The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-30
GERMANY'S new
RIFLE. FINEST MADE
Magazine Weapon is as Compact as a
Single Loader and Nlinin1izes Pos
sibiIity of Soldiers Mistakes,

tx rniudDle DIS tIlc LnDcrOI W iiiit-iAi -
army is as a fighting machine. it VIII pc
even more formidable When equipped WIN
its new magazine rifle, whic.l in many
respects is doubtless the finest ever made.
In recent number, the London DalE
Graphic, which has several naval and
military experts among its contributors,
gave an Interesting description of the new
weapon, the product of shrec years work
by an imperial commission, and known
as Model IS. The writer says:
There IS about the rev model nothing
of that clumsy appearance SO character
istic of earlier magazine rifles 1T is as
neat and as compact IS a single ioauer;
The projecting magazine of the mooel
of 1855 has gone, and rs place mas neeh
taken by a much handler contrivance, IN
which the cartridges IRE packed zlg-zas
"a si1on. three on The Lett and two on the
right TIE clip or box formerly used TO
CARR the cartridges has been replaced by
a charger consisting of a strip of thin
steel, the edges of which fit into the eH-
tractor groove at the base of the car
tidge. In loading the magazine a Slight
pressure of the thumb is all that is nee
essary to force the Cartridge into the De
sired position, and as the bolt is pushed
forward: the empty charger is dropped.
The extractor is larger and more pow
erful than the one formerly used, and,
like other parts Of the rifle, has been de-
s.gnc, to save the soldier from the con-
Sequences OF his mistakes, or. rather. to
p,,t ii absolutely out OF his power to MAKE
Il mistake. The German experts declare
that a man labOring under excitement
cannot be safely trusted 10 perform any
complex action calling foi GOODNESS and
discretion. The commones. Dlunder IS 10
double lead a ritie-that s, to attempt
to convey a cartridge ito the hrlnS
chamber before its predecessor mas oeen
got rid Of VITA the new extractor this
will be impossible. The cartridge IN the
firm: chamber. whether fed or ulilred,
gripped by the claws offthe extractor,
moves backward with it. EHhus 1t is I'M
possible to double load
IMPROVED SIGHTS, LOGGER BAYo-
NETS.
"As far as actual shooting goes, the
new model does not differ much from the
model it supersedes. The E-anse is ABOUT
the same, and the weight and compost
ton of the bullet and chage are almost
identical. But in the sighting "A great
change for the better has ben made The
foresight retains the form of a barley
corn, but instead of being attached oil
rectly to the barrel 1T is faSened to a TUBE
OF thin steel, passed over tie muzZie ana
soldered in position. The new backslsht
is a great Improvement. che leaf sight
shorter leaf is altogether H.boished, and
there is only one notch, SO that there is
less chance of confusing tn soldier. Inc
sight is raised by lever,HThich, on the
two side springs being squeezed, travels
automatically along the SIGHT bed. The
first sighting is for 29O andE he second tor
500 metres; then is rises by tifties to 1000
metres.
In view of the opinions expressed in
i; 0- ba
nayonet as an effective wepon, it IS in
teres1tins to note that theH German army
administrators have restorTi this arm TO
its former imposing dimensions In place
of the exa ggerated knife That the Ger
man soldier has carried sine ISL he VIII
in future have a handsome: and truly for
rnidable looking sword basonet. twenty
six inches in length The objection urged
by some marksmen againi the bayonet
is that when fixed it interferes with the
't1iper Of the rife as the bullet leaves the
muzzie and spoils accurate Shooting.
THE German reforners atttmpt to get
over this objection by fixing tie bayonet
by means of a spring catch % the fore
end Of the stock. instead of on he barrel.
lit is fixed below the axis OF tie barrel,
and the cleaning rod passes Trough Il
hollow in the handle. In this way the
balance of the rifle is maintained{and the
ing fighting at close quarters is otviated.
The increased length Of the bayoaat will
make the German soldiers more ;forni-
dable in hand-to- hand fighting, andiit will
also form a handsome side arm when he
is of duty.
..These changes have not been effected
without adding to the weight of the rifle
which, with the bayonet, is nine ponds
fifteen and a half ounces, eleven ard
r1,n, mo-
four ounces lighter than the British gun.
the Lee-Metford.
CHANGES IN THE BARREL.
s.The barrel of the new model has been
revolutionized. Il the IS model the bar
rel is very thin and is backed By casing
of mild steel. The barrel of model IS Is
more substantial. The casing has been
replaced by Il wooden hand guard elgh-
teen inches long, extending from the pach
sight toward the muZzle.
..The barrel is constructed in three conf
cal divisions, tapcring toward the muZ-
zle, and the alterations taken together
have been found by experiment to insure
greater equality of expansion OF The metal
when heated, so that the possibility or re-
tardation of the bullet. which ordinatlly
follows inequality in the expansion OF the
barrel, caused by rapid fire, is reduted
to a minimum. NO change has been
made in the calbre. and the experts cen
suited do not consider any further redlc-
ton desirable, at any rate tor the present
Taking the new model as whole, it
cannot be denied that those responsible
for It's production have done their Wo'k
thoroughly and well. Its construction is
delicate, but strong, and it seems almost
impossible for the soldier to injure 1t ny
any means short of intentional Vloleihe.
rs authors claim-and apparently with
fair amount of justification-that By lis
introduction the German soldier has been
armed with the best military rifle tft
modern science has as yet produced.