Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-04-19
THE NEW ARMY RIFLE.
American Military Experts Say 1t Is
The Best Weapon Made.

states army mas autnoriZeu tHe ioiio"
ing:
American troops are armed with q
faster firing and more accurate rifle
than used by the Germans, according
to our expert designers, manufac-
turers and marksmen. One military
critic and writer edward c. Cross
mani claims that the German Mauser
does not permit the most skilled user
to get more than SO per cent Of the
| firing speed Of the modified Enfield
| adopted for the United States service.
II 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 be-
ing equal. two rifiemen to the enemy's
| one. Hence to make two bullets hy
where one flew before has been one OF
the main objects sought in gun design
since organized fighters found q more
effective way to battle than the prim-
tive stage of throwing missiles at
one another.
The superiority claimed for the
American weapon Is supported on
three counts: Quicker firing as a re-
suit of bolt handle design: easier
and quicker sighting as result OF
sight design: greater accuracy Of
bullet flight as result OF bullet de-
sign and greater mechanical accu-
racy OF chamber and bore. In both
the attack and defense Of trench po-
sitions the rifles are fired without re-
moving them from the shoulder at a
rate called rapid fire." which Is the
most rapid rate Of magazine fire con-
sistent with quick accuracy. When
the Mauser rifle, with which the Ger
man troops are now armed. was de-
signed in 1898 no one could fresee
the development Of rapid fire" from
the shoulder which followed and the
necessity for which Is emphasized by
present trench warfare.
Bolt Handle in Modern Rifles.
In all modern rifles a bolt handle"
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 shell, thrust home
another cartrldge-all done by move
ments of the bolt handle"-and
then push the bolt handle" into the
position which again locks the cart
ridge in the chamber. Thus the posi-
ton Of this bolt handle" in reference
to the trigger is Of great Importance
to rapidity Of fire. The Mauser rifle
has the bolt handle" projecting hori-
zontally from the rifle, so that in
rfitYetRfffg ftYtRffg The boft for firing the indux
or trigger finger Is left several inches
above the trigger.
When the United States rifle. model
Of 1903 (populary called the Spring
field) was designed, the length OF the
barrel was reduced form 80 to "a
inches so that the rifle thus short
ened could be used by both infantry
and cavalry. The carbine had been
carried by the cavalry for years in
leather scabbard attached to the
side OF the saddle. 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 1t locks n little In
front of it. 1t was little realized at
the time what great advantage this
design would ultimately result in.
In the United States rifle, model Of
1917 (popularly called the Modified
Enfield). the bolt handle Is bent not
only down but also about an inch to
the rear so that upon locking the bolt
for firing the index finger Is guided
naturally into position 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. The contrast in the posi-
tion Of the sights in the two rifles Is
best illustrated by a simple example.
II a pencil Is held between the eye
and q door knob 1t 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 displacement in the posi-
ton of the pencil. Assume the pencil
to be the position Of the rear sight
of a gun and the door knob the front
sight; the nearer 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 modified Enfield and SPRING
field rifles are placed nearer to the
eye Of the firer than in the case of
the Mauser rifle. The rear sight on
the Mauser is placed we'll forward of
the receiver on the barrel, while the
rear sight on the Springfield is placed
right against the front end Of the re-
ceiver. The modified Enfield has the
rear sight on the rear end OF the
receiver, Immediately in front Of the
eye Of the flrer.
The modified Enfield is also pro-
vided with a large open peep near
the eye, through which the eye easily
looks and quickly and automatically
centres itself in aiming. This large
open peep" combined with Its rear
ward position. gives a good field OF
view, permitting the rife to be quick
ly pointed at an advancing enemy.
Incidentally, the rearward position OF
the rear sight on the modified Enfield
rifle lengthens the sighting radius Cor
distance between the front and rear
sights). resulting in increased ac-
| curacy. 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 bull
let Is Of a peculiar shape, such that
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