RUSSIAN BERDAN RIFLE.
This Americanized breech-loading arm has a fixed chamber closed by a mov able breech-block, which rotates about a horizontal axis at nineh degrees to the axis of the barrel, lving above the axis of the barrel. and in front. The piece is opened by drawing back the locking-bolt to its full extent, thereby cocking the piece, and then throwing the breech-block upward and forward by the handle on its side. It is closed by shutting the breech-block, and is locked by the friction of the rear face of tbe breech-block against the recoil-shoulder on the locking-bolt guide, against which the longitudinal motion of the hinge-strap slide, to which the block is attached, allows it bodily to slide under the influence of the discharge. It is also held in place by the entrance of the locking-bolt into the counter-bore of the firing-pin hole %viten the piece is fired. In drawing back the locking-bolt to open the piece it compresses the spiral mainspring- which surrounds it, and riding over the point of the spring-sear is caught by it and retained against the tension of the mainspring when the support of the hand is withdrawn. When released through the trigger in the usual way it is impelled against the firing-_,-pin, and so discharges the piece. Extraction is accomplished by an extractor s'.vinging on the joint-screw and struck above its center of motion by tlte forward encl of the breech-block near the completion of its movement in opening. Ejection is caused by accelerating the movement of the extractor by the ejector-spring.
It is the aim of the Savage Arms Company to manufacture the most perfect and best finished rifle on the market. Such parts as have been improved in the new model are so constructed that they are inter changeable in the Model 1895, therebymaking it possible, when it is desired, for the owners of 1895 models to procure the improved parts and thus change their 1S95 models into the present improved arm, Figure 1. The Savage rifle is a six-shot repeater of light weight. The day has passed when sportsmen re signedly overload themselves with heavy gulls, when every ounee, toward the end of a long tramp, feels like pounds. The projecting hammer is eliminated. The ham mer, once the most ornamental part of the gun and the pride of the gunsmith, has had its day, as well as its countless victims. The latest and best shot guns and revolvers are hammerless. The demand is for a hammer less rifle.
The action is easily dismounted and assembled. One of the many valuable features is the concentric arm of the finger-leter which operates the working portions of the rifle, and at all times protects the trigger from being accidentally operated. Another point of superiority is the operation of the finger-lever, which on its backward movement compresses the main spring nail cocks the en closed hanuner, thus pressing the rifle to the shoulder and steadying the aim. The movement of the finger-le•er is short, and to operate it requires little power. The maga zine is not a tube nor a box, but is circular in form, and is located within the protecting steel walls of the receiver, giving perfect immunity from accidents occasioned through the bullet of one cartridge impinging tqem the primer of another; this arrangement insures a perfect balance of the arm wit hunt reference to the number of the cartridges in the magazine. Another important feature of the rifle is
the alit ()mat ic ent-otin, siniple device which retains the magazine cartridges in reserve when the aunt is used as a single loader; on omitting to place a cartridge in the breech Opening, the automalie cut-off allows a cartridge the magazine to be fed up into the chamber. The arm is a combined rapid-firing magazine and single-load img rifle.
Six different cartridges, shown in Figure 2. each adapted to a different use, Call be fired in the same rifle without any change or adjust ment. The rifle is equally adapted for killing the largest as well as the small est game, and shoots well at either short or long range. Numbers -I and 6 are used for short ranges and in places where it would not be safe to fire full charges.
The ejection of the discharged shell is positive, the shell being thrown to the right of the operator, the operation being accomplished by moving the lever downward. If the operator desires to use the gun as a single loader, lie must place a cartridge in the breech opening and then bring the lever baek ward ; this movement carries that cartridge into the chamber, breeches up and cocks the rifle ready to fire. If the operator omits to place a cartridge iu the breech opening, and the leyer is moved backward, a, cartridge will be automatically taken from the magazine and carried forward by the breech bolt into the chamber—the rifle being then breeched up and cocked ready for use. The change from a single loader to a magazine rifle is always automatic. The construction of the rifle is simple, and the action is always reliable; all parts being made to guage, are interchangeable. The rifle is especially de signed and built to use the strongest grades of high velocity smokeless rifle liowder.
Figure 3, shows the action open and Figure 4, shows the action closed. The magazine is charged while the system is open. Open the finger-lever A to the fullest extent. Insert the cartridges into the magazine by pushing them (head to rear) down, and under the catch B on the automatic cut-off C. The thumb or fore-finger of the right hand should be used in this operation. The capacity of the magazine is five cartridges. A sixth cartridge can be inserted in the breech opening D above the catch B. On closing- the finger-lever A the cartridge in the breech-opening D will be carried forward by the breech-bolt E into the chamber of the barrel. The rifle is then ready to fire. When the ham mer is at full cock, the indicator I' projects above the breech-bolt; when the rifle is fired or the hammer is down, the indicator is flush with the top of the breech-bolt.