Daw S Gun Patents Comprising A Descripti
Daw S Gun Patents Comprising A Descripti
Daw S Gun Patents Comprising A Descripti
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''S
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ONAL REFERENCE LIBRART
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43,314
DAW'S
PU 20
GUN PATENTS .
THE
THE
PRICE HALF-A-CROWN.
LONDON :
1864 .
07906.ee . 25
LONDON :
PRINTED BY JOHN KING & Co., 63, QUEEN STREET , CHEAPSIDE, E.C.
T
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BRITISH
FIBRARY
ENT
PAT
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PREFACE .
16.8.11 .
my book."
LIBRARY
CONTENTS .
INTRODUCTION.
PAGE .
Early Shot Guns-Double and Single- Old Double Barrels- Shot
Gun Cartridge - Breech-loading-Further improvement difficulty
-Modern progress ... ... ... 1
PAGE .
Gun-To remount the Gun- List of Implements-International
Exhibition--Prize Medal- Summary of value- Durability and
reliance --Public testimony ... ... ... ... ... 18
GUNPOWDER.
PAGE.
THE PERCUSSION CAP.
PAGE ,
ACCIDENTS WITH FIRE- ARMS.
CONCLUSION.
:
APPENDIX .
Opinions of the Press- " Bell's Life "—" The Field " —" Mechanic's
Magazine"-"Illustrated Times '99 -" Court Circular "-" Morn-
ing Herald " " Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper" -" Morning Post"-
"Observer 99 " Daily Telegraph "-" Illustrated Exhibitor .". 101
FURTHER TESTIMONY.
About the Jacob Rifle-From Poonah-Kurrachee- Gwalior-
" Rifle Practice, by the late General Jacob "-Report from the
Adjutant General, Bombay-From Upper Scinde-" United
Service Gazette." ... ... ... ... 111
APPENDIX NOTE.
LIBRARY
ILLUSTRATIONS .
PAGE.
Daw's Patent Central-Fire Breech-Loader . 11
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DAW'S PATENT CENTRAL-FIRE BREECH LOADER.- See page 1 .
No.
No.
No.
2.
1.
5.
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•
DAW'S GUN PATENTS ,
16.8.11.
INTRODUCTION.
DOUBLE BARRELS.
SHOT-GUN CARTRIDGE.
BREECH-LOADING.
MODERN PROGRESS.
THE progress which has been made during the last few
years, in the design and manufacture of fire-arms of
various kinds, together with their appliances, has been in
6 MODERN PROGRESS- HAWKER, MANTON.
some respects greater than all that has gone before- since
the invention of gunpowder.
During the past generation, beyond the pages of the
quaint, but practical and instructive , Colonel Hawker, how
little was known out of the gunsmith's shop about guns,
except what was in the possession of the poacher, the
gamekeeper, or the squire.
And here, let me remark that all improvements create,
as it were, a certain amount of prejudice at the outset, and
the greater the improvement the greater the prejudice.
Even as far back as 1822 , the " Instructions to Young Sports-
men " strongly condemned anything that was set up as a
rival to the old flint-lock gun. The Colonel gravely
mourned " that every gunmaker, and almost every sports-
man is so infatuated with the detonating or percussion
system." He was " dead " against the innovator, and in the
November of the same year he made a series of experi-
ments-flint-lock versus percussion- out of which he ex-
tracted a verdict against the new intruder. But he, at last,
came so far round in time as to say, " The copper cap is
now in general use for detonators, and it gives me satis-
faction to see it."
LIBRARY
B
晒 OL
END OF BREECH-LOADER, NIPPLES, EXTRACTOR , & c.-
See page 11.
FIG. I FIG. 2
DAWS
No 12
PATENT
FIG. 3
FIG . 4
Fig. 1. End of Breech -loader with Cartridge in one barrel. The small aperture
below is the socket that receives the locking bolt.
Fig. 2. The piston ; the nipple ; and the piston in the nipple as fixed in the Gun.
Fig. 3. The Cartridge Extractor as it lies under the barrels .
Fig. 4. Side view of ditto, as seen along the side of the breech .
THE NEW CENTRAL-FIRE BREECH-LOADER 11
SUPERIOR ADVANTAGES.
ARY
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SUPERIORITY- CARTRIDGE EXTRACTOR . 13
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PATENT CENTRAL-FIRE CARTRIDGE. - See page 15.
