< Previous.... · ' . ·, .~"'• ~ ' . ·.·.- ~; .. '·· 'f ·~'/ I nm C(;mr::anded by tli$ ·Army : Council to inform n of the j.-U.t.tern e;f rr.ini c..ture rifle r.ncut suitr-1ble for ustl · ?· in c chcclc; a.nd they deoirt.~, in O}*dtsr tc ~~rrtmge Ccnfer~n c e u t the Wir . .. : .... . . ' O.f!lcc ·to d.isouso -· the gonera.l ·, .. ;. ~: . ·, . . ' : \ . .: .. .; . · .. ~· ' t Y(..ur· n::JitG h i·;,t:J b eo n suggented.i, ·as : a memb:e . .- of · .; .· . ./ UH~ £.:.lnit.it t.<r0 Rifl e; Ae.u o ci" ... tic.n ' ·f~tetest·e·d ' in:· the mat.tGf I c:·.nd the Ar'!!,:;' Ccuncil \'i vt<.J.d C6tfdjro it ;;t. g reat favour i:f' I Ccnft.:: r onc0 in wh.i eh c &~:,l;; tb.oy Ytculd t.o obliged if y_ ou , ViCUld n ::1m~~ tv; c er· thn;~.;; ca.rly do.t es on which .':. -.."' bu conv::. ni cn t :for ;:,.·ou to t:e.ttend and wculd a.t the tim-:~ mc:ntfc.n the hour ·Nhich y~~- -~~-oufd"' ··!'ind mca.i t Jo-/ ~ //___. L-As.jor Gene.rttl v0-c--ti.--L-d 36, E~ton Terrace, s.w. ~V..9- /: , t ... .J . .. Sir, Your obedient Se ' l \o .7 77· t S · t,_os ~ ' · • RIFLOIRS . BROOKWOOO " THE SECRETARY, ~ntionnl ~tiflt ~ssocintion. BISLEY CAMP, BROOKWOOD, SURREY. To The Secretary I am instructed by the council of' the National Rif'le Association to enquire if' you would take into rour consideration the question of' introducing or of'f1cially approving of' a Miniature Bif'le of' Military ·pattem, f'1r1n~ -· Miniature Ammunition up to 100 7ards, suitable f'or the . V tra1n1n.g or Bors. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, Lt-colonel secretary - N.R.A. I .- I -~ ' ·\ J i J _;, J -~~~ . . r ;·: -~j / i Register No. Minute Sheet No. ,, c.s.o.F. I With reference to your minute of the 28th September last in 77/15/40~2, in which you stated that a sample of a miniature rifle would be forwarded when ready, plesse send the rif~e up at the e a rliest possible date as it is desired to come to a decision in the matter. A.3. 30/11/1905. GALE & POLD EN, LT D., P RINTERS, ALDE RS H OT 81,690. WO Reams. 7- \ 905, W [93} [P.T. Over. Rrgister No. Minute Sheet No. D. ofA., I left with yo~ yesterday, magazine _rifle for tiring .22• rim fire ~~ition, produced at th~ Royal Small Ar,ms Factory Enfield. . . . The maga~ine takes the long • 22" cartridge; the rifle will also fire the short cart- ridge as a single loa~er. • ' The rifle has been de~~gned ~hroughout so as to . ·.' . .. . '· . meet, as tar as pos~ible, : ~tl th~ requirel:lle~ta which . ~ere under~ood to be considered desirable in .the dis.oueeions on this question refe.rrecl to on . 7~/15/.4052-• . ; . · ,' : ' ·' .i • , I !.) 1 • · • The following _ are . tf.-e ~i~ p_oinJ-~ embod~ed. in the rifle:- The ma_! gazine is o_f _th~ Le~ type; it · requires, . -·- "'. - . ii'. i.n•lt(~~ howeve~, to be charged one cartridge, -at, ia time. It is . , ll ··._ . , . . . I ~ . J • ·. '. .. • : 1\ arranged to be inser~ed tro~ above ~hen tor drill purposes, the insertion ot the magazine may be con.~_~dered. .as equiva- l.ent to the . us_e ot the ch&; r.ger ip a - :~~r:v;;ce_ t:1.f.le. • ~ , I _, ....... •' "" J •• ~ The rim of th~ top .c'-rtTidge in the m_agaz ine , J.:.. ;. I ' I '# "" • ', ~~ , \.' ~. ' , .~ 4 : .. _1 !,.,• ' • ,., ..,., , , .; -' ~ '- serves ~s. ~ ~~-?;~t?,t:.~ -~o r: _ t;t?