The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-17
THE LEBRI RIFLE.
Wonderful Work by the New French Weapon
Loaded with the Smokeless Powder.

NEW YORK, Oct 16.-Reports continue to
come in of the wonderful performances of
the Lebel rifle. the new arm now being sup
piled to the French infantry.
What with the smallness of the calibre
and the velocity impaired by the smoke
less powder. the trajectory is so fat as to
make the accuracy of the piece simply
phenomenal.
The latest achievement reported is that
of Lieutenant Malteste, of the Marines,
who succeeded the other day, at Toulon, in
Transforming franc piece into veritable
ring In three shots at distance of 200
metres. or 21S yards Lieutenant Malteste
always enjoyed the reputation of a crack
shot, but he was never able to make such
n showing with any other rifle than q
Lebel
According to the last reports furnished to
the United States Naval Intelligence Office
the daily product of the rife is said to be
10000. There are 5000 machines employee
IN its manufacture at ST. Etienne, 1000 at
Chatellerault. and ], 200 at Toule. Up to
september of last year $4,000 rifles of the
new pattern had been delivered, but in no
instance was q single Lebel accepted until
5000 cartridges were ready for it.
In general appearance the Lebel rifle re-
sembles Hotchkiss repeating arm. such as
W,
but the barrel arrangement. The magazine
OF the Lebel IS under the barrei in the case
of the H0tchkiss it is in the stock The
The Lebel carries eight cartridges in its
magazine. the Hotchkiss seven cartrid ges
The Lebel is fitted to receive sword bayo-
net of quadrangular shape. With bayonet
liked. the extreme length is 71.S inches;
without the bayonet the piece measures 51.4
inches in length.
1t is the calibre OF the piece. however,
that calls for special note. In this instance
the minimum is .3142 inch and maximum
1928 inch. The total weight of the piece,
with magazine full. is OTIS pounds. The
sight is graduated for range of Z, 1877 yards.
distance greater than in any service arm
in use- 1t bears strong comparison to the ex-
treme1, ,2OO-yard range of the Springfield rifle
In the United States service. The bullet
rs necessarily very small in diameter, but
IT makes up IN weight by reason of it's
length. The latter is LBS inch. with a
weight of 2sl.4s grains. Some idea of the
tremendous muZZle velocity of this small
projectile can be had when it is known
that 1t Will pierce over fifteen inches OF
solid oak at distance of nearly go yards
from the muzzle. When performing this
feat the muzzle velocity is no less than
not be understood that black powder gives
this result. The Lebel bullet is propelled
by the mysterious smokeless powder, a
secret compound known to have for its
principal ingredients gun cotton and
colodion. Besides being smokeless, the
powder creates but little noise on explo-
sion and gives only slight recoil
So far. the only objections which have
been raised against the new powder is the
sitting stencil it causes. This is said not
when a battalion is firing on = compare
lively still day. What effect this would be
on troops firing from houses and behind
barricades can in a measure be Imagined.