New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-19
MODERN INFANTRY RIFLES.
rrs MERITS AND DErEcTs DISCUSSED BY A BRIT


The two principal differences between the ol'
Army rife. carried by the boys in blue thirty
five years ago, and the guns with which IN
fantry are equipped to- DAY are that the Latter
have much smaller boies than the former anc
are provided with magazines holding from five
to ten cartridges, directly under the trims
mechanism.
The Springfield rifle had caibre Of 40 inch
The improved Krag -Jorgensen gun, which has
taken its place in the United States Army, has
only .3oO-inch bore. Here are the calibres OF
some Of the other rifles now in use: Mannlicher
Nustrian). .315 Lcbcl F'rench), the same
Mannlicher German. 81; Leo Metford brit
ish). .3o3; Mauser (Betsian), .3ol; Monzin rus
siam 800: Mauser ,Spanish), .295; Carcanc
Qtalian). 90; new Lee american Navy. 10
The invention of smokeless powder with It's
greater energy, makes 1t possible to use a
smaller quantity of explosive material in a
cartridge than formerly
This is the chief explanation Of the change
to small calibres, one consequence Of which If
that a much lighter weapon may be used
than formerly. Here is an advantage which Is
appreciated only when one remembers how
many miles soldier in active service is often
compelled TO march with gun In his hand
has practically no recon. The soldier (and the
hunter. toe. for that matter can fire a hundred
shots day without rendering his shoulder black
and blue. Referring to a heavy sporting rifle
carried by Captain Swayne in Central Africa
Ut weighed twenty-five Pounds. The Athon-
cum" once remarked that when successfully
fired it knocked the elephant in one direction
and Captain Swayne IN the other. remaining
If no inter rfDC fharr re-
suit Of the adoption Of smokcess powder is that
the bah travels much further and its course is
straghter. There is legs OF curve from gravi-
tation In other words. the projec,lle has a
hatter trajectory"
IN the current number Of "BackWood's Maya
zine" Major Broadfoot considered the merits
and dement's OF the rtne which has been in
service In the British Army for the last ten
years II might be remarked in passing that
the Lee whose name Is here used IN combination
with Metford's is the inventor Of the riff carried
for number OF years by American sailors and
marines and OF It's successor. the new small
calibre Lee. He devised the bolt and Tho maya
zine OF the British gun. and Mctford suggested
the system pursued in rining the piece. Lee is
al American
BULLETS THAT DO NOT DISABLE
Mctford gun Is that the bullets d. not always
disable man whom they hit 4 number OF
stories of this sort were told for d time. During
the march to the relief Of Chitral. on the north
ern frontier OF India a native walked nine miles
for surgical treatment after having SIX bullets
sent through him, He recovered rapidly wh-n
ne had been looked after An encmys drummer
perched himself on the root Of a hut whcrc h.
% h, fir AN frDr
that point chcercl on his friends 10 the charge.
The story says: every now and then bullet
would find him our, and he would drop 10 dress
his wounds and. then again mounting recon-
menccd beating his drum Al last a bullet got
bin through the heart and hc fell hoadl0ug.'
In another case an ambulance bearer, while
squatting. received wounds IN both arms and
legs from single ball. After his wounds were
dressed he sat W and wanted TO sing.
Now, a bullet, 20 DO any good In war, ought
TO disable the victim. If it does not Kill. The
great object is 10 throw him out Of the fight
Immediately. II il does not MUIR, him enough
20 stop his activity for the time it is worthless.
And it was found that this was not always the
yase in the Chitral campaign Major Broadfoot
quotes follows from report Of thai period:
~The net result Of the observations made SCI ms
70 be this At a very short range, o. two or three
hundred yards the bullet has a sort Of ex-
plosive action and innicts "a large and Jagged
wound. not merely splintcrng a bone when il
somes in contact with it. but absolutely pulvcr-
king it. AT a medium range however. il makes
. small. clean wound in one case boring a
small hole clear through the bone without splin-
terng il at all At a long range again. il makes
bad wound. the wound AT the place OF exit
being much larger and more jagged than at the