Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1913-07-10

ven the operating materials, such as
ool, grease, oil and soaps. In this
DOM we see expert chemists and met
llurglsts with their test tubes, scales,
5unsen burners, retorts, tensile ma
hines, microscopes and other scientific
cooking apparatus busily hunting for
defects.
For example, one marker is examin-
ing a supply of cupro nickel such as
is used In jackcting certain bullets. A
corner Of each strip is first bent over
ut right angles, then back In the other
direction until it is doubled, then
Strengthened. 1t does not show the
slightest sign of breaking or cracking
in spite Of the severe treatment; there.
fore it is perfect. Let but the least
flaw appear and the shipment is re-
jected
Just read this little summary of one
stage only in the inspection of empty
shells:
SHOT SHELLS are received by in
spection department after the heads
tubes, bodies, primers and battery cups
have been carefully examined, gagged,
sized and tested They are then
"First.-Gauged for body diameter
in chamber gauges.
Second. Gagged for head thickness
and head diameter, and If any quantity
of these defects be found all shells in
inspection department Of that particU
lar brand are returned to manufactur.
ing department TO be either corrected
or scrapped.
Third. Primers carefully examined
Fourth Entire shell examined for
any blemish which might mar the gen
cral appearance. Slight scratches on
head or spots on bodies are sufficient
causes for their rejection. The aver
age consumer would be unable to de
termine in many cases, If shown our
scrap pile, why the shells In question
had been rejected"
Similarly metallic cartridges must
have shells gagged for size of pocket,
heads gagged for diameter, shells care
fully inspected inside and out for flaws
dents and buckled necks. primer peck.
cts examined for shape and condition
shells gagged for length, shells gagged
in chamber gauge for body diameter,
necked shells gagged for profile and dis.
lance from head, shells examined fol
depth of primer seating condition OF
anvil and exploded primer and shells
finally gone over for general defects
that may have escaped other inspec.
tons.
Weighing Bullets.
In the same spirit workers with deli
cate scales, like those you see in o
druggists prescription department, are
weighing the bullets carefully, one by
one. hour after hour, day after day,
giving all their thought and attention
to this one thing, while other employ.
ees explode about 100000 primers a
year in testing their sensltlyeness
The loaded shells and cartridges go
through series of gauges and tests
seemingly unnecessary after all that
have preceded the loading For exam.
pie, 1t does look a little wasteful to
see men take shells ut random from
the various loading machines and
packing tables IN order to cut them up
and examine the contents. When we
learn that q half million perfectly
good shells are thus destroyed each
year 1t impresses us rs painstaking
run mad, but it helps to explain why
there are no mislires In your U NJ @
box.
Testing For All the World.
And then at last come the shooting
tests. Five hundred thousand rim fire
cartridges, 100000 center fire car.
trldges and 100000 loaded shells must
still be sacrificed on the various shoot
ing ranges each year In order to study
velocity, intensity OF sound, penetra.
ton, pressure and shot PATTERN; also
the mushrooming qualities OF soft
point bullets and the rigldity of those
with metal cases. Each of these points
In what is known rs the "balistlc"
work has special experts and APP
paratus. There Is no guesswork any
where.
How Shot is Made.
How many Of our readers have ever
seen a shot tower? The great building
at Bridgeport, Of solid masonry, metal
and concrete, is sight worth miles of
travel. Two large iron cylinders de.
sccnd In the center, coming down
through the ceiling from above. We
are invited TO look through an open
port in one of these.
Raining Shot.
We see nothing but the whltened
opposite well, against which light
burns.
1t appears absolutely empty, though
within 1t Is raining such a swift show.
err OF invisible metal that If we were
to stretch our hands into the apparent
ly vacant space they would be torn
from our arms.
A large water tank below is churned
into foam with the impact Of the fall.
ing shot and as we look downward we
make out finally the haze Of motion
1t Is so interesting that we take the
elevator and rise ten stories to the
source of the shower.
Here high in the air are the large
caldrons where many pigs of lead, with
the proper alloy, are melted into q
sort of metallic soup. This Is fed into
small compartments containing sleeves
or screens, through the meshes Of
which the shining drops appear and
then plunge swiftly downward.