FIG . 1
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PATENT
0
12.G. 12.G
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
DAWS
PATENT
CONSTRUCTION.
Take the gun in the left hand by the grip across the
barrels in the ordinary way, letting the butt of the stock
pass under the right arm and against the right side. Then,
with the right hand thumb, smartly jerk down the lever
that rests along the trigger-guard, as far as it will go.
This unlocks the breech-bolt, when the stock, being
guided gently by the arm against the right side, will drop a
few inches rapidly and easily. Both barrels are now open
from end to end.
Next place the cartridges in the breech, still hold-
ing the gun in the same position with the left hand,
and with the right hand gripping the " small " as if to cock,
close the breech action of stock and barrels together.
After this, raise the hammers to fire in the usual way, for
both barrels are now loaded and capped ready for dis-
charge.
VALUABLE PECULIARITIES.
INSTANTLY EXTRACTED.
Draw the side bolt in the fore part out, lower the stock
from the bands as if going to load ; then, holding the stock
in one hand, push the barrels with the other towards the
breech, gripping them tight, as this last action liberates
them, and, unless a caution was given, their coming so sud-
denly loose in the hand, might cause them to be dropped
on the ground.
C2
20 TO RE-MOUNT THE GUN.
Let the side bolt be out as before, then hold both stock
and barrels firmly, as when dismounting. Run the steel
bolt on the barrel lump at the breech end, into the socket
that lies across the hinge of the fore-part ; put in the side-
bolt that fastens the barrels down, and the gun is ready for
loading.
It may be satisfactory to know that no washing out is
required, but that, after use, merely passing an oiled flannel
up and down each barrel several times is all that is necessary
for preserving them in order ( see some ofthe letters of testi-
mony.) It will be better to keep the breech part nicely
oiled and clear from rust, so as to render the working of the
cartridges as freely as possible. The pistons can be re-
moved by any ordinary nipple key when required.
Previous to re-filling old cartridges , take care and push
out the exploded cap with the small re-capping implement,
and then put in a fresh cap, after wiping the anvil , or a new
one of the latter, as may be most convenient. The pointed
end of the " anvil " should rest against the top , or priming
part of the percussion cap, and the flat end at the bottom
of the cap over the touch-hole.
SUMMARY OF VALUE.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
LIBRARY
1
RIFLE GROOVES. 29
let us not pass over a very old invention, though quite ob-
solete in our time, which is the method of making a plain
barrelled gun possess the advantages of a rifle, and yet not
be liable to detection unless more minutely examined than
common inspection usually leads us to expect."
This was neither more nor less than the present oval
bore , which has been revived within the last few years as
some wonderful modern discovery in rifles ! The hexagonal
system, too, as well as the polygonal, is equally ancient ;
some of the barrels nearly two hundred years old, having as
many as twelve grooves ! I have, myself, seen an exact poly-
gonal groove bore in the possession of Capt. Blakely, having
been purchased by him at a large sale of old Hungarian
arms, by the Austrian Government, which took place in
Liverpool some five or six years ago. The weapon carried
its own age upon its face, and was very, very old—a perfect
antique curiosity.
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J
DAW
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JACOB'S EARLY EXPERIMENTS. 39
FURTHER EXPERIMENTS.
FIG . 6 FIG . 7
Seepage 64.
Fig. 1. Jacob Rifle Bullet.
Fig. 2. Jacob Rifle bore.
Fig. 3. Do. do. with cannelures.
Fig. 4. Jacob Rifle Shell.
Fig. 5. Copper tube out of Shell containing bursting charge.
Fig. 6. Appearance of Bullet after striking an iron target.
Fig. 7. Ditto. Shell ditto.
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JACOB'S EXPERIMENTS SUCCESSFUL . 57
" After repeated trials with Lieutenant- Colonel Jacob, with every
description of rifle by nearly all the London and other makers, your
* *
rifles have given the greatest satisfaction. Our late
experiments here have been very successful, and the blowing up of 55lbs .
of powder at 1,800 yards, and ammunition boxes at 1,200 yards, was
• done with your small 32 rifle."
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03
B
BY 66 THE AUTHORITIES ." 61
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B
BY 66 THE AUTHORITIES .' 63
" I am sure you will feel flattered when I tell you that
General Jacob has selected you in preference to any other
celebrated maker for these particular rifles."
