A NEW RIFLE

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1930, Page 5

A NEW RIFLE

A SELF-LOADER. (United Press Association—By Klectru Telegraph—Copyright). this day at 8.30. a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 24. The “Daily Telegraph’s” military correspondent says the long sought ideal efficient self-loading rifle has been realised, and is now being pro dueed at Vickers for Britain. It is light, short and simple as an ordinary rifle but has two or three times tinrate of fire. Moreover infantry men can firo with a great likelihood of hitting the target, owing to the comfort under which it is fired, as the mechanism absorbs the recoil, thus sparing the fiver’s shoulder. The invention is due to an American, Pederson. The gun weighs B.Blbs and in length is forty-live inches. A clip of ten cartridges is inserted in the magazine. When ejected, the breach if the rifle is left open. Though the loading is automatic, a pressure on the trigger is required for each round. Tt thus avoids llie wastage of a Lewis gun where the lirer may keep a finger on the trigger too long, and thus use more rounds than is necessary. With the ordinary rifle, British regulars could fire fifteen armed rounds per minute, though a Continental conscript could only maintain half the rate. With the Pederson rifle, the reservist can soon learn to fire t"-entv-five aimed rounds per minute, whereas an expert can fire fifty.