Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-24
ARMY ORDNANCE NOTES
INTERESTING DATA IN REGARD
TO RECENT PROGRESS.
Trials Of Three-Inch Model Gun and
Carriage-Sights for Rifles Manu-
featured Of Range Quadrants.

Notes in regard to progress in military
ordnance have been issued at the war De-
partment as follows:
three-inch model gun and carriage. SUD-
mitted by the Ehrhardt Company. with fifty
rounds Of ammunition, for limited trial.
particularly with reference to the breech
mechanism, has been recently tested. Ine
tests have been completed and the material
withdrawn by the company. The preecn
has sliding block which moves TO the
right for opening. The trail is OF box FORM
not collapsible, and has folding SPADE.
Six shots, unaimed fire. were fred In thirty
seconds, and ten shots for rapidly with
accuracy at 1900 yards range In sixty-six
seconds Ten hits were made. we'll grouped
on the vertical target the tf1aA was gem
orally satisfactory.
Tests OF deck armor plate at different
angles Of incidence: At the instance OF the
board of ordnance and fortncatlon TOUR
and-one- half-inch and three-inch tempered
nickel-steel plates have been provided and
will be tested at angles OF impact from ten
degrees upward by firing at them with
eight, ten and twelve-fnch armor-piercing
shell, capped. to determine at what angles
the projectile will bite and enter deck
armor.
A comparison test of fixed and loose
pressure gauges for seacoast guns has been
made These gauges were used in current
firings for 10S rounds. fired from guns OF
eight and sixteen-inch caliber. The results
indicate that where the greatest accuracy
is desired the fixed gauges are to be pre-
ferred to the loose gauges; but when this
is not the case or for the more ordinary
firings at artillery posts the loose gauges.
covered with copper, might properly be
used.
Sights for Rifles.
The model 1901 sight for rife and carbine
has been discontinued. and the model 1902
sight substituted In the new magazine
rife. model Of 1908. this sight will be ap-
piled with bands. but with the present serv-
ice rife and carbine. to avoid the introduce
ton of another model OF sight, It Is to be
applied as was the 1898 sight. with screws.
Caltber 80 cartridge case: To determine
IL the improvement in the quality of the
sheet brass purchased for caliber 30 car
fridge cases would permit of notifications
In manufacture without seriously affecting
the durability Of the cases experiments
were inaugurated in July, 1901, and have
Just been completed. They show conclu-
sively that cases made with one annealing
and three reductions are as durable, II not
more SO. than cases made with three an
nealings and four reductions-the method
at that time employed. The change to tho
simpler method Of manufacture was re-
ported March I, 1902.
Cartridge cases for night practice and
salutfng purposes For night practice and
saluting purposes short cartridge cases
have been adopted for the six and fifteen
FOUNDER rapid-flre guns and the four-inch
II and six-inch rapid-flre Armstrong guns
These cases are just long enough to take
the prescribed saluting charges and wada
and 1t is expected to obtain all the cases
required for the service by cutting down
firing cases turned in.
Tangent Sights.
Rear tangent sights for f1ve-inch breech-
loading rife. siege. are hereafter to be
graduated for range tshelD and range and
time Of flight (shrapneD in addition to pres
ent tangent scale Of degrees. This applies
features. A new design for rear sight for
seven-inch breech-loading howitzer has
been prepared, and ten are being manufac-
tured In this design the vertical standard
carrying the DETECTION scale slide Is pivot
ed and provided with level as In the rear
tangent sights for three-inch two breech-
loading rifle. to permit OF correction for
difference Of level Of wheels Of carriage.
1t Is proposed to graduate these sights for
range and time Of flight, II the necessary
data are in the possession Of the depart
ment.
Telescope sights-The model 1895 M sight
Is being changed SO as to conform in every
essential feature with the model 1897 sight.
The changes consist in new Brashear-Hast-
ings prisms 64-10O-inch. new eyepieces.
power of 8, same as model 1897 sights, and
a drift scale graduated In three-minute
spaces to a distance Of 2 degrees, Is min
utes each side Of center.
Range quadrant-A range quadrant for
the three-inch field carriage, model of
1902 Is being manufactured for trial. 1t
is intended for test at the time of the trial
of the first three-inch carriage, model of
1902.
Drill Primera
The drill primers for seacoast guns with
new model vents and the drill primer outfit
heretofore described are adopted and forty
eight complete outfits are in process OF
manufacture. This outfit is a company
outfit, the post ordnance officer, during
drill periods. allOtting to each company
drilling at guns having vents for this drill
primer one OF these boxes. Each outfit
consists of the necessary parts for 1,5OO
f1rings, together with powder can, charger,
funnel, assembling tool. disassembling tool
and reamer. The outfit box holds every
thing except 1,4OO of the serrated wires
with friction composition which are car
ried separately In Theoretically sealed boxes,
100 to box. A similar drill primer and
outfit box for seacOast guns with old-model
vents has been adopted and the manufac-
ture Of fifty complete outfits ordered.
Traces for artillery harness-Wire traces.
leather-covered. have been adopted for
future manufacture.
Carbine gun sings have been adopted.
Crimper-"Have you seen the missing
link my dear?'