting Of six one-quarter inch plates
of boiler iron, and three inches of wood.
In & more recent trial, the same gun be-
ing used, the projectile was shot through
the proiectile penetrated the iron back
ing one half inch, showing that the pro-
iectile can easily be shot through iron or
steel equal III thickness to three times
the diameter Of the projectile or
bore of the gun. With the view Of test
ing the augmentive force OF his new
principle the inventor constructed a
smooth-bore gun of one and One-haif
IS HI,o -
consisting of sixteen quarter inch plates
of boiler iron bolted together. making
tour inches Ia thickness of iron. The
proiectile consisted of an elongated bolt
of steel pointed at one end, ! inch di-
ameter. The projectle passed through
the target, and it Is estimated that the
unexpected force would have enabled it
10 have penetrated another inch Of iron.
At another trial, the same weapon being
used, like proiectile passed through
16 qUarter-inch plates of boiler IRON and
Il inches o. soliQ bar iron and two inches
OF wood boited together, then penetrated
II inches into an anvil placed behind the
target; total penetration Of iron 81
inches. These experiments proved con-
clusiyely that this new principle Will APP
ply IN ratio . guns O. larger calloer, and
ii can safely be asserted that gun eau
be constructed OF I0-inch bore that will
pass prOiec1ile through composite
iron target mace IL the usual way, with
alternate 10-Inch thickness Of iron, OF
wood 10 OF iron. 5 Of wood, 10 of iron,
making 10 inches OF w001 and 30 inches
Of iron 1t should be stated that all ex-
perIments have been made with COM
mon Dupont's sporting powder: hence It
can with justice be claimed that with
: stronger powder better results can be
shown.
B. using this new principle the pro
jectlIe thrown from the 90 calI5er carDine
will reach distance Of three miles, aud
the Il inch proiectils q distance of six
miles. So far rs It has been ascertained,
a velocity Of about 3, 600 feet per second
is the result. with but little additional
strain on the gun, hence avoiding the
use Of extra metal unless required to
throw heavier pTojectile than usual.
Therefore. very little, If any more, than
the usual Tecol is experienced. The
penetrating force against iron or steel
targets reached in this new principle
viii be at least four times the diameter
Of the proiectile. When the principle
Is properly presented the inventor be-
Ileves he can accomplish this easily n
guns OF larger cahber. This invention
Is adaptable TO breech loading ordnan-
ces o. aII sizes rs well as to all classes
Of small arms. a cavalry pistol would
become as effective & weapon as the very
best rife of existing patterns. 4 patrol
OF cavalry could be armed 7ith rifles OF
SO caliber sufficient to enable them to
destroy aay locomotive or ordinary river
gunboat by piercing their steam boilers
or chambers, even through plated ar
nor, thus rendering them uuserviceable,
=. while q gun weighing not more than
800 pounds including carriage and every.
thing and that could be drawn by one
horse or BIZ two or three men, would de-
stroy any gunbeat IN existence.
The Exchange gives the following
summary Of the results OF the expert
ments referred 20 above:
The small gun.-Length, p inches
weight 7 pounds; $4,000 cahber; pro
iectile. canonical steel bolt; velocity
about3, GOOfeet per second; charge, abou
200 grains No. 2Dupont's sporting pow
der: unobstructed range three miles
Experiments at pointblaDk range, viz
TARGET No. / Projectile passed
through one-Inch bar iron and at the
same time through 10 inches of Woo
placed behind it. Target No. 2.-Pro
1ect1le passed through six pieces OF one
duarter-inch boiler plates, with alter
nate pieces of wood, same thickness, al
firmly bolted together, this target thu
consisting cf Il inches Of iron and /
inches of wood. The projectlle at SAM
time passed through three inches o
wood placed behind the target; III
iron Of target No. l Is penetrabie at
distance Of 800 yards. Target No. .
Proiectiles passed through one-lnc
bar Of steel and penetrated fun one
half inch into iron placed behind target
The large gHn-Length, 3S inches
!. weight, 200 posnds; II inch ca'l6el
proiectiIe, canonical steel bolt; velocity