BURGESS MAGAZINE GUN.
This gun belongs to that system in which a fixed chamber is closed by a bolt, sliding in front along the axis of the barrel, and operated by a lever from below. The bolt is a single piece, the rear of which serves as a guide to its motion by sliding in grooves on the inner surface of the receiver. The bolt is locked by the interposition of a portion of the breech-block lever, between its head and the rear of the receiver. The firing-pin, which is in this portion of the lever, passes through the pivot and prevents it moving either way. The firing-pin is retained in the lever by a screw. The ejector lies in a groove across the front of the bolt, just below the firing-pin hole; its rear terminates in a split spring, which, by fric tion against the side of an under-cut groove in tire side of the bolt, retains it in position. The ejector is driven forward against the under side of the head of the cartridge, when the lever is thrown open by its rear striking against a shoulder on the inner rear surface of the receiver. The bottom opening in the receiver is closed by a plate, called the lever-guide; its rear is terminated by a piece, the tenon of which enters a corresponding mortise in the plane. An elongated hole in the
tenon, through which passes tire pin connecting the pieces, permits motion of the smaller part to and from the plate. A spiral spring is comprised between the two pieces. The motion of the lever in and closing is a sliding one. The carrier is pivoted on two short screws through the sides of the receiver. It is op erated by a hooked projection on the bolt-head. which, sliding under it, supports it until the forward motion of the lever is nearly completed, when, by striking against the surfaces, the carrier is rotated about the pivot-screws, its front de scending opposite the mouth of the magazine, which is in the tip-stock. The hammer is cocked by the backward motion of the bolt when the lever is thrown forward. The piece is fired by a center lock of the usual pattern. The magazine is loaded through a side cover in the receiver. No wiping-rod is provided, and there is no cut-off to the magazine. As a magazine gun three 'notions are neces sary to operate it, viz., opened, closed, fired. As a single-loader four motions are necessary, viz., open, loaded, closed, fired. This gun carries to cartridges in the magazine and one in the chamber.