Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/348

 332 RIFLE ber of grooves is four. These are the two principal breech-loaders in use which do not employ the metallic envelope cartridge, and it is notable that the greatest war of modern times was fought with these two arms, me- tallic cartridge arms having been scarcely used in any of its great battles. The civil war in the United States stimulated the invention of breech-loading arms. Nearly all of these used the metallic cartridge, and some displayed great inventive talent. Shortly before the war sev- eral breech-loaders were tested by the United States which used the detached percussion cap. Among these are the Burnside, Cosmopolitan, Gallagher, Joslyn, Merrill, Maynard, Smith, FIG. 11. 8pncer Magazine Gun. Lindner, and Sharps. The last named has been altered to use the metallic cartridge, and is still in use. The others have generally been dis- carded, and are not in use as military arms. During the civil war the Spencer rifle, a maga- zine gun, was intro- duced, and was exten- sively used by the Union cavalry. It contains a magazine in the butt of the stock, holding seven cartridges, and by the movement of the trigger guard used as a lever the cartridges are admitted to the chamber one by one. The same movement ejects the shell of the exploded cartridge. When the magazine is exhausted, it can be re- also be used as a single breech-loader by shut- ting off the magazine. This gun has been al- tered by O. F. Winchester, and is now called Fio. 13. Remington Kim-lire Rifle. the Winchester gun. The Ball, Fogarty, and Gardner guns are also magazine guns. The Remington gun is a single breech-loader using metallic-cased cartridges. An iron receiver made to correspond externally to the shape of a gunstock is screwed to the breech of the barrel ; in this are contained the breech block and lock. Supposing the piece to have been discharged, it is loaded as follows: 1, it is cocked ; 2, the breech block is pulled back by the handle at its right side, ejecting the shell of the exploded cartridge ; 3, the cartridge is inserted ; 4, the breech block is pushed back to its place, closing the breech. The gun is then ready for firing. The hammer has a pro- Fio. H. Springfield Breech-loader. L Vertical Section of Breech -loading System. 2. Gun complete. 8. Cartridge. placed by another, or be reloaded, or the rifle may be used as a single breech-loader, the magazine being previously shut off. In the Henry gun, an American invention, the mag- azine is under the barrel, and parallel to it. Fio. 12. Winchester Repeating Arm. It contains 17 metallic-cased cartridges, which can be brought successively into the chamber by moving the lever under the stock. It can jection which passes under the breech block when it is down, or closing the breech, and prevents the block from flying back when the explosion takes place. The firing pin passes through the breech block from the nose of the hammer to the percussion cap in the base of the cartridge shell. This rifle is used by the United States navy, and has been adopt- ed by Egypt, Spain, and some other nations. It has various calibres and riflings, and is ar- ranged for rim-fire and central-fire cartridges. The Springfield breech-loader, which has been adopted by the United States for the army and militia, is in external appearance like the Springfield muzzle-loader, having nearly the same stock and side lock. The breech action consists of a receiver screwed to the breech of the barrel, and a breech block which when it