The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-07-22
BULLETS FIRED BY GAS.
A Gun That Makes Little Noise and NJ
Smoke.

Smoke.
The Giffard gun. which was tried re-
Gently 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 practical success. The
propelling agent of NJ. Paul Gitfards
rifle is liquetied carbonic acid gas. The
gun itself is not new, nor Is the prin-
ciple upon which it is constructed. M.
Gitfard 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 propelling agent which he
uses makes very little noise and no
smoke and leaves no odor. Only a very
slight recoil follows 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 Winchester shotgun.
1t has an ordinary octagon barrel, un'
derneath which is fitted a Gitfard res
ervoir, as the magazine is called. This
reservoir is a steel cylinder closed at
one end and fitted ut the other end
with valve. The reservoir contains
supply of liquetied carbonic acid gas at
n 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 manufac-
| ture up to three times the strength
necessary to hold the gas under pres
sure, and are guaranteed to be per-
fectly sound and safe. The special
valve at the end of the reservoir is SO
contrived that at each pull of the trig-
ger the regulated quantity of gas en-
ters the bullet chamber.
| The rifle is of the hammerless type,
and is neat in appearance and handy
in form. All the parts are interchange
able and can be replaced Such safety
catch is used as is ordinarily fitted ON
hammerless shotguns. The throwing
forward of the lever, which serves also
as the trigger guard, opens the bullet
chamber for the insertion of the bullet,
which is conical shaped. 1t also cocks
the gun and moves the counter which
records the number of charges fired.
The same action places the gun at
| Sdic. ipy tiic lcNcI W lL5
position the bullet chamber is closed.
A movement releases the safety catch.
When the trigger is pulled the tun-
bier strikes the firing pin, which presses
against the valve of the reservoir, open
ing it momeniarily. This permits the
regulated quantity of gas to escape
into the chamber, where it instantly
expands, forcing the projectile through
the barrel with increasing impetus nm
til it leaves the muzzle. The charged
reservoir may be kept for any time
under any conditions of climate, with
out suffering deterioration or waste.
The provision for informing the usel
as to the number of cha rges fired Is ,
rotating dial, on which an indicates
marks at every tenth round the mum
ber of charges remaining.
The rife is especially adapted Ia
light shooting, and wiil kill ut sixty
yards. Its work is accurate, and II
gives good penetration. Bullets fired
through one-inch boards were flrtteuei
ON the iron sheat.,ing behind tie ;argst
IN. Y. Sun.