Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1870 — The Needle-Gun. [ARTICLE]

The Needle-Gun.

1. The range of the needle-gun is from one thousand two hundred to one thousand four hundred yards, 2. The movements of loading are executed with the right hand, as follows: An upward stroke with the palm of the right hand against the chamber knob opens the breech; the cartridge is inserted into the cavity of the barrel; a push forward aud a downward stroke of the chamber knob with the right hand closes the breech, and another push at the needle chamber (with its spiral spring) completes the loading, and the rifle is ready to “fire.” During the whole movement the gun is held with the left hand, at a “ ready.” 3 The gun is never loaded cr reloaded while at “aim," simply because it is impossible to do so. 4. The powder is not ignited at the rear end of the cartridge, but next to the ball, where the igniting matter is placed in a kind of a socket of papier mache; and this is what gives more power to the ball, the powder burning from the front to the rear. 5. The cartridge is made up—ball in front, ball socket with igniting matter, Cowdcr. The shape of the ball resemles the shape of a cueumber, and is called long lead (ling blei). 6. The recoil of the gun is only felt when it becomes very much heated and the air chamber filled with the refuse powder. When clean, no recoil is felt at all. 7. In case the needle should break or bend or otherwise become useless, a new orc can be inserted in 1 css than five seconds ; each soldier carries an extra supply of six needles. The Prussian army has but one calibre for all small arms, so that infantry or sharp-shooters can be supplied with cartridges from any cavalry, pistol, or carbine cartridge wagon.