There are several varieties of solid heads, as the Hotchkiss, the Dutch, the United States Cartridge Company's, etc. The head, here, is re-enforced by using a thick sheet-metal strip to form the case, and leaving sufficient stock in the head, in drawing the case, to flow out and form the flange solidly. That this is effective in making a very strong case is unquestionable; its manufac ture requires sonic heavier plant for operations; its cost in metal and produc tion is somewhat greater; and it is believed that the head is unnecessarily strong for the present work required by well-constructed breech-loading small-arms.
Experience, it is believed, has fully demonstrated that, in order to insure the best results in service, our small Army should be furnished with the most approved arms and material practicable. To effect this. the careful selection of an excellent (the best if it can be determined upon, for the chief trouble of such a selection seems to be from embarras de richesse in this branch of in vention) system of breech-loading rifle small-arm, and suitably working effi cient ammunition for the service of the sarn, is pre-eminently desirable.
If, from the abundance of good things to be chosen from, the difficulty of selection can be overcome, the rest, with adequate appropriations, is com paratively easy. A prime essential of such manufacture should be the insti tution of a rigorous standard from which there should not be the slightest de parture, except by competent authority. Especially should this apply to the chamber of the gun or seat of the cartridge, the dimensions of which should be invariably fixed, and the greatest nicety of finish and adjustment of breech mechanism insisted upon. ln other words. the chambers should, within the limits of mechanical construction, be of the same dimensions, to the thou sandth of an inch, both for the body of the cartridge and its flange or head, The seat of the extractor should not occupy any part whatever of the body (.4 the chamber, and its surface should be as smooth as it is possible to make it. The depth of the flange recess of the chamber should only be sufficiently. deeper than the thickness of the head of the cartridge to be employed in it to allow for the easy closing of the breech-lock, the small variations of thickness of metal from which the ease is made, and of necessary manufacture. A dif ference of o'..ot is believed to be ample for all purposes; its diameter may be at least C.o3 larger than that of the cartridge-head, which should itself be great enough to allow a secure hold to the extractor. All the angles of the chamber should be slightiy rounded. The length of the chamber should be but a fey, hundredths ( Itniger than that of the e3se of the eartri4,-,e, and its thr..at, seztt of the projecting part of tl-e bullet. should be accur ately attended to, so that, with the cartridge in situ, the breech-block being closed, it should always occupy the same relative position with respect to its bearings in the chamber, and the bullet have the smallest necessary distance to move before eng2g-ing the grooves of the barrel, which engagement should be well advanced heiotre ele bullet is free from the case, to insure tha,t it will start with its axis in the direction of the axis of the barrel. The expansion of
the case in firing should immediately shut off escape of gas around its body to the rear—the only limits in difference of diameter of chamber and case allcwable being those necessary to insure the required ease in loading, and there should be no fouling of the chamber in firing ball-cartridges.
A little reflection will convince all that an invariable chamber is tilt! prime essential to the proper performance of the cartridge, assuming, of course, that the latter is also as carefully made. This once obtained, let us insist on 1.11,..• case of the cartridge fitting- as closely as practicable—the limit of variation allowable being only the very small unavoidable range of thickness in metal strips, and a reasonable life or wear of dies and punches necessary to the production of ammunition by the quantity. These degrees of perfection can be obtained only by the adoption and preservation of exact standard gauges, by frequent and every-day careful inspection of material and work, and ing the attention of mechanics directed to the necessity of constant watchful ness over and frequent verification of their tools, dies and punches, in current use to insure the desired nicety. WithiMi this constant care in keeping up to the standard, work. however satisfactorily and successfully inaugurated, will soon Mk' indifferent.
In the multi-ball cartridge two or more bullets or pieces of lead are sub stituted for the ordinary bullet, with the idea of doing more execution at short ranges. The following advantages are claimed for the encased multi ball cartridge as manufactured by Merwin, Hulbert & Co.: 1. No leading of barrel by any number of discharges. 2. At each discharge the casing acts•as the cleaner and lubricates the barrel. 3. The lubricated case taking the rifling gives an easy transit of balls and accuracy of flight. 4. The lubri cant is preserved under the different ordinary degrees of temperature. 5. By the centrifugal force given to the casing and balls by the rifling:, the casing is thrown off after leaving the barrel, the balls diverge or separate nearly equal to the front of three men at about one hundred yards distance. 6. The multi (or three-ball) cartridge in its effective (or destructive) results at each discharge at short range is nearly equal to three separate discharges by a breech-loader throwing, one ball. 7. The cartridge is firmly constructed and will withstand rough usage of actual service and preserve its uniformity of shape. 8. Continuous (and rapid) firing without requiring the barrel to be cleaned. 9. Preservation of powder. The casing as an insulator prevents galvanic action between the metallic shell and balls, which chemical action in time would deteriorate the powder. io. The casings are made, the balls placed and secured firmly therein, separate from the metallic shells and can be transported in bulk or otherwise without injury and attached to the loaded metallic powder case when desirable (or at reloading of shells).