Magazine cartridges can be safely removed from the rifle without cocking the firing mechanism. Cartridges are loaded into the magazine through the breech opening, thereby obviating any necessity for hinged trap doors, fillers or any coverings. Dangers arising from the use of high explosive powders in shells having defective heads or primers are wholly overcome by providing a solid steel breeching shoulder between the eyes and head of the operator and the chamber, making it impossible for the powder gas to escape to the rear.
The highly popular and reliable lever action is used in the Savage rifle. It , enables the soldier to operate from the shoulder or aiming position; this action also permits of using the rifle in any position, either standing, sitting or lying prone. At Creedmoor the Savage rifle was placed in the hands of soldiers of the New York State guard who operated the rifle while lying prone, in competition with bolt action rifles, fully demonstrating the practicability of , the Savage lever system for this position. A soldier can work a Savage rifle closer to the ground than he can under the same conditions a bolt action rifle. The lever guard on the Savage ride and carbine makes it safe and reliable for the use of cavalry. It is impossible for bridle reins or straps to be come entangled with trigger and thereby occasion accidents. The action of the lever is short and requires little power to operate, the arm being very lquick and handy. The point blank military range is up to 600 yards.
In the matter of selection of improved fire arms for the National Guard of the State of New York, the Savage rifle was recommended by a Board appoint l ed by Gov. Morton, who, however, argued economy as his reason for not making any change from the 01(1 black powder Springfield rifles. The late war with Spain has once for all demonstrated the folly of using single shot black powder rifles in modern warfare against smokeless magazine rifles. The Board referred to reported that the Savage magazine rifle, lever action, maga zine holding five cartridges, in strength and fewness of parts, very close com pliance with the "salient points" mentioned in the instructions for the con sideration of the Board by the Adjutant General, ease of manipulation, and 141 general all round excellence, won their unanimous approval it being the best military magazine rifle submitted for their examination. The Board also very
critically examined a number of military magazine rifles of foreign invention, sed in the Army in this Country and in Europe and were free to say that, all 1voints carefully considered, the Savage magazine rifle was far superior in 'simplicity of construction, safety, durability, effectiveness, accuracy, beauty of outline, ease and. certainty of manipulation, and for the double and ready use as a single loader or as a magazine pin, to any foreign magazine arm inspected.
The perforations shown in Figure S were made by llie .30.3 expanding bullet and a regular charge of smokeless powder, fired from a Savage magazine rifle :it a distance of thirty feet. The steel plate is inches thick.. The holes are one hall inch in diameter \\dilly the bullet is only .303 or about 30 caliber.
This is caused by the expanding of the bullet on the first impact. The pene tration of the regular metal covered bullet in pine is about forty inches.
The largest game in the world, the royal Bengal tiger of India, the elephant and the rhinoceros of Central Africa, are now being successfully hunted and slain by men using the .303 caliber Savage rifles. Sportsmen who have never tried the small caliber rifles and smokeless-powder ammunition are somewhat skeptical as regards the killing or stopping power of tbe small metal-covered expanding bullets. These are far more deadly than black-powder ammuni tion, however large the caliber. The secret of the deadly effect of these small projectiles lies in their expanding qualities and extraordinary high velocity which imparts a percentage of their energy- to the otherwise inert flesh and bone; and these substances, being acted upon by so quick a blow, become themselves projectiles, following a well known mechanical law, lacerating the surrounding tissues and bone, and leaving a path of destruction which is widened by resistance encountered by the bullet.
The conjunction of small caliber metal-covered bullet and the smokeless powder is necessary to secure high velocity. The high velocity resulting- from the use of smokeless powder is only possible when confined by the small call , bers. If a bullet is omitted from pile of these cartridges and the primer struck, no explosion of the powder will occur. The small diameter of the bullet makes it necessary to lengthen the same, in order to secure sufficient weight.