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THE DAW-RIFLE SIGHT.- See page 65.
FIG.I FIG.2
DAWS
PATENT NOT
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DAW'S
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DAW'S BAEWNET
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REQUIREMENTS-CHARACTER.
DESCRIPTION.
Fig. 3 shows the sight laid flat upon its bed, for hori-
zontal or short-range firing. In the centre, between bb, is
a gold line for that range. This line can be also cut as a
fine hair slit, or in the form of the usual v notch, as desired.
The same letters of reference will be understood here. h is
a front view of the hinge that the whole sight works upon.
On reference to the position of the back flap, or curtain g, it
will be readily understood that, as the sighting bar bis
raised by the pinion d and the rack e, the curtain must rise
with it. To effect this, and keep the curtain steady, it has
two studs , which terminate its lower end and project into
two small guiding grooves, cut on each side of the sight
bed. The bottom of this bed cannot be shown here,
but, along the centre of it is a flat steel spring lying
quite flush ; this spring is fastened at the back end of the
bed, whilst its loose part moves freely on the hinge of the
index plate, thereby imparting to it all the properties of a
spring hinge. This part of the sight is protected in front
by the front end of the bed , which front end also serves as
the back sight for short range.
SPECIAL SUPERIORITY.
ITS CHARACTER.
1
J. NORTON. ”
ANCIENT REVOLVERS .
AN OLD INVENTION.
FIRST ATTEMPTS.
REVOLVING CHAMBERS .
When the modern pattern came into use, the powder was
simply poured loose into each chamber, then the ball was
rammed and jammed down upon it, without any wadding,
and afterwards the piece was capped and ready for use.
Now, however, since the cartridge has come into such
extensive practice the old plan is very properly abandoned,
and, consequently the arm can now be loaded much more
safely and quickly.
VALUE OF REVOLVERS. 75
VALUE OF REVOLVERS .
DESCRIPTION 77
་
DOUBLE ACTION TRIGGER .
give the best possible natural grip that the hand of the
shooter is capable of, in conjunction with the ready present-
ment of the line of aim along the barrel, and the eye. This
is a point not to be lost sight of, and forms no inconsiderable
one for appreciation in the use of a weapon that is exclusively
meant and intended for sudden operations at close quarters.
The general weight, too, is brought well back, so as to
rest as much as possible on the grip of the handle, where
there is the greatest strength to bear it. This arrangement
gets rid completely of that objectionable heaviness forward,
which turns the barrel into an oscillating lever, and almost
renders it impossible to hold the weapon with any degree of
firmness ; there is, besides , a shoulder at the " small " of the
handle against which the butt of the thumb and fore-finger
can press, in order to steady the grip.
RECOMMENDATORY QUALITIES .
DAW'S REVOLVER.
“ Mr. G. H. Daw, one of the very first of our practical gunmakers—
a fact sufficiently vouched by the celebrated General Jacob, having
specially selected him as the artist to carry out the important improve-
ments in the weapon, known in its latest perfection as the Jacob Rifle-
has a revolver called by his name, which for beauty and solidity of work-
manship, convenient firmness of grip, smoothness of action, and harmony
of parts, deserves high consideration.
" The specimen submitted to us by the maker is worthy of his
reputation. Its form is of the handsomest ; its finish exquisite ; and as
i
we have said before, it is one of the pleasantest in the hand of the many
varieties of revolver we have examined . Daw's revolver has a speciality
in the arrangement of the sights, both of which are upon the barrel ; and
in
the hammer is so placed that it does not interfere in the movement of
cocking with the line of sight. The hammer too differs in form -the
shield or boss for the preservation of the caps being part of its substance.
The action is simple ; the pieces few in number. It can be cocked
either by drawing the trigger, or by the thumb. Between each nipple,
instead of a cavity, there is a projecting pin, which locks into a notch in
the face of the hammer, and thus prevents its revolving. This is a neat
arrangement, and, with the cavity in which each nipple is separately
sunk, prevents accidents from a double discharge. The shield varies
from Colt's in having no cut at the side for putting in the caps . These
are placed on the nipple at the top of the pistol, when at half cock ,
through the cutting where the nose of the striker passes. The arrange-
ment ofthe ramrod is judicious, and extremely convenient in use.
