The Washington times., 1901-11-20
NEW AUTOMATIC PISTOL.
Weapon Can he Fired Five Times
Per Secnnh.

The call for perfect automatic rife by
those English critics who are dissatisfied
with the achievements OF Lord Kitchener
In South Africa may perhaps be an
swered in few years in America. where
an entirely new repeating system has
been put on the market in the shape of
the new Colt automatic pistol
The action of this tack-hammer shaped
pistol is automatic, except that the trig-
ger is pulled for firing each shot IT can
be discharged at the rate of five shots
per second, the cartridges being automat-
iCally supplied from 4 detachable ma ga
zine inserted in the handle from below.
one opening movement is made by hand,
bringing the first cartridge into the cham
ber all these operations taking place au-
tOmatically without any manipulation of
the arm.
This automatic operation is effected by
the reCOil of the moving parts, ana as
consequence the recOil is SO absorbed in
being utilized that it has not the usual
disturbing effect. The pistol is nine inch-
es long and weighs thirty-hve ounces. The
barrel is six inches long. 1t shoots .5S-
calibre rimless, smokeless, metal-patched
bullet.
The three main Parts of pistol are the
receiver the barrel and the slide, the lat
ter covering the barrel like an inverted
caves trough, Which gives the arm . rath-
er clumsy appearance. The top Uf the re-
ceiver extends forward from the handle
and to it the barrel is attached by two
short links which allow it TO swing back
ward. This recoil of the barrel in uni
son with the top slide carries the barrel
slightly downward. but keeps ITS longl-
tudinal axis parallel.
Below the barrel the receiver has a
tubular seat for the retractor spring,
which forces the slide TO its forward po-
sition while a stin recOil spring serves TO
receive any excess of TeCOll of the slide.
The ton surface of the receiver and two
grooves on its sides form the seat for the
slide. which is guided thereon In IT'S rear
and forward movements. On the barrel
are three transverse ribs, which lock in
three grooves of the slide when in their
forward or closed position. The slide has
an opening on the right side for the e1ec-
ton of the empty shells, and the bolt is
provided with an extractor and hring
pin.
which the cartridges are placed upon the
follower. which is acted upon by a spring
dressing upward The magazine can be
loaded with any number of cartridges
from on> to seven, and after 1t is in place
the slide is drawn to the rear by hand.
and thus the hammer is cooked and the
topmost cartridge brought into the path
OF the bolt When tn slide is released
IL is carried forward by the retractor
spring. and at the same time the bolt
places the cartridge in the chamber As
the slide approaches its forward position
the front of the bolt encounters the rear
end of the barrel and furce3 the barrel
forward The barrel at the same tive
swings inward on the links, and its top
ribs are thus locked into the recesses Of
the slide The barrel and slide are now
tightly interlocked and the pistol is ready
for firing
A null on the trigger fires the shot
The explosion acts backward against the
bolt overcoming the inertia Of the slide
and the tension Of the retractor spring
and the slide and barrel recnil together
After moving rearward together for a
distance, enough to allow the bullet to
leave the EaToi. the downward swinging
movement of the barrel releases it from
the slide leaving the barrel in its rear
most position. The slide continues its
backward movement, thereby cooking the
hammer and cOmpresslng the retractor
spring. Wien II has arrived at its rear
most posit.rr the empty shell is elected
from the side Of the pistol and another
cartridge - raised in front of the bolt
During the return or forward movement
Of the slide caused by the retractor
spring the cartridge is placed I'm the
chamber and the slide and barrel are
lntcrlocked as before These operations
may be continued as long as there are
cartridges in the magazine. each dis
charge requiring only the slight pull of
The little arm is provided with the
usual safetics against premature dis
charges. and the price is So. The patent
is issued to Browning.
1t would b. interesting to know the re.
suits Of this system when applied to an
arm the size OF an ordinary sporting or
army rife. The idea of barrel moving
on hinges seems ridiculous at first
thought but all inventions have been in
vested by doubt At first, ana the recolling
barrel that looks like a worm in its
chrysalis may yet revolutioniZe the equip
ment Of the worlds Observation-Disclosures
Sentinel