FREEMAN GUN.
This breech-loading rifle has a fixed chamber closed by a movable bleech-block, rotating about a vertical axis at 90 degrees to the axis of the barrel. and lying, ill the plant. (,f the axis of the barrel. It is opened by cocking the piece and pulling back the horn of the breech-block ; and is closed by pushing the horn forward with the right hand, a bevel on the left face of the breech-block. pushing the cartridge home. When locked by the position of the breech-block it is also kept front turn ing by the front segment of the hammer engaging with a correspondinti.; groove in the back of the block. It is fired by a center-lock of the usual pattern.
Extraction is accomplished by a bent lever pivoted below the chamber and struck by the ejector-cam, which, turning with the breech-blocl: in openinc-, the piece. rides over the curved born of the extractor or draws back its upper end, carrying with it the cartridge-shell. Ejection caused by a flat-spring- riding on
a cam formed on the hub of the extractor, and thereby accelerating its action on the cartridge-shell when the latter has been started from its seat in the chamber in the act of openinc- the piece.
This arm has been modified so that the horn of the breech-block, instead of be ing solid with the block, is pivoted to it on a vertical axis, and has its lower portion cam-shaped, with a bearing on the side of frame, , that a lever-power is ob tained in the first movement of opening the piece, when, if at all, the block is likely to stick. The hammer also has a projecting-tooth on its forward surface which engages with a notch in the under side of the firing-pin and retracts it when the hammer is cocked. The point of the firing-pin tnay thus be withdrawn from its impression in the cartridge-head, in order to allow the block to open freely.