eJc/o.I ARM Y (R.I FLE S). / REtuRN to an Address olthe Honourable The House ofCommClDll, dat6d ~4 February 1863 ;-for, "COPY of the REPORT of the COMMITTEE on SMALL BORE RIFLES, and the various Systems of Rifling as tried last Year." Offi~e, War 1 G. C. LEWIS. 19 March 1863. ( (aI-G. No.-307.) (No.2578.) 26th November 1862. REPORT of ORDNANCE SELECT COM:\IITTEE on SYSTEM:S of RIFLING for SMALL ARMS. \ Brigadier General ST. GEORGE, C. B., R. A., President. Captain Sir }V. WISEMAN, Bart., R.N" Vice President. Brevet Colonel HOGGE, C. D., R. A" } Brevet Colonel F. CAMPBELL, R. A., M b Lieutenant Colonel R. S. BAYNEB, Unattached, em ers. Lieutenant Colonel GALLWEY, R. E., Brevet Colonel LEFROY, R. A" Secretary. Captain HEUIAN, R. A" Assistant Secretary, and Secretary to Small Arms Sub-Committee. Brevet Major CONOLLY, Coldstream Guards'}A . M Captam.H ERRICK, 12,th R.egllllent,. 88OCl8.te embers. ; 'VITH reference to the undermentioned War Office communications, 28th June 1859 (81-W.-157); 6th September 1861 (81-Gen. No.-256) i 5th October 1861 (81~-L.-92); and 19th November 1861 ~1-R.-356). 139· A. REPORT. 2 REPORT OF ORDNANCE SELECT COMMITTEE R E p o R T. THE Ordnance Select Committee, having com­ pleted the experiments upon which they have been engagerl in carrying out the instructions of the Secretary of State for War, have now the honour to submit a detailed account of their proceedings, and to express an opinion upon the various points to which their attention has been directed. 1. The systems of ri6ing which have been under consideration include what is known as the Enfield principle; viz" three or fi ve broad shallow grooves, either of uniform or progressive depth; the Lan­ casler oval bore with increasing spiral, the above in two calibres (0'577 and 0'451 inch); the Whit­ worth hexagonal bore, with quick twist; and Mr. Westley Richards' system of breech-loading applied to an octagonal bore, the two last in the smaller calibre only. ~. These systems have been represented by the follo'\\ing number of arms, of which a more de­ tailed description is given in the SChedule of arms appended liereto :- 1. LARGB BORBS. Number _ Nature. Calibre. Pitch. Number of Rifles, ofGrooves. -_.------ -- 6 Service Enfield - . -- 0·577 - - I turn in 78 inches - - 3 Enfield C . 0·577 . 78 5 - -- - - 1 " in " -- 5 6 Enfield B - - - 0·577 1 in 63 5 - - - - " " -- 6 Enfield A - - - 0'677 1 in 48 . ;') - - - - " " - 5 Enfield D - --- 0'577 . I in 48 6 - - " " - - A and D being similar in all respects except in weight of barrel, wbich in the lauer is heavier by 4 ozs, I I. .' : L t Major aXIs 0'580 - r anCM er -.,{I :} 1 turn in 36 inches • Ellipse. I MlDor aXIS 0'572 - Freed at breech, with gaining twist. 2. SMALl' BORBS. Number I Nature, Calibre. Pitch. Number of Rifles. of Grooves. '----------I---------_·I------------~----. I)-- \ Enfield 0'461 1 tlIrn in 20 inches - Whitworth • &r088 angles 0·603 I) {I :} 1 " in 20 Hexagon. • r Light barrels _ Acro:lll flats 0'451 " , Across angles 0'508 6 {Whitworth •-- in ~o Hexagon. Barrels lot ozs. heavier - Across flats 0'461 :} 1 " " 0'462 3 .Lancaster .{I Major axis 1 " in 20 • -Ellipse. Minor axis 0'450 :} " Freed at breech, and with gaining twist. I i Westley Richards ­ - i Across angles 0'480 6 -1 1 turn in 20 inches - Octagon. {I Breech-loaders r Across flats 0'(50 -J 3. These ON SYSTEMS OF RIFLING FOR SMALL ARMS. 3 3. These several varieties of anns have been tried in accordance with the conditions laid down in the accompanying programme; the mode ofproceeding being as follows ;- a. 1st Series of Experiments,- To determine the best of the large calibres, as to prechion under circumstances most farourable to the al'ms themSelves, by firing one variety side by side with another under equal con­ -dilions of wind and weather. ,b, 2d Series of Experirnents,- To ascertai n the b<:st of the small bores by a similar proc<::ss. c. 3d Series of Experiments,- To c0!Dpare the best of the large with the best of the small bores, and thus determine their relative precision under equal and,;imilar cir­ cumstances. 4. In proceeding to determine the respective EXTR.6.Cl' FROM TABLES merits of the large·bore rifles, the Enfield Rifle Nos. 1 6 10 13 HI marked C was first placed in competition with the ydB, ydl. ydB. yd8, ydl. Enfield Service Rifle, which it resembles in all Rqe . 