-~ e~JlJr.h9a~~{' : If .1;lle magazine \ ~ ·- . . . . \ is . r~~ove~. am _. ~~ ~a:~:~-~~~g'l~ ~q~'~h ~-~ngly., the IllfoS&Zine -. I• • 1 .. , ' space _: oonveniently serves f.o r , ~ft~ :> !J·e~~ ion-. ~f~. th~ empty cartridges • . Ready me~ns ot ~ject ~~n 1~ :- ~Q.t ~ usual in this • } ' • . ' ( .-• .. :. ' • • • • tl ' • ' .;... • • • ~ class of rifle, but appear~ to b~. ; P~ceasa:ry if the use of . r . • ~ . "' , ·.;.· .... : ,_ . ' ..... ·- ...,, .. ' . ... . ' .. such a rifle is to sim~at~ ~.hart q~ , the senic.e ,rifle. 1 • • • ~ ~ .. ~- • The ma,gazine ;Pl~tform _ anq. spripg c~n . be removed · . .. • ·'1. . from the ~~azine by slid~~g ~~e p~~t!o~ ~Qrw&rda upon the top fold ot the sprin!, when both can be lirted out together. The bolt can b~ -r~~d ~ly r~~Q~e~ fro~. ~he- ritle •. f. • . by giving the screw on the _top Ot t~ ~oo~~ns . projeotion .. .. . t a quarter turn with the assistance ._ of a~y .coin; a .cleanimg . . rod can then be got through the barrel. I ThEtP.T. Over u. ,~ 1'., Ltd. 23, tS3. 15 nu ~. 9-1903 W (93j \~ The barrel can be removed from the atock by un~ screwing the front swivel with the fingers, and the screw at the back by means of a coin. The parts of the bolt. can be di~ntled by . turning the screw in the end of the cock- ing piece, which can then be unscrewed~ On releasing the oolllr ~ith bayonet joint retaiH ing the spring in ther' bol t, the spring and · strik~r ~an be removed. In re-assembling, the'cocking piece should be screwed partly home before this collar is replaced in the bolt, to prevent the •PPing flying out if the collar slips from the fingers. A safety· catch is provided which oan be operated by the thumb and looks the striker in either of its two positions. The signt protector can be turned readily by means of a·coin, if ·inconveniently stiff for the fingers. The striker has a drag pull upon the lines of the service rifle. The total weigftt of the rifle is 5 lbs. In the specimen forwarded, the barrel and the bolt guide are made in one piece; in manufacture, they would, ~wever, be made separately and screwed together, as this more would be in every way/economical. In loading from the magazine the forward movement of the bolt should be made as steadily as possible, and if a cartridge sticks at all it should not be pulled quite clear, but only eased, as the cartridges being ver,y cheap- ly made, have a very slight attachment between the bullet and the case. The cost of the rifle has be en carefully estima- ted and comes out at 25/- per rifle, including one magazin~ exclusive of spare magazine ;, cleaning rod and case. Spare magazines would cost 7d each, cleaning rods would cost 9d each. These estimates of cost are conditional upon the expenditure ~ \ n.egister No. Minute Sheet No. expenditure of about £2,000 in preparation for fixings, etc. I! this cost were spread over 10,000 rifles, these rifles would cost 30/- each. There is little doubt that after manufacture on this scale has been entered upon, that the cost shouid.·· be materially reduced. As the full present rate of Indi,;,. rect Expenditure of the Factory has been used in these esti mates, it appears clear that this rifle should be able to be manufactured by Contractors, and retailed to private consumers for less than £2. \ ~ 5th ~e:cember, 1905. G. & 1'., Ltd. 23,t~3. 15 rma. 0-1903 W [93j C • . S. O. F. ' ,. [P.T. Over Next >