Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-11
ENFIELD RIFLE A
SUPERIOR WEAPON
Fires Two Bullets. 1t Is ClaimL
Where the German Mauser
Fires but One.

a faster firing and more accurate
rife than used by the Germans, &C
cording to our expert designers,
manufacturer and marksmen. One
military critic and writer, Edward
iC. Crossman, claims that the Ger
man Mauser does not permit the
most skilled user to get more than
so per cent of the 1ring speed OF
the modified Enfield adopted Tor
the United States service.
If the rapidity of fire of one
army's rifle is twice that of the
weapon used by enemy rifiemen,
and the forces numerically the
same strength. the former has in
effect, other things being equal,
two rif1emen to the enemy's one.
Hence to make two bullets fly
where one few before has been
one of the main objects sought in
gun design since organized fighters
found a more effective way to bat
tie than the primitive stage Of
throwing missiles at one another.
The superiority claimed for the
American weapon is supported on
three counts: % Quicker firing as
a result of bolt-handle design; %
easier and quicker sighting as a
Iresult of sight design; 49, greater
ACCURACY of bullet fight as a re-
suit of bullet design, and greater
mechanical accuracy of chamber
and bore Each of these points is
explained hereafter
"a In both the attack and de-
Tense of trench positions the rifles
are fred without removing them
from the shoulder at a rate called
rapid fire." which is the most rap
id rate of magazine fire consistent
with quick accuracy.
When the Mauser rife, with
which the German troops are now
armed, was designed in 1898, no
one could foresee the development
Of rapid fire. from the shoulder
which followed. and the necessity
for which is emphasized by pres
ent-day trench warfare.
In all modern rifles a bolt han
die" is used to lock the cartridge
in the chamber for firing After
each shot the right hand must leave
the trigger. grasp the bolt handle,
unlock the bolt, eject the empty
hell, thrust home another cartridge
all done by movements of the bolt
handle-and then push the bolt
handle into the position which again
locks the cartridge in the chamber.
Thus the position of this bolt han
die in reference to the trigger is
of great Importance to rapidity Of
fire.
The Mauser rife has the bolt
handle projecting horizontally from
the rife so that. in locking the bolt
for firing, the index or trigger fin
ger is left several inches above the
trigger,
When the United States rife
| (model of 1903, popularity called the
Springfeld) was designed, the
length of the barrel was reduced
from 80 to "a inches, so that the
rife thus shortened could be used
by both infantry and cavalry. The
carbine had been carried by the
cavalry for years in leather scab-
hard attached to the side of the sad
die. To allow the Springfield rifle
to go readily into a scabbard and
to protect its rear sight the bolt
handle was bent down toward the
trigger so that ii locks a little in
front of it It was little realized
at the time what great advantage
this design would ultimately result
in.
In the United States rife (model
CT 1917, popularity called the modi-
fed Enfield the bolt handle is bent
not only down, but also about an
inch to the rear so that upon lock-
ing the bolt for firing the index
finger is guided naturally into po-
sition for firing. This feature was
adopted from the British Enfield
rifle, model Of 1914, as made in
America for Great Britain. The
speed of firing thus gained is con-
siderable
90 The contrast in the position
Of the sights in the two rifles is
best illustrated by a simple exam
pie. If a pencil is held between the
eye and door knob it may be seen
that the farther the pencil from
the eye the greater the movement
of the head necessary TO cause an
equal amount OF lateral displace-
ment in the position of the pencil.
Assume the pencil to be the position
of the rear sight of a gun and the
L.
er the rear sight to the eye the
slighter movement of the head
brings the eye in position to sight
the gun.
The rear sights on both the mOdi-
fled Enfield and Springfield rifles
are placed nearer to the eve of the
frer than in the case of the Mauser
rife The rear sight on the Mauser
is placed well forward of the re
ceiver on the barrel. while the rear
sight on the Springfield is placed
g right against the front endso of the
receiver. The modified Enfield has
the rear sight on the rear end of
the receiver Immediately in front
of the eye Of the frer.
The modified Enfield is also pro-
vided with large open peep" near
the eye, through which the eve cas-
lily looks and quickly and automat-
ically centers itself in aiming. This
large open peep combined with
its rearward position gives a good
held of view, permitting this rife
10 be quickly pointed at an ad-
vancing enemy. Incidentally the
rearward position of the rear sigh1
on the modified Enfield rifle length
ems the sighting radius tor distance
between the front and rear sights1
resulting in increased accuracy.
80 The weight of the Mauser
bullet is slightly greater than that
OF the United States bullet and the
bullet is propelled at a somewhat
greater velocity; but the Mauser
tHrf Lot fe