6—Indicators should be provided to show at all times number of cartridges in the magazine.
7—The loaded cartridges in the magazine should be held by their rims from end thrust, to prevent the bullets from being jammed on to the powder, thus cre ating dangerous pressures.
8—Mechanism should be provided to prevent gases in case of defective primers, or defective shells, coining back into the face of the operator ; or driving any of the firing meetanism into the face of the operator in case of accidental explosion.
9—Simplicity always results from a small number of parts, with as few screws, springs and small pieces as it is possible to have.
to—Since the conditions of military service are such that the soldier may desire to replenish, or complete the loading of the magazine, from which loaded cart ridges may have been drawn or used, it is important that the magazine can be partially charged with loaded shells; so that the gun may be alternately used as a single loader, or as a magazine rifle at the will of the soldier. Mechanism to show whether the gun is cocked, or in safety position should be provided.
t—The gun should be arranged so as to be protected, as much as possible, from inclement weather and dust ; and so built as to be capable of being dis mounted and assembled with ease.
The intensity of the pressures developed in the modern army rifle by the use of the now well-established powders, ranging as they do from 35,000 to 50,000, and even at times with some of these compositions up to 60,000 per square inch, compels the adoption of a much more resistant and resilient material for gun barrels than was required with the older small arms. An elastic limit of approxi mately fifty per cent. higher value and a tenacity of correspondingly greater amount are desirable, united with no lest ductility and resistance to erosion than are displaced by the other steels. These qualities are exceedingly difficult of at tainment with the carbon steels of even the best qualities and produced by the best makers.
It is singular that, as reported by the Chief of Ordnance, the steel: the tests and actually employed in making barrels were, one a Bessemer steel, the other an open hearth, and that none of the crucible steels submitted at that time were satisfactory under test. Of the two used, the Bessemer was rather better than the
open hearth, which is quite opposed to former experience in other fields and to the accepted views of metallurgists, manufacturers and engineers.
The author advocates a .38 caliber, although a .30 caliber has been adopted by substantially all the nations of the world, recently adopting new guns for their armies. Consultation with experts and others familiar with the subject, confirm the conclusions which seem to have led to this particular size of gun and ammu nition, and the conviction that this is about as small a caliber as is on all accounts desirable. Many experienced military rnen besides the author, question whether we have not c.ctually gone too far in reduction of caliber, securing range and pene trative power at a sacrifice of "stopping effect" of greater value.
When the Savage .303 caliber expanding bullets first appeared, they excited some little derision among old sportsmen and hunters, who had always considered the large caliber bullet necessary to secure effective results on large game. Their experience was only with black powder, and their deductions were correct, under those conditions. The immensely increased velocity imparted to these small bul lets by modern smokeless powder is the secret of the enormous sinashing powder of the modern small caliber bullet. The soft nose of the expanding bullet expands on impact with the softest tissues, splitting the jacketed portion, deforming the whole bullet to such an extent that the wound made covers a larger area than ever before seen.
Broadly considered the "bolt system" employed in the author's arms is essen tially foreign; the "lever system" is distinctly American. The "straig-_,ht pull sys tem" is also an American invention. In this gun the trigger-guard and attached working parts slide in a deep channel underneath the rear portion of the stock under and behind the trigger, backward and forvvard as the breach bolt is opened or shut, with a downward straight pull when it is opened and an upward push when it is closed. This novel invention presents new points of unusual interest, but as yet it has not been adequately proved and perfected.