The National tribune., 1895-06-20
THE GrN.

rr1t NJ tl,o fest was eminently satisfactory in
every wRy and il Is likely that the Board VIII
advise the Government TO buy some oil the
guns All the members OF the Board said that
the feat OF firing more than 900 ROUNDS oil -SoS
calber cartridges from the gun in one minute,
which the weapon showed beyond question its
ability to do, was wonderful, aud they could
not suggest an Improvement in the gun.
The gun exhibited had been used long in
other countries but not iR the improved form
te which it has now been brought. The gun
was first fired in the Sierra Leone campaign by
Sir Francis de Wintsr. lt was used also by
Henry NJ Stanley during his African travels,
but never before has il been brought down to
total weight of less than 30 pounds. With the
case and other extras the weight was over %
mounds or too much for any but cavalrymen 10
carry In its original form the Maxim gun
fred 1000 rounds in Il minutes. Its maximum
firing ability in its present form is about ooO
rounds a minute.
The gun itself is simple.looking affair. and
the Object of these tests was to show the MEM
bers of the Ordnance Board how easily it could
be handled by anybody after a few hours
practice, as well its immense value 10 the
infantry service. With it's great sole-lesther
case. an extra barrel, duplicate mechanism and
tools, the entire gun, when folded up and
slung over a soldiers back, shown in the
illustration, weighs but 10 pounds. 1t is
claimed by the Msxim-Norde denfeldt Company
that the value OF the guns in mountainous
country is inestimRble, a few of them, if
well placed, could wipe oul%sA army.
There is no pause in the firing after the
trigger is pulled until the cartridges are ex-
bausted unless the operator take has hand from
the trigger. The weapon is under the complete
control of the operator, and he can hre one
two. three or half dozen shots from 1t. Just
as long as he holds the trigger back. and there
are cartridges left in the canvas belt which
feeds the gun, the weapon belches forth shot
after shot.
An inexperienced operator finds it impossible
70 FIRE one shot from the gun, so rapidly does
the mechanism work. No matter how quickly
be may pull or release the trigger, two, three,
or more shots are fired. Maj Phipps, the Presl-
dent of the Ordnance Board, was the only one
besides the expert displaying the gun, who sue
ceeded in firing one shot at time. One OF
two others managed to stop on two shots
The gun is automatic in its action after the
FIRST shot has been fred. The recoil from the
exploded cartridge gives the barrel, which has
o rear attachment, a back ward motion. The
recoiing motion is limited 10 about one inch,
as a crank comes in contact with The breech-
casing. causing il TO rotate and strike buffer
spring, which returns il into firing position.
The crank also works the breech lock.
The cartridges are fed into the gun hy
means Of a belt. which passes through feed
blocks. The recoil OF the barrel from the dis
charge OF the first cartridge insc.ts the next
charge from the belt, raises tine breech lock,
cocks the hammer, and fires, extracts and
elects the shells while the succeeding charge II
being brought into position.
james Huber, the expert OF the Maxim Com.
pany, exhibited the gun TO the members of the
Ordnance Board, several Army officers. Maj.
+. u. Phipps aud Capt. Frank Heath, the COM
mander OF the proving ground, represented the
Ordnance Board, Capt. Crozier being absent.
Other officers present were Capt. c. Il. Smith
and Lieuts. Pierce and Ruggles.
The first test was general firing and lOC
cartridges were discharged in patches Of six.
The report from the gun is neither very loud
nor very sharp, but when number OF shots
are fred in rapid succession the noise is contin-
nous, and even the members OF the Ordnance
Board, who virtually live in the shadow OF the
enormous guns at the proving ground, and
are never bothered in the least by the firing
from them, had TO put cotton in their ears
The second test was 10 show the ability OF th'
operator to discharge as many cartridges as h'
liked.