300 500 800 1,000 1,200 _ respects, except that the number of grooves is in­ I creased from three to five. Enfield Service 12:69 19'80" 41'61" 93'01" 133'63" As in both cases the width of the grooves is the En6eldC . 8'88 19'27 40'65 78'74 120:60 same, it follows that in the C rifl~ the surface of the lands is considerably reduced, and the results, ShowilJO' the mean radial deviation of the group as given in the margin,sholV that this alteration from the ~can point of impact (or ",hat is commonly called the figure ofmerit). gives a decided advantage in precision. 5. It appears that the question of increasin~ the numher of grooves in the Enfield system, or rather that of reducing the -amount of frictional surface presented by the broad lands of the existing three­ groo\-ed rifle by running a narrow gl'oove down each of the lands, has for some time past' been entertained by Mr. Boucher, his object being to increase precision by the em pl'Jyment of a tighter _fitting lmllet than that adopted in the sen-ice, with­ out s~crificillg facility in loading. 6. Two Enfield riRes, constructed on Mr. Bou· cher's plan, were tried in the course ofthese experi­ ments. The ammunition, which was made after his'own instructions, consisted of two kinds, viz. ; 1. Disc bullet, diameter 0'564'. 2. Polygonal-sided b:JlIet, with cavity at base, diameter 0'564'. The shooting with this ammunition was wild, and a correspondence ensued with Mr. Boucher, which ended in his withdrawing the disc bullet, pressing, however, fpr a continuance of the trial with poly­ gonal bultets ofa diameter somewhat less than the former, viz., 0'560', and a slower burning pDwder than that used in the service. As the natlure of the proposed experiments im­ plied a long and laborious investigation, the Ord­ nance Select Committee decided that its considera­ tion should form the subject of a future and separate inquiry. A 2 7. The 4 REPORT OF ORDNANCE SELE<Jr COMMITTEE 7. The Enfield Rifle C (five grooves, pitch one turn in 78 inches), having proved superior to the service pattern, was next placed in competition with the Enfield B rifles, having also five grooves, but TABLES 2 7 11 14 10 with the spiral increased to one turn in 63 inches. As will be seen on reference to the abs-tract given ylU. YlU, ylU. YlU, ylU. in the margin, this increase of pitch led to very RaDge - 300 600 !.l00 1,000 1,200 1/ 1/ /I /I satisfactory results, the precision being improved at Enfield C 9'114 16'90" 34'34 93'46 12r:s'33 all ranges, hut more especially at the longer ranges. Enfield B 8'52 12'58 28'10 49'i5 i 103-08 8. The quicker twist, however, has the disad\'an­ tage of increasing the tendency to foul, which is TABLE 28. made avparent by comparing the results of targets made for precision, between these rifles and the ylU. Service Enfield, after each had fired 1,000 rounds Range 600 continuously. Enfield Service • 24'72 Enfield B. 9. The two varieties of Enfield arms marked .A 83'76 and D, have each a twist of one turn in 48 inches, and are sinlflar in all respects, except in the weight of the barrel, which in the D rifles is heavier by 401S. The total weight of the rifle is not affected by the addition, as a corresponding reduction has been made in the weight of the stock. These rifles, differing only in weight, were first TABLES 'N08. 8 7 11 15 20 compared with each other; tbe superiority in pre­ cision, althou~h scarcely appreciable, was, as the - , yd" yd" yth. ylU, ylU, results in the margin show, invariably in favour of RUJge - 300 500 800 1,000 ' 1,200 I " I the heavier barrels. The D rifles were consequently Enfield A - ' 8'12" 16:65 30';9" 411'43 : 96'29" I I selected for comparison with the B rifles with the Enfield B i'84 1[,'38 80'12 4i'54 91'10 slower pitch of one turn in 63 inches. -I , i 10. The results of the trial, as given in the TABLES No,. 8 12 16 21 margin, show, that in fair, moderate weather, the • I slower pitch is sufficient for all ranges up to 1,000 ylU, ydl, ylU, I yd,. yils. I I yards. Range - . ' 300 DOO 800 I 1,000 1,200 /. I The figures marked thus • denote the result of a II I 4-'93" , Enfield B 9'02 14'23 28'13 I I 10i'64 trial made between the two best rifles Of Class B i , *49'20- and D respectively, with a view to test the 'relative Enfield D 8'98 I 28'94 1 4{l'5i IOI'i6 stability of the slower and quicker twist in windy 16'80 I *38'22 and boisterous weather.