The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-09-26
SPEED or A SHOT
Finding the Velocity of a Missile
a Simple Matter.
MEASURED BY A PAPER DRUM.
The WhirIins Cylinder Registers the
Projectile's Flight With Minute Ac-
curacy at Any Desired Distance.
Wing Shots and Shot Charges.

Persons at all interested in gun firing
OF any kind, whether OF the revolver
or rifle or of heavy ordnance of any
kind, occasionally come upon the term
"muzzle velocity" and velocities of the
missile at stated distances.
How can anybody tell how fast a
bullet is travelling when 1t leaves the
muzzle of weapon is likely COM
ment OH the part of the layman.
AS matter OF fact this approximate
Velocity of the missile may be one of
The easiest of determinations to make.
In the first place, drumlike cylinder
is made of fixed diameter and of suf
ficiently stif paper to allow of its re-
volving rapidly on n spindle. Using a
cylinder of small circumference, it is
necessary that the speed approach
1000 revolutions minute. These rev.
olutions are produced by electric pow
er, and the count Is made by an exact
mechanical register.
The gun is placed securely at the re-
quired distance from the drum and is
sighted directly at the center of the
cylinder, which is spinning at SO
many rods, even miles, minute, as
Its circumference determines. With
the drums speed adjusted an electric
current discharges the weapon, the
bullet striking the center Of the drum
as measured from top to bottom.
The reader understands that with the
drum stationary the bullet would pass
directly through 1t on the line of Its
diameter, coming out on the other side
with scarcely a shade OF impeachment.
With the drums periphery whirling at
the rate of 1000 revolutions a minute
and Its diameter only fraction more
than a foot this would mean rate OF
1000 yards in sixty seconds. Thus in
the fragment Of second necessary for
the bullet to enter one side of the pa
per drum, cross 1t and out at the other
side the opposite side of the drum
would show considerable deviation
from an exact diameter of line of pas
sage
1t is this space Of detection shown
inside the further rim of the drum that
Is used for the computation of velocity
of the missile. The speed of the cylin.
der may be computed to the ten thou
sdndth part Of a second If necessary
and the lineal distance run In that time
be, charted In perpendicular lines OH
the inner side Of the paper. At what
ever line the bullet penetrates outward
It registers it's time in crossing the
diameter of the cylinder. If it has re-
quired the ten-thOusandth part Of a
second for the bullet to fly one foot its
muzzle velocity to the mile may be
computed by any schoolboy. By the
same process, too. the bullets velocity
ut 100 yards or 500 yards may be de-
termined.
Years ago before wing shooting had
become an art the farmer with his
muzzle loading shotgun and charge of
black powder would shoot directly at a
wild goose or duck in full flight. He
evolved theory of his own as to the
Oncoming bird, holding that the heavy
breast feathers turned" the shot. He
waited until the bird had passed him
when, firing directly at 1t, he could
bring down his quarry.
But It was not because the bird was
not vulnerable, coming breast on.
The fact was that 1t edw over his
charge OF shot. Before he could pull
the trigger and the hammer fell on
the percussion cap and the compara-
lively slow black powder could be ig-
nited and exploded. sending the shot
twenty-five or thirty yards, the bird
had flown yards perhaps beyond its
position when the fowler first touched
the trigger. But firing directly at the
| bird after it had passed the shot
charge had strong tendency to droI
as 1t flew, and the bird flying on q
level line "got in the way" OF tht
charge.
Today the modern nitro powders are
immensely quicker than was the ole
black gunpowder, yet 1t has been al
engineering problem TO determine JUS
how fast and In what line charge o.
shot win travel. In this determine
tion the revolving drum device has
buOWH SeVcTdL lmpOrtduJ luctb WHiCi
have been taken in connection will
the speed OF individual game bird
and the effects OF windage ON sho
charge.
That most important fact as to tn,
flight of shot from n modern shotgun
is that ut forty yards the shot arr
''strung out" for approximately fifteei
feet. While the leading pellets in th
stripg have greatest velocity and kill
ing power. at this distance even tn
trailing pellets are OF sufficient fore
to kill
All this has led to the modern prac
tice of the fowler to reckon with tn
speed OF his shot. the speed of tn
bird, the influence of the wind Il
drifting" the charge, and out o
these established facts to lead" tn
bird sufficiently to kill 1t rather thai
main and cripple it,-Marvin Holto
IN Chicago Tribune.
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The Other National Game.
Mrs. Galley (as Galley arrives HON
Mt O a. m.)-.Well, what in the worl