TERRITORIALS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25, 30 January 1912, Page 8

TERRITORIALS.

THE RIFLE USED BY THEM. In the drill halls throughout New Zealand the recruits of the Defence- Force are being instructed in the mechanism and U6e of the Lee-Enfield rifle, which is the weapon now being issued to the infantry. -This rifle is technically known ac the ' M.L.E. (long). The mounted troops use the M.L.E. (short). The difference between the tw& rifles consists chiefly in the length of barrel.- and in the eights and loading mechanism. 'Che SLL.E. (long) weighs' about 91b soz, length 4ft lijn, length of barrel 2ft 6in, calibre .303 in. The loading is carried out by means of a , magazine worked by a spring. Ten rounds can be carried in this magazine, and the rifle may also be used as a single loader, ii necete&ary, by closing down the ten rounds in the magazine and using ammunition from the pouch. The sights are simple, easy of adjustment, strong and fairly accurate. ' The ' rifle is provided with a wooden handguard to protect the firer's hand when the rifle is hot from rapid firing. The • rifle is sighted up to 2bOO yards, about a mile and a- half, although' bullets- have been known to travel two miles. The bullet is driven along the spiral grooves - in the barrel, of which there are five, and leaves the muzzle of the- rifle at the rate of about 2000 ft per second with our present 'ammunition. This velocity -has peen increased lately at -Home by the introduction of a new and more pointed bullet, and" with a slight increase of the quality of cordite powder. The powder used is cordite, a Very powerful explosive, Cordite is an explosive that .does not deteriorate when subjected to different temperatures. The bullet as a rule does not rise more than ,4ft above the line of sight for the first 500 yds, but after that it begins to rise gradually, according to the distance of the object aimed at. When fired at an object 1000 yds away, the bullet rises 26ft at 600yde, and gradually falls as it approaches its object from that height. The extreme range of the rifle i 6 2800ydB. The bullet when fired that distance has to _ rise about 600 ft *in the air. ' This height is attained when the bullet haa travelled 1600 yds from the rifle. ' ,The good points of the Lee-Enfield are : its simple loading action and simple sighting; its great accuracy up to about 600 yards. It- is also well balanced and easy -to handle, and if ordinary care is .exercised in keeping the rifle clean, and. Using it only for its legitimate purpose, it should last practically a lifetime. Of course the- renewal 'of- the barrel and certain other parts is 1160668317 from - time to time, as they wear out. ' The chief causes of damage to rifles ate: (1) Neglecting to clean the barrel after firing. The barrel should always be thoroughly cleaned out and be kept j oily j (2) damage to the sight ; (3) allow- ! < ing unskilled workmen to tamper with the 'mechanism in order to obtain alight "pull." This is positively/ danger obs, and at the same time renders the rifle unserviceable 'for rapid filing. This defect is very frequently noticed in rifles used at shooting competitions. The Territorial troops at Home are armed with practically the same rifle that has. been converted into a chargerloading rifle, and is fitted with improved ! sights. > I In the case of the New Zealand weapon, the charges are placed in the magazine one at a time, whereas in the British rifle they are placed' in the charger guide and swept in five at. a titt4, the' ammunition being packed in small metal ' chargers in 'fives. Marksmen prefer the long barrel, considering that they can obtain more, accurate shooting from it. The advantage of the shorter rifle is that it is lighter, the sights are better protected, it is easier to handle, is better balanced t and is easier to shoot from cover with. The butts of the short rifle are made of three lengths to suit different lengths of arm. With fair training, about fifteen rounds a minute can be fired from this rifle. The disadvantage of the Lee-Enfield long rifle in its present form, compared with some rifles uee.d by foreign armies, is that it is not provided* with a quick- , firing apparatus, that is, with a charger or clip-loader.