THE NEW AMERICAN SMALL ARM.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 269, 27 March 1873, Page 5

THE NEW AMERICAN SMALL ARM.

The Meig's magazine rifle, said to be the most diabolically perfect means of slaughtering human beings yet discovered, has been recently patented in New York. It it the invention of Mr J. V. Meigs, of that state, and there is not the least question that the gun will become the standard rifle of the age. This rifle is so constructed that a metallic tube takes the place of the ordinary neck of the stock. To this tube is attached a check piece and buttplate, making a gun of the usual appearance. The frame of the gun which unites the barrel and stock is so arranged that the guard within it is capable of being moved to and fro, wheh, by an intermediate spring, moves vertically a breech block, which never leaves its bearing. Within this block is the lock, which is also acted upon by this intermediate, used as a lever, so that by throwing the guard forward the piece is cocked ; the breech is opened and closed in its proper time, and by means of a serrated bar, moving within the stock, and acted upon by the head of the guard, the cartridges, fifty in number, contained in a magazine pivoted within the tube of the stock, and fed into an inserter (which in proper time acts as an extractor), and is carried by an intermediate before mentioned, acting as a liuk, into the end of the barrel, behind which the breech barrel lock descends into position, where only the hammer encased in it can strike the cartridge and ignite the fulminate. The backward motion of the guard in turn opens the breech, withdraws the extractor, carrying it to the mouth of the magazine, throwing the whole shell at the feet, and locking the extractor in place, to receive new cartridge, which is inserted (optionally) by the forward motion of tho guard, loading the piece ready for tiring as before described. Thus it will be seen that only two motions made while yet the gun is at the shoulder are necessary to load, fire, and throw out the exploded shell. The magazine, composed of five slotted tubes, arranged pentagonally, is inserted into the tube pf the stock through a hinged opening in the butt plate, which, when closed, pivots the magazine and releases a revolving attachment, so that whenever tfhe under one of these tubes is emptied of its cartridges, no matter what number it contained, it will revolve without loss of time, and bring a new tube round so as to be acted upon by the feed bar. The obvious advantage of this arrangement of parts is to give with greater simplicity the utmost rapidity of fire which can be obtained, with a single barrel, that is, 50 shots without ever taking the gun from the shoulder, in 45 seconds. There are but four pieces besides the magazine additional to those enumerated in the common muzzle-loader. The lock is simpler than the common one. A perfectly straight central fire, metal cartridge is used, thus avoiding the liability to rupture occasioned by the headed shell, making the shell appreciably cheaper. The extractor withdraws the empty shell or cartridge fully, and it is not possible to make a condition under which it will fail to do its duty. The weighty cartridge box of every other system is done away with, and with it the thumps upon the hip, the liability to loss of ammunition, the attending straps and confinement of the cheat. No sudden daah of cavalry or stealthy movement of infantry will ever surprise the soldier so that he shall seize his gun and leave his ammunition. The weight of the gun with its fifty charges is but twelve pounds, and without them hut ei.-ht pounds — the magazine weighing half-a-pound, gives us three pounds and a-half as the weight of the fifty rounds. The weight being in the stock, renders it easy to handle, gives steadiness, and causes, when handled with excitement, » low fire, obviously the

best possible for army use ; and when the soldier has his gun at rest, he is relieved of all weight and confinement. Tt c»n be calculated the effect of the fire from a body of men thus armed, by the following brief illustration, wh'ch is no exaggeration •— 1,000 men, placed in a line at intervals of one yard, could throw, without the le!>sfc exertion, 30,000 shots in sixty seconds. This is astounding, but the inventor claims it a fact, and we do not hesitate to give arc dence to the statement. 'I he particular rifle wh eh Mr Meigs has perfected, has cost him eight years of labor in the perfection of its plan of construction, and testing its durability at all points of friction. Besides this, the joints of the weapon have been operated one million times, and 20,000 shots have been fired from it without injury to the weapon. The greatest was the discharge of fifty shots, the entire contents of the magazine, in nineteen seconds. < f course, this is much faster than aim could possibly be taken, but it serves to show that as fast as any living man could take aim or fire steadily, he might discharge a Bhot, adapting the rate to his own ability and quickness.