THE GIFFARD GUN.

Timaru Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4968, 16 October 1890, Page 3

THE GIFFARD GUN.

A NOISELE3S AND SMOKELESS, BUT DEADLY ViSAPON. (The Times, July 19th.) For some little time past a considerable amount of interest has been evinced on the Continent, and has now boon awakened m this country, m respect to a gun m which Iho propelling agent is hquufiod gas. Experiments with the weapon m Belgium were mentioned by our Bruteols correspondent two days ago. It is tho invention of M. Paul Giffurd, a French engineer, whoso name is well known m all engineering circleß, and who haa bceu at work intermittently upon the principle of this gun for the past 25 years. Ab now brought before the publio, the gun is simplicity itself, but this simplicity bus not been arrived at without long and anxious thought, nor without many changes nnd variations upon M. Giffard's original conception. The principle, however, has always remained the rarao. and it is tho gradual development of that principle into practice which has occupiod M. Giffard'e time, and has at lengl.li iipparonfly been crowned with success, lhe principle consists m the manufacture) and liquefacti m of carbonic acid g<ta so that it can bo safely s-tored up within a very email oompaas, and will give out 6001 b pressure por square inch whon liberated for actual use. In carrying ibis principle into practice tho liquified gns is contained, under a high pressure, m a metallic tubular reservoir about 9in long, which i« fixed under, and m a line with, the barrel of tho gun, and which is conveniently gruspod by tbo left hand m firing. Although containing an imtnenee store of power there doos not appeal* to be any dancer m a weapon thus fquiopod. In tho first place tbo reservoir ia made of Hiem ns Ma tin steel of ths highest quality, so that a burst is hardly possible, and m the second, should a Haw m the metal lead to a fracture, tho gas would simply escape much m the sumo way that it doos on tho opening of a bottle of Boda water. Then, the quality of the metal u«ed for the gas receiver ia auch that it will stand rough usage without liability to fraeturo. It may be, and, indeed, has been knocked greatly out of shape when full of gas without. any prejudicial result arUing, the gas having been afterwards usod for diaoharging projeoliles from the gun. So much for the special character of the propelling egont, liquefied gas, which takes hero tho plaoa of powder. Wo now came to tho method of utilising this etjred-up ballistic power. In practice the bullet ia dropped into a small aperture at ttio reur end Of tllo barrel, and by moving a small lever it ia deposited m the breech chamber of tho gun. The hammer of tho gun is then placed ot full cock, and tho trigger pulled. By tho fall of the hummor a pin is struck which opens a valvo at the rear of tho liquefied gas reservoir, and permits the instantaneous escape of a sufficient volume of gan for one discharge. Tho bullet ia thus ejected with a force proportionate to tbo im polling power of the charge, which con be increased or decreased at ploisure by a 6implo lorow arrangement. In other words, the propelling power is completely under control although, of course, thiß m practiro is not left tn the arbitrary will of tho ordinary user, but will be fixed aud definite, according to the charactor of the gun m which it is employer!. Tho discharge of the gun is unaccompanied by nny roport, nor is thoro tho least recoil or kick. On pulling the trigger thore is a slight hiss or puff, followed by tho noire of tho impact of tho bullet upon tho iron target- The reservoir is very light, and when charged with the liquoflod carbonic acid gas, is capable, according to tho size and calibre of tbo gun, of discharging from 100 to 500 oonaecutivo shots at a stated cost of leas than ono penny. It is stated thnt thoro is no foar of any part of tho gun or its mechanism becoming oxidised by the gao, and it is hardly necessary to add that there is neither smoko nor smell from tho propollant. 'lhoro is also no deterioration of the liquefied gas from storage or kooping. With regard to the rifle itaelt, with tho exception of tho tubular reservoir carried under the barrel there is no material difference m appearance betwesn tho Giifurd gun and an ordinary weapon of similar character. A demonstration of this now gun was given yesterday at tho headquarters of the London Scottish Bides, James Btreet, Buokingham gate, London. The procoedinus wore commenced by M. Giffard explaining the principles and prnctioo of his system, after which he discharged a number of rounds from saloon rifles of six, eight, and ten millimetres calibre respectively. The visitors wero then invited to try tho now riflo, which irony of them did with satisfaction. Tho do roonelration wont to Bhow the valuable nature of tho invention, and to prove tho soundnoßS and practicability of tho principle. Of course tho proof was limited to tho arms referred to, but it waa elated that tho principle hao been applied m France to military and sporting guns, as, well as ta revolvers and pistols, with evory succejs. It was also stated that Colt's Company m Amorioa are now applying tho prinoiple to their arms. On tho wholo, it was shown that M Gilford has now prnotioally developed a very important principlo, which only avrnits application to tho various weapons m uso for throwing projeoliles. It. is said that the French Government is nt present engaged m investigating the merits of tho invention as applied to artillery, m which direction eomo excellent praotico at long rungos has nlroady been made.