Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1890-02-09
THE NEW ENGLISH RIFLE.
The Claim Is Made That It Will Hit

The Claim Is Made That 1t Will Hit
Man Point Blank at 500 Yards.
An official army order gives all the de-
tails of the mechanism of the new maya
zine rifle with which the army is to be
supplied. The weight with magazine
Iempty) is nine pounds eight ounces, the
new sword bayonet fifteen and one-half
ounces, the scabbard four and three
fourths ounces, the magazine when filled
with eight cartridges thirteen ounces.
The length OF the rifle is four feet one
inch, and the sword bayonet one foot
four inches.
The magazine consists of Il sheet steel
box inherited from under the body IN
front OF the trigger guard through an
opening in the body. 1t is held in posi-
< ts 90, Il spring in the body engaging in
a notch on the magazine. It will con-
tain eight cartridges, and may be filed
arhcn in position in the rifle or when de-
tached, by Inserting the cartridges one
by one. \ spring at the bottom OF the
magazine presses upward movable
platform, forcing the column OF cart
ridges also upward
4 cut Off is fitted to the right side OF
the body, which. when pressed inward
stops the supply of cartridges from the
magazine, 50 that the arm may Then be
used rs single loader. When the "cut
off, is pulled out the lower edge OF the
bolt on being driven forward engages
the top edge Of the uppcrmost cartridge
in the magazine and forces it into the
chamber and so on till the magazine IS
emptied. The magazine can be removed
bv pressing small lever inside the triS'
ger guard
One magazine is attached 10 each rifle,
beins. secured from loss by chain link.
4 spare magazine is also issued with
each arm. The stock, like that of the
Martini Henry rifle, is in two pieces, the
fore end and the butt Under the hinder
part of tie small of the butt is Il proJec-
=; " forming so called "pistol grip.
r M \utt is secured to the body by a
go volt" The butt plate is fitted
viii = fran giving access to the unoccu-
MED norton OF the stock bolt recess
,rb;ch ;s ,,ran ed tU contain an OH -
~ The S rifle is provided with two Sc: o.
sights. The foresight and the ifScks,sn'
arc fixed in the usual position ON the par
rel. The foresight is So uare block %,lh
n vertical cut through it, showing tne
line of light. Aim is taken by lifting
ssouarc into q corresponding square
aeral revihe backsisht, so that i'aes Oh
light DUAL width may be seen on
eaclsside ce-ssss.s and aligning the cen.ral
lire of light on the point to be Int. Inc Inc
lowest or "fxeh sight is that for 3oo
yards. Using this sight, head and
shoulders figure can be hit at any dis-
lance between S75 and $50 yards, while
a six3Tt figure can be hit up to about
5ee99-s IDS without in either case aiming
off the figures. The highest graduation
is for 1900 yards The rifle is also fitted
with extreme range sights. The front
sight, which is called the dial sight, is
graduated from 1900 yards up to $500
wards. There are two kinds of a,nmunl-
ton pouches, one holding forty rounds
and the other fifty. The cartridge is
hmade of solid drawn brass and charged
with ordinary gunpowder pressed INTO
he form of pellet, with both ends
lightly rounded. : Manchester Guard