Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-09-19
NOISELESS GUN TESTS
Fearful Possibilities Shown by
Hiram P. Maxim'S "SiIencer."
oUIETER THAN A CRICKET

Insects chirp Heard Above Sound Of
Weapon Going Off-InaudibIe at One
Hundred and Fifty Feet-Appliancs
Attached to Service Rifle Met Sue
eessfuIIy Every Trial.
In the presence of committee of
United States army officers Hiram
Percy Maxim, the veteran inventor
recently demonstrated at Springfield,
Mass, beyond all doubt that the noise
less gun which he has contrived is a
success. He proved during the tests
held both in the armory at Springfield
and in the fields near North Wilbra-
ham that his new gun can be fired
within $50 feet<of person without de-
lection by him.
To make clear to the minds OF the
officers the tremendous revolution
which this gun would cause in warfare
Maxim utilized a little cricket which
was found In q bush. The officers
could hear the cricket chirp at dis
lance Of fifty yards. And they heard
1t chirp even when the Maxim gun was
being fired.
Those present at the test. which was
the official government one, were Mr..
Maxim, Major Morton, Captain Allen.
Lieutenant Meals, Henry Southey, city
engineer of Hartford, Conn.,. and six
enlisted men.
The party went to the armory, where
Co I'D
accuracy were conducted. One of the
soldiers, a crack shot with the rifle,
fired the regular army gun several
times, the explosions ringing out above
the noises of the factory where Uncle
Sam makes small arms Then Maxim
adj, ted his ''noiSe killer to the weap-
on.
The sharpShoOter took aim at a tar
get far down the yard and pulled the
trigger. From the white plate. more
than a hundred yards away. there
came a sharp metallic ring. The bullet
had plowed into the steel. but not a
sound excepting Il soft one. as or fin
gers swapping, came from the gun.
Then slowly slight kissing. so slight
as to be hardly audible, was heard,
and the officers looked at one another
IN bewilderment. The soldier who did
the firing looked at the weapon in his
hands and held it from him an instant.
then laughed in a childish way.
The party adjourned to the fields.
Forty regulation cartridges were given
to the marksman. The officers posted
themselves 1000 yards from where the
sharpshooter stood, and he was given
the word to fire. Methodically he sped
bullet after bullet into a distant target
each time the service gun emitting a
roar that was audible 5000 feet away
in the village of North Wilbraham.
After Maxim adjusted the noise
killer the soldier fired again, and
eight times he hit the target. All the
time the officers were coming closer to
him. They could hear the steel projec-
tile smash against the target, but moth
ing else Finally when within $50 feet
of the soldier they heard faint sound.
1t was the hammer of the gun striking
the cartridge. But they heard nothing
more, nor cid they see either smoke or
fire coming from the weapon.
Not coltented, Maxim invited the ex
perts to the lake near North Wilbra-
ham. One of the soldiers was posted
across the water 500 yards distant. A
target was erected near little booth
he occupied. Eight times he heard the
steel jacketed bullet plunge into and
fatten on the disk, but he heard no
other sound, although the place is
wilderness and even the low murmurS
of the town do~not penetrate it.
The officers made calculation and
agree that the gun is "a per cent noise
less. 1t was a moody, cogitating group
that returned to the armOry late in the
day. The men bore no air of triumph.
Each probably was thinking of the
dreadful possibilities shut up in that
little secret device which had been adj
justed to the ordinary service gun.
An idea of the severity of the tests
may he gained from the fact that forty
grains of smokeless powder were used
in each cartridge, charge capable of
hurting a bullet more than 1900 yards
with fatal results.