The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1896-09-10
DEADLY WAX MISSILES.
Fired From the Giffard Gun and Pro.
peeled by Carbonic Acid Gas.

Fired From the Giffard Gun and Pro-
peeled by Carbonic Acid Gas.
The Giffard gun, which was recent
ly tried at Nottingham by a board OF
English army officers, seems likely
TO be the first gun which uses and
other propelling agent than powder
to attain anything like practical
success. The propelling agent OF M.
Paul Giffard's rifle Is liquitied car
bonic acid gas. Tho gun itself is not
new, nor is the principle upon which
it is constructed. M. GifTard has
had a gun before the public ftr more
than three years, but since that time
he has made several improvements
and considerably modified it in de-
tail. The propelling agent which he
uses makes very little noise and nc
smoke and leaves no odor. Only &
very slight recoil follows the dis
charge and the gun does not foul
The propelling agent is always CON-
pletely under the control of the per-
con handling the gun.
In appearance tho Giffard gun is
something like a Winchester shot
gun, according to the New York Sun,
1t has an ordinary octagon barrel,
underneath which is fitted Gllfard
reservoir, as the magazine is called.
The reservoir is a steel cylinder
closed at one end and fitted at the
other end with valve. The reser-
voir contains supply of liquefed
carbonic acid gas at a pressure OF
two tons to the square inch, sufficient
for from forty to sixty rounds, &C
cording as the gun is to be used at a
long or short range. These reser-
voirs are tested in the manufacture
up to three times the strength neces-
sary 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 con-
trived that at each pull of the trig-
ger the regulated quantity OF gas
enters the bullet chamber.
The rifle is CT the hammerless type,
,.nd is neat in appearance and handy
in form. All the parts are inter-
changeable and can be replaced.
Such a safety catch is used as is
ordinarily fitted on hammerless shot
guns. The throwing forward OF the
lever, which serves also as the finger
guard, opens the bullet chamber for
| the insertion of the bullet, which is
conical-shaped. 1t Aso cocks the
| gun and moves the counter which
records the number of charges fired.
The same action places the gun al
..safe." By returning the lever to its
position the bullet chamber is closed.
| A movement releases the safety catch
When the trigger is pulled and
the tumbler strikes the firing pin,
which presses against the valve Of
the reservoir. opening it momentari
: ly. This permits the regulated
quantity OF gas to escape into the
chamber where 1T instantly expands,
forcing the proiectile 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 deterioration OF
waste.
The provision for informing thu
user as to the number of charges iireG
is rotating dial, on which an indi
Gator marks at every tenth rount
the number of charges remaining
The rifle is especially adapted fo
light shooting. and will kill ut sixt,
yards. Its work is accurate, and i
gives good penetration. Bullet
fred through one-inch boards wer,
flattened on the iron sheathing be
hind the target
! =. G. ~