THE MAGAZINE RIFLE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1870, 18 June 1888, Page 3

THE MAGAZINE RIFLE.

[ 1 1 view of the foveriijh ai x'ety displayed by Ftanco and Germany m hurrying on the taagess'ne rifl s, tbe factjrloe working d»y and night, It 1b satisfactory to learn that our own War Offioa la bent upon keeping pace with tha times. The Snnll Arms Committee, appointed aa far baok ai 1884 to oonalder the Bohjijot, havo p radically s&ttkd upon a rlfi-i which ia now before Hie Secretary of Stata for War. It having been definitely decided that a Bmall-bora mag'-z Le rffls la to be the arm rf the ffumy,u u mv, and a responaible Comralltso, after piotraoted and cxhaa3fced trials, havlig reoommocded ah arm which falfila all the condition necessary for a nililtary weapon, Immediate atepa ehou'd be taken to expedite the minu'aoture boih by trade and the Government fiotory at Enb'eld. The new arm, which is of the esraa length as the present service rifl», and carries the oil bottle and rag m the bait, welgha with IU magnz'uo ob!y.9 ba 1 3 zi. Tho calibre ia ,303; tie tullet, cased with o^pper, weighs 217 gralni ; and the obargo ia 77 ctalm of compraea^d ponder. The magpz'no, whioh is not a fixture, aa has boon stated, but la detachabio at will, holds eight cartridges, and lies just In front of the trigger-guard under the action. Not ooly can the aoldler Oarry nearly a third more oarfcridges than at present, bat the penetration, smashing power, accuracy, and range are all superior to tha present uervloa weapon The trt'jaotory ia much lower, and hat, but not le'iat, thore is no perceptible recoil. '' hli alon?, apart from Its other good qualities and general h&ndiness, could commend tho new weapon to our a'.liierj. The Committee confidently p-o3ict that not only will the d mcalty of teaching reoruha disappear, but that the shooting of the army generally will be vastly im^rGvad when tha now rifle ia issued. — " Army and Navy Gbz sUe." ;