RELOADING SHELLS.
In 1866, when the manufacture of the service-cartridge was commenced at t'rankford Arsenal, Philadelphia, Pa., little or nothing was known as to how a good reliable cartridge could be made. To explain the difficulties which had to be overcome at every step, the machines to be invented to do the work uniformly, accurately and economically, would fill a large volume. It can be said, however, that through the combined efforts of the officers in command of Frankford Arsenal, Philadelphia, and the National Armory, Springfield, Mass., a cartridge was produced which would reflect credit upon any nation. Up to the present titne this cartridge, perfected and modified, has been the service cartridge for breech-loading small-arms and machine guns. With the invention and adoption of breech-loading small-arms and metallic cartridge shells, heavier and more uniform charges of powder were introduced, giving greater range and accuracy. This was followed by a de sire and necessity for soldiers becoming trained marksmen. To meet econom ically the demand for an increased expenditure of ammunition thus produced, reloading. shells were used. Until this demand came such shells had not been made to any extent at Frankford Arsenal, although a plan for nmking them had been worked up at that post which has since been quite generally adopted by all manufacturers, of reloading shells in this country, and also abroad by several nations, viz., malcing a pocket in the head of the shell formed in the continuous metal from which it is drawn. and into which a primer could be inserted from the exterior. Reloading shells have generally been made of brass, and are now so made to a great extent. This metal possesses sufficient elasticity, but is wanting in durability, as experience has proved.
The Bridgeport tool for exterior extraction of the exploded primer, and specially adapted to the "Berdan" shells, may be used for all cartridges; but the primer punch for central-vent shells is the more simple and positive in its action. If the wire of the extractor should break, extra ones are supplied with each set of tools, and are put in by unscrewing the plug in the head of the extractor, driving out the broken pin with the new one in the direction of the head, the hole being tapered, dropping in the new pin at the head, and replacing the screw plug.
The shells, whether old or recently fired, should always, if possible, be cleaned of the powder residue, etc., by immersion and agitation in hot water. Cold water will clean them, but hot water is a better solvent, and the shells dry more quickly when taken out of it. When circumstances render it impos sible or inconvenient to use water, the brush wiper may be used for brushing out the residuum left in the shell by the combustion of powder and fulminate. After cleaning, examine the shell to ascertain if it shows signs of rupture. These may generally be seen at the head, the mouth, or as transverse or lon gitudinal marks on the body. The shell is next forced into the (lie for resiz ing, using the mallet if necessary, striking fairly and squarely on the head of the shell, so as to avoid bending or distorting its flange. The outside of the shell or inside of the die should be oiled to facilitate the entrance of the shell and prevent abrasion. It is driven out by means of the punch inserted in the die and shell. This last operation is likely to cause a bur on the mouth of the shell, which would deface the bullet if not removed. For this purpose the scraper is supplied. Insert it about d'.5 into the shell, held in left hand, scraper in right; give the shell and scraper a half-turn in opposite directions, bearing with the scraper only hard enough to take off the bur. The handle of scraper and axis of shell should be kept nearly parallel to each other to avoid thinning the mouth of the shell. Although the shell may be fired sev eral times without resizing, this operation is considered necessary after each round, otherwise the shell will be unduly expanded by successive rounds, and eventually fail to enter the gun-chamber; after which the extra force re luired to resize it might prove injurious to the metal.