Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-20
LEE RIFLES.
The New Naval Small Arm Now Being Dis
tributed.

The new model naval small arms.
known as the Lee straight-pull rifle, are
rapidly being distributed to vessels in
commission and to marine barracks. Tho
naval bureau of ordnance has prepared
an official description of the new small
arms. an examination of which shows
that the new rifles are weapons of extra
ordinary simplicity and strength as To
mechanism. and rapidity and accuracy
as TO action. From these data it would
seem that no military power in Europs
has small arms of as high-grade mate
rial. and capable of such wonderful per-
formances as those with which Uncle
Sans blue jackets and marines are be-
ing supplied. The Lee gun is distinctly
an American weapon. being of both do
nestle invention and manufacture. 1t is
d rapid-fire or repeating arm. rather than
a magazine gun. as it has no provision
for cutting off the supply of ammunition
from the magazine and using the arm as
a single-loader while the magazine con-
tains cartridges. The gun may be used
as Il sngle-loader If the magazine is not
charged but in general it will be en-
ployed as a repeater, five cartridges in a
clip being entered in the magazine. 1t is
not to be reloaded until this charge is
exhausted In case loose ammunition is
supplied. the magazine can be charged
with single cartridges, it being possible
to enter any number from one to five.
The calibre of the gun is six mllimetres.
gun is furnished with a sling strap, a
knife bayonet and cleaning cord. With
every rifle there is supplied dark blue
woven belt. with twelve pockets, each
covered by a leather flap buttonng to
the front of the pocket. Into these peck
cts are placed the metal clips holding the
cartridges
The breech mechanism comprises the
moving parts of the breech action, that
is the bolt firing-pin and collar. main
| - ,f.i - m handle
and spring. Perhaps the most novel feat
ure of the whole system is the bolt. II is
peculiar to the Lee gun, and is a single
forging of hardened high-grade steel. II
is bored out to receive the iiring-pin, and
machined to a general rectangular form
Ia hi the receiver.
1t is speaking within bounds to say
that the performances of the new naval
small arms are wonderful. The powder
used in the cartridges is of the smokeless
variety. That at present employed IS OF
foreign importation. but it is the purpose
of the naval authorities soon to use Il
composition manufactured at the naval
torpedo school Experiments with this
latter powder have given highly satisfac-
tory results as to velocity. chamber pres
sure and keeping qualities. and the du-
thorities have stated that there Will be
little delay in issuing ii for general use
in the naval service. Thus far the tor
pedo school has not been able to manu-
facture it in sufficiently large quantities
to permit of its immediate general use.
The foreign powder now employed is the
Troisdorf. Into each cartridge is placed
S3.l grains of the composition. This gives
an average velocity to the standard bull
let of > 400 feet per second. at distance
Of sixty feet from the muzZle of the gun.
The maximum chamber pressure devel-
oped by it is 5000 pounds per square
inch The average pressure is 5000
pounds. With the high velocity men
toned, a penetration of 62 inches in pine
is possible when the target is five feet
from the muzZle. In other words. the
new naval bullet will go through a frac-
ton over five feet of this wood at the
given distance from the muzzle. In steel
boiler plate the penetration of the bullet
is seven-siXteentns of an inch at the
muzzle and three-eghths of an inch at
100 feet.
The rapdity with which the rifle can be
discharged will be appreciated when it is
understood that five cartridges can be
fired in three seconds. giving the gun
general direction: or five shots in seven
seconds. taking sufficient aim to hit Il
man standing thirty or forty yards dis
tant. This means that the new naval
arm, in the hands of an expert, can be
fired fifty times a minute or, assuming
that the gun and gunner could stand
such heavy strain, $500 shots per hour.