San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-08-17
BULLETS FIRED BY GAS.

Gun That Makes Little Noise and no
Smoke Tried In England.
The Giffard gun, which was tried
recently at Nottingham by board
of English army officers, seems
likely to be the first gun which
uses any other propelling agent
than powder to attain anything like
a practical success. The propelling
agent of NJ. Paul Giffard's rifle is
liquified carbOnic acid gas. The
gun itself is not new, nor is
the principle upon which it is
constructed. Mr.. Giffard has had a
gun before the public for more
than three years, but since that
time he has made several improve
ments and considerably modified
it in detail. The propel1ing agent
which he uses makes very little
noise and no smoke and leaves no
odOr. Only a very slight recoil fol-
lows the discharge and the gun
does not foul. The propelling
agent is always completely under
the control of the person handling
the gun.
In appearance the Giffard gun is
something like a Winchester shot
gun. 1t has an ordinary octagon
barrel, underneath which is fitted
Gtfard reservoir, as the maya
zine is called. This reservoir is a
steel cylinder closed at one end and
fitted at the other end with a valve.
The reservoir contains a supply of
liquefied carbOnic acid gas, at a
pressure of two tons to the square
inch, sufficient for. from forty to
sixty rounds, according as the gun
is to be used at a long or short
range. These reservoirs are tested
in the manufacture up to three
times the strength necessary to
hold the gas under pressure, and are
guaranteed to be perfectly sound
and safe. The special valve at the
end of the reservoir is so cOntriVed
that at each pull of the trigger the
regulated quantity of gas enters
the bullet chamber.
The rifle is of the hammerless
type and is neat in appearance
and handy in form. All the parts
are interchangeable and can be re-
placed. Such a safety catch is used
as is ordinarily fitted on hammer
less shotguns. The throwing for
ward of the lever, which serves al
so as the trigger-guard, opens the
bullet chamber for the insertion of
the bullet.which is conical shaped.
1t also rocks the gun and moves
the counter which records the
number of charges fired. The same
action places the gun at safe. By
returning the lever to its position
the bullet chamber is closed. A
movement releases the safety
catch.
When the trigger is pulled the
tumbler strikes the firing pin,
which presses against the valve of
the reservoir, opening it momen-
tarily. This permits the regulated
quantity of gas to escape into the
chamber, where it instantly eX-
pands, forcing the projectile
through the barrel with increasing
impetus until it leaves the muzzle.
The charged reservoir may be kept
for any time, under any conditions
of climate, without suffering de-
teriOratiOn or waste.
The provision for informing the
users as to the number of charges
fired is a rotating dial on which an
indicator marks at every tenth
round the number of charges re-
naming.
The rifle is especially adapted for
light shooting, and will kill at
sixty yards. Its work is accurate,
and it gives good penetration.
Bullets fired through One-inch
boards were fattened on the iron
sheeting behind the target.-New
York Sun.
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