The converted Enfield or " Snider" rifle was selected in 1865-66 by the British gov ernment from the specimens submitted at an open competition of inventors. It is an extremely simple weapon, and though by no means free from faults, has given very satisfactory results up to this time. The ordinary Enfield barrel is shortened by about 21 in., and the heel of the remainder is screwed in to a strong shoe, with which is con nected by a powerful hinge,. the solid breech-piece:which, when shut, completely closes the breech. Through this passes the piston or striker; the normal position of the piston is maintained by a spiral spring within the nipple. Given the breech open, the cartridge is inserted and pushed forward into the barrel, where its metal rim fills the groove left around the barrel's heel. The breech-piece is closed down, the ham mer drawn to full-cock, and the piece is ready for discharge. The breech-piece is securely locked by the spring bolt, which enters a recess in the false breech, and can only be withdrawn on the lever thumb-piece pressed by the thumb in the act of again lifting the breech-block. On the trigger being pulled, the hammer falls, drives in the piston, and out against the detonating cap of the cartridge, with a sharp blow, firing the charge. The hammer is drawn back to half-cock, the piston flies up to its former position; the breech-piece is thrown back, and slid on its hinge along the pin until occurs a process during which a small catch hooks back into the breech, by its projectincr rim, the empty cartridge-case. The cantinn. of the rifle to one side now throws this out, a spring within the hinge moves the canting to its former place, and the gun is ready for another charge.
The cost of altering an "Enfield" to a " Snider" varies from 15s. to 20s. During the transition period, upwards of a million were converted in this way, besides a large num ber of new arms made for our own government; but conversion and manufacture are now suspended both in the government factories and by the large small-arms companies. The government factories were capable of converting 1100 rifles daily.
At first, the firing of the Snider was inferior to the old Enfield; but, by alterations in the bullet, effected by col. Boxer, in the direction of decreasing the specific gravity at the apex by the insertion of a wooden plug (which is now, however, dispensed with, and the point of the bullet spun over the mouth of the cavity), this condition has been reversed, and the Snider now tires 30 per cent better than the old Enfield. Of course, these changes add to the cost of the cartridge, which has, however, these great perfec that it is absolutely impervious to wet; and second, that fire can scarcely be communicated to it otherwise than through the detonating cap. A single cartridge has been fired within a barrel of loose cartridges without exploding any of the others.
Adverting to the Snider cartridge, the whole is inclosed in a roll of thin brass foil, outside which is a covering of paper, and having for its base an iron disk, in front of which is a double cup of thin brass, while a round of miliboard or pulp encircles the chamber containing the percussion-cap, which communicates with the powder. Between the powder and the ball is a layer of wool. The ball has, as explained above, the point spun over a cavity in its front, and a conical hollow is made at the base; into the wider part of this is dropped the wooden plug, while on the circumference of the bullet, and outside this conical hole, are four small cannelures or cuts in the lead. When the powder explodes, the wooden plug is driven forwards to the head of the hollow, driving the base of the bullet outwards till the lead completely fills the grooves of the rifle—a process aided by the comparatively less resistance at the cannelures. These cannelures are also receptacles for a wax lubrication which prevents fouling, interposing always a film of wax between the bullet and the barrel. The charge and bullet are held together by the copper sheathing being pressed into the- cannelures. Returning to the percussion cap, wes hould find, if it were enlarged, an apparatus where the cap is a thin copper cylinder open at front and closed at the rear end, where there is contained a deposit of detonating powder, of great sensitiveness. A brass bead, called the "anvil," is con tained within the cap, the sharp point being next the detonating powder, and its broader — . " — end resting at the bottom of the cap-chamber on each side of the hole.. The cap itself fits tightly into the chamber, leaving no opening for the escape of gas backwards from the explosion, and is fired by the external blow of the piston or striker, which drives the base of the cap down upon the point of the anvil, by which means the detonating powder is exploded, and the flash, passing down the sides of the anvil, communicates through the opening with the powder in the cartridge. The weight of the bullet is 480. grains; of the powder, 70 grains; the cost being about £3 per thousand.
From this description, it is evident that the snider cartridge is a complicated arrange ment; but it is not much more so than that of the Zlinduadelgewehr, though vastly more efficient.
In comparing the Snider and the Prussian gun, the former has certainly the greater simplicity; while its smaller weight (9 lbs. to 10t lbs.) is an immeasurable advantage. Of the two it is probably the less likely to get out of order, but would perhaps be the most difficult to restore if it did. There is this difference of a material character between the two weapons, that in the Prussian arm, the needle, by its own mechanism, fires the charge; while in the Snider, it is a mere medium for conveying the blow of the hammer.