The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-08-01
There is something fascilating about

cay CPIloSuC'oy HAaoo., 1SttCi. cl'
haps it has never killed man. Per.
it will never kill one. Even il it does,
it isn't the only mankiller in the world.
The trolley car 10 good old reliable
along that line. AMI then their are
COWS, banana pecls, yellow fever mos.
quitoes and a raft of evil disposed
microbes.
Almost anything can kill man if it
can get just the right jiu jitsu hold on
his life. But the fascinating thing
about an army gun is that mahkilling
is not mere incident in its career.
1t is its whole end and aim. So when
one looks into its barrel or handles its
cartridges there is what the poet calls
q horrid fascination ABOUT it.
That being the case, even men who
have no notion Of getting in front Of a
gun, or behind one either, may care to
know something about the army rifles
the country makes.
IN tho first place Uncle Sam makes
his own guns. If he should have o
big war on his hands he might be
driven to buying guns made by private
contractors. Otherwise every rifle
used by the regular army or by the
military is made here at SpriDg gficld or
at Rock Island, III.
The history Of the Springfield rifle
is the history Of cunning for the last
century. The armcry was started here
in 170l but the first records Of the
guns made here begin in 1884.
Though at that time we were rather
on the outer fringe of the world We
were up to date in our army guns.
The first recorded model made at
Springfield was a French fintlock,
smooth bore musket, known as tho
Charlvillc model.
So far as looks went it was rather
formidable, having barrel about three
feet long and bayonct almost as
big as sword. AS matter Of fact,
though this muskct-which was es-
sentially tho same rs tho one with
which American independence vas
gaincd-was less deadly than it look
ed.
No wondcr the men of Bunker Hill
we're told to hold their fire until they
could sec the whites of the enemy's
eyes. Their guns couldn't be depend
ed on for much longer range. Be.
yond eighty yards the aim was hit or
miss; chiefly miss. at eco yards this
type Of gun couldn't be depended on
to hit anything even in a massed COM
pauy.
This model was in use for about
forty yeafs, but it was greduslly i'm
proved oy the care aud hnuiohh In MAX
ing, until in 1905 our remarkable gun.
merry actually led the English to send
commission over here to try to learn
something from US, thing which they
have been doing every, since. ~. -.
."Lieht. Warlen,'+ they reported,
shaving heard that good. shooting
could be made at 200 yards with the
United States service musket and
knowing that the English musket was
useless at that distance 40 far as 40.
ouraoy was concerned, went 10 Cover.
nor's Island TO end out. il Major
Tornton could arrange q day for some
practice at that distance" ...,:. r.. -,
Imagine our pride at being able to
show. of our long range shooting to the
hated British! tHoweve, they got
ahead Of US in the first. big stride .of
Improvement in the old musket. :.,> !.
1t seems rather queer that It was
an English clergyman who first paten. :.
ed percussion process for exploding
gunpowder. His name was Forsyth,
and his patent, issued in 1907 vas on
the use Of . potassium chiorate mig.
ture. .-.yE.::s >s.: -, !. & (. ,};$: ;
From that time on for forty years
inventors all over the cisilised world
were constantly experimenting with:
percussion guns, but it was not until
1912 that this governments accepted q
model Of this type. The 6rst porous.
sion gums manufactured By tbia gov.
eminent were made in 1914 isnd we're
followed by ten years Of gradual .ims
provement along that ore lin. s2 ;;,, Is
The next radical change was TO the
rife musket. .s ST s5.} .a;. : :s s E3s,
Rifles we're not new. They had been
used for yeara in this country and
abroad for; special military; olganisa.q
tions, but they were not very sstisfao.
tory, \ us i s I: j. :: \ ;s:s & M .$ s; So
/ L So far back. as the end ,of the SSeeigh !:
fnan AZ a an krsrv 81 q !. ~, :, x..,,