Royal United Services Institution. Journal ISSN: 0035-9289 (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rusi19 Personal Reminiscences of the Evolution of Small- Arms and Machine Guns from the Year 1863 up to the Present Day Lieut.-Colonel W. N. Lockyer Chief Inspector of Small-Arms R.A. To cite this article: Lieut.-Colonel W. N. Lockyer Chief Inspector of Small-Arms R.A. (1898) Personal Reminiscences of the Evolution of Small-Arms and Machine Guns from the Year 1863 up to the Present Day, Royal United Services Institution. Journal, 42:248, 1121-1151, DOI: 10.1080/03071849809417413 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03071849809417413 Published online: 11 Sep 2009. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 6 View related articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=rusi20 Download by: [The University Of Melbourne Libraries] Date: 17 June 2016, At: 12:25 VOL. XLII. [Aiithors aZotie are responsi6Ze for fhe contenfs of fheir respectizfe PGpers.3 PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF THE EVOLU- TION OF SAIALL-ARkIS AND RIACHINE GUNS FROhI. .THE YEAR lSG3 UP 'I'O THE PRESENT DAY. By Lictrt.-CoZonrl ll! AT. LOCKYER, R.A., Chief Irrsprctorof SnioZZ-Arm. Wednesday, June 20th, ISDS. Rear-Admiral the Rt. Ron. Lord CHARLESBEIZESFOKD, C.B., N.P., in the Chair. I.-RIFLES, ETC. I MAKE the year 18G3 the starting point for two reasons :- 1. Because it was just the close of the muzzle-loading pcriod. 2. Because it was in that year that I became personally acquainted with the Service rifle, since which time I have continually kept up my acquaintancewith thcService small-arms, making all kinds of experirncnts; and for the last sixteen years my duty has been to inspect and tcst the various arms during their mannractnre, after they are finished before issue, and again when in use in the hands of the troops. In the year 1SG3 the muzzle-loading long Enfield was, generally speaking, the Service rifle. The Xavy, rifle battalions, and sergeants of infantry were armed with the short Enfield, and Royal Engineers with the Lancaster carbine, which had a smooth oval bore, firing the same bullet as the Enfield. The Enfield rifle was designed at the Royal. Small-Arms Factory, Downloaded by [The University Of Melbourne Libraries] at 12:25 17 June 2016 Enfield, and although the first pattern was dated 1853 it can hardly be said to have been finally adopted until lS55, ivhcn sonic of these rifles reached the army' before Scbastopol, who li3d bccn previously armed with the Brown Bess and Alini6 rifle. The calibre of the rifle was -577, rifled in the three groovcs, the twist of the rifling being one turn in G fcct 'G inchrs, or about half a turn in the length of the barrel. The bullet was -56%inch in diameter and weighed 535 grains, and the charge of powler was Sg drams for rifles and 3 drams for carbines. VGL. SI.11. 3 1r 1122 EVOLUTIOS OF SMALL-ARMS AND MACIIISE GUSS. The bullet loaded easily, and on firing was expanded into the grooves by a clay plug, the frustum of a cone inserted in the base. The bullet and powder were contained in a paper case ; to load, the loose end of this was torn off, the poivder poured into the barrel, then the-case was reversed, the bullet inserted in the muzzle, the empty case broken off, and the bullet rammed down. We were always taught as boys to wet the bullet before putting into the rifle, I don’t knor why; but I remember the taste of the lubricant. The percussion cap was a curious-looking one, like a tall hat with the brim split into four parts ; one of these prirts was bigger and longer than the others; if you put this long part towards the front of the rifle you were safe, if you did not and the cap burst (which it very often did) minute pieces of copper \yere driven into the little finger of the left hand, and though you did not feel it much at the time the pain and irritation afterwards were considerable, and I carry the scars to this day on my little finger from this cause. I have heard since that one of the flanges of the cap being bigger than the rest must ha& been accidental, as they wrc intended to be the same size; but it certainly mas the case with those me had. The cap \\-as very strong, and it was a common game for boys when ivaiting about on the range to put the little paper cones in which the caps were done up on the muzzle of the rifle and then fire a cap, \\-lien the paper cone vould be blo\\-n ON to some distance. A sdevcnt happened at one of our public schools about this time. The boys wcrc waiting to shoot, when one of them took up a rifle, put, on the little paper cone and a cap, saying to one of his comrades, “ Let’s have a shot at your hand” ; he fired, but the rifle was loaded, the bullet passing between the fingers of the boy without hurting him, but hit another boy standing behind and killed him.’ In 1863 and the .three following years I shot for my school at Wimbledon. In those days there were only two military positions, standing at the short ranges and kneeling at the long. Some very wonderful standing shooting was done then, and I remember at Wimblcdon one of the Ross’s (I think Edward) backing himself to make a large majority of bull’s-eyes standing at 200 yards, the bull’s-eye being a 9-inch circle. I think, but am not quite sure, that it ivas $0 bull’s-eyes ‘in 100 shots, but I remember he won easily. The match or small-bore rifle in those days was generally the Whitmorth, which had a mechanically fitting hesagonal bullet. The Downloaded by [The University Of Melbourne Libraries] at 12:25 17 June 2016 position was prone ; the back position did not become popular until some_years alter. The match-shooting was a tremendous business. The .rifle \vas carefully cleaned and wiped after each shot, the shooter having a case like a medicine chest, containing, aniongst other things, a row of little glass bottles, each bottle containing a carefully weighed charge of po\vdcr. Although the Enfield rifle had a low velocity, 1,260 feet, and ver)- high trajectory, in class shooting one had to shoot up to 900 )-a& and .off the knee. The conditions for marksmen were: Five shots at G50, 700, 800, and 900 yards, target was 12 feet long by G feet high, bull’s-eye EVOLUTION OF SMALL-ARJIS AND MACIIINE GUNS. 1123 &foot circle. null counted two, rest of target one, and it was necessary to make seven points in the twenty shots. I remember \re11 the first timc I was a marksman as a boy I made three points at G50 and two at 700, missed all five at 800, so had to make two at DO0 to get the badge. I never thought there was the least chance, but my first shot at that range was a bull, and I don’t think any of the others hit the butt. In those days you only fired one shot at a tinic, then retired to the rear to load, and waited for your turn again after the whole of the rest of the squad had fired a shot. By the introduction of this rifle a very great stride was made, and accuracy of infantry fire at considerable ranges began to be looked for. After some espcriments had been carried on with it, a very high authority declared it to be the most effective weapon ever placed in the hands ofa soldier, and that its introduction and the teaching of dcsterity in the management of it‘ had effected a reform far greater in its bearing than any that had been made since the first introduction of fire-arms. In 18GO another immense stride was made, as since that date all small- arms have been made strictly interchangeable ; that is to say, the various component parts of a dozen rifles of the same pattern might be mixed together, and they could then be assembled easily into a dozen arms. I consider this one of the most important cpochs in the evolution of our small-arms. Up to this time we had merely toyed with breech-loaders, and that principally \rith reiard to their usc by cavalry. Carbines on Westly Richards’, Sharp’s, and Terry’s systems were introduced to a limited extent. The first military breech-loader I ever saw came in about this time, the IVcstly Richards’ carbine. It was a half-and-half sort of thing ; the bullet and polder (the latter contained in a thin case and attached to the bullet) wcrc inserted into the brcech, and it was fired with the ordinary cap. I don’t remember if it shot \rell, but I recollect having a shot or two with one, nnd.gctting covered with grease from the cartridge. In August, 18G4, it was decided that steps should be taken to arm the British infantry with breech-loaders, and the first stcp \<as to find a sjstcni to which our stock of Enfields could be chsily and cheaply con- verted. After the trials of yarious plans, among wliich was the Sopcr, to my mind a very excellent system, the Snider was adopted in 18GG.