Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1896-10-03
SELFASHOOTING GUN.
Weapon with Which the Army and Navy
Is to BE Equipped.


The navy department at Washington
has just ordered so of the most remark
able guns in the world. Each of them
is able to discharge 400 rifle bullets q
minute, and continues at that rate
until the mar<sman wants to stop
More that that, it fires itself, only re-
luiring to be aimed. 1t is the Colt au-
| tomato gun.
This wonderful gun weighs only 10
pounds. 1t is a magazine rifle, with one
barrel, the caliber of which is the same
as that of the improved rifle newly
adopted by the navy, little less than
quarter of an inch. This means that
the bullet, which is of lead, with ii
steel jacket, is much less in diameter
than an ordinary lead pencil. The bull
let is about an inch long, almost cylin-
drical in shape, tapering somewhat
and rounded at the front end. The gun
discharges seven of these projectilts
each second, and they leave the weapo9
with a velocity of nearly half a mile II
second.
The rapidity of the discharge is so
tremendous that there seems to be
continuous stream of bullets flying
from the muzzle of the gun. So great
is their velocity, however, that there is
actually an interval of 300 feet between
each two. Cartridges are fed to the
weapon automatically by feed bells
which are coiled in boxes and readily
attachable to the breech. The boxes
bold from 100 to 500 cartridges. All the
marksman has to do is to pull the trig-
ger once and the gun goes on firing Of
its own accord as long as the cartridges
are supplied. In fact, the instrument
is a repeating rifle with an inexhausti-
BILE magazine and a rapidity of fire tina
is almost inconceivable. II uses the
same bullets as the pew navy rifle, and
they are discharged with the same We
locity, but the discharge is automatic,
the firing mechanism being operated
by powder gas.
The weapon may be carried comfort.
ably in boot" at the side of a troop,
er's horse. Ordinarily, on land, il Is
designed to be mounted for action upon
light tripod. 1t is provided with n
pivot, set into socket on the tripod
or into a similar socket on the rail'ofa
vessel All the ships of the navy will
soon be provided with these guns. One
of these weapons at a distance of n
mile might NOW down an entire regi- |
ment within two minutes, 90 that har,l.
ly a man would be left unwounded
The Colt gun is sighted ordinarily for
1000 yards, which is n little over n
mile, but il is as effective NJ twice that |
distance. However, IL is not practicn-
hle to fire at individuals beyond 2,OOn |
yards.
The marksman uses both hands IN |
aiming the gun, whether 1t H. set on a |
spends so readily to adjustment that he
is able to write his name with bullets
upon a good-sized target, and to do ii |
with considerable rapidity. RI The |
weapon is mounted upon a tripod, M |
seats himself on n saddle that looks |
like n bicycle saddle. attached to TIN
leg of the tripod, which projects to-
ward the rear. The saddle is so adjust.
ed that his eye is brought directly in
line with the sight of the weapon. Pull
ing the trigger once, he simply holds II
back as long M he desires the gun 10 !
keep on firing, varying the aim just ms
a person directing garden hose would
do.
The United States army is also going
to have guns OF the Colt type. The war
department has ordered trial of them
Guns OF this pattern are comparative.
" cheap. They can be made in quaint
ties for a selling price Of about $500 \
The cartridges cost only s25 per 1,OOa
pa cents encb.--N. Y. journal.
Out Of COnditiOn.
Hostess--Miss Hightone, won't you