"General Jacob says, ' this is the best and most convenient revolver
to which my attention has been directed. "
G 2
84 DAW'S REVOLVER .
OPINIONS. JACOB'S.
CAUNONS. COCKING. 87
LI BRARY
through the clock ! He had been at ball practice the week
before, and had forgotten to draw his last charge.
Here was a narrow escape from having unintentionally
taken the life of a fellow creature.
CAUTIONS IN COCKING.
RECOIL.
DANGER OF RASHNESS .
FOOLISH ECONOMY.
CERTAINTE FORECT.
Never fire until you are certain of what you are firing
at, and that it is clear of all danger to any one else.
BURSTING.
CONCLUSION.
which had been thundering forth all day had hit nobody
at all ! Again, in the Caffre war of 1851 , it has
been ascertained that 80,000 rounds of ball cartridge
were fired in the month of August alone, and the results
were the killing of some twenty native savages - or just
3,200 balls to each Caffre. Now, as every ball weighed an
ounce, and, as there are sixteen ounces to the pound, it
took exactly two hundred pounds weight of lead to ' pot '
every single savage !
H2
100
ENT OF
FI
PAT C
GENERAL GARIBALDI .
April, 1864.' The General, on receiving the presents, said : " This
' I am grateful to you for it, and will use it for your memory—
WS
DA tent
Pa
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same
T he
Trigger
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Double
with
R EVOLVER
.-DAW
PATENT
IMPROVED
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GARIBALDI
,to
GENERAL
presented
101
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APPENDIX .
ON
AND CARTRIDGE .
"We have now to describe an entirely new gun and cartridge, the
introduction of Mr. Daw, the well known city gunmaker of Thread-
needle street, to which we bespeak the reader's attention . •
We have carefully examined the weapon ourselves, and we earnestly
recommend it to the attention not only of our sporting readers, but also
to the whole gunmaking fraternity."
“ The gun which is represented above has been tried in our presence
with complete success, by Mr. Daw, the well known gunmaker of
Threadneedle Street, London. We believe that its method of detonation
is far superior, and that the several plans of locking and detaching the
barrels, and of extracting the cartridge cases, as well as re-capping them,
are far more simple than in the Lefaucheux, and will, therefore, be more
efficacious in use, while they promise to be less amenable to wear and
tear.' We have fired the gun in the dark without detecting the slightest
escape of gas. We, therefore, do not imagine that there will be the
slightest tendency in this gun to get out of order ; and, as far as we have
been able to try it, we have the highest opinion of its merits."
102 APPENDIX.
Exhibition of 1862,
lever with the right hand, exposing their rear ends, into which a paper
cartridge-case, containing powder, shot, wad, and cap, is inserted. The
detonation is effected by the hammer striking on a projecting brass pin
in the cartridge, which has to be carefully fitted into a groove, made for
its reception in the barrel, to allow of the breech closing. These guns
are open to the objections of miss fires, ifthis pin gets in the slightest
degree bent, of the cartridges sticking in the barrel after discharge, and
of the pinhole and joints wearing away rapidly. Several makers have
done away with the brass pin, and secured a central fire. The plan
adopted by Mr. G. H. Daw, of Threadneedle-street, appeares to be by
far the best breech-loading principle in the exhibition. Instead of the
barrels falling, as in the Lefaucheux gun, by moving forward a small
lever, which fits closely over the trigger- guard, a springbolt is drawn
back and the stock drops sufficiently to insert the cartridges. When
loaded, the stock is brought up into a line with the barrel, the bolt then
slips into its place, securely locking the gun ready for discharge. This
solid springbolt works through the body of the piece, and locks into a
solid slot, under the breech end of and between the barrels . A great
improvement is made in the mode of attaching the barrels to the stock.
Instead of making the socket in which the hingebolt plays in two pieces,
one-half attached to the barrels and the other fixed to and removable
with the fore end of the stock, in Daw's breech-loader the fore ends of
the stocks are closely hinged together, and the barrels are fixed to the
former by dropping a stud into the socket and bolting both securely
together by the ordinary sidebolt. The cartridges employed with this
gun are cylinders of stout paper, or of brass tubing, terminating in a brass
capsule with projecting rim, and having in the centre of the rear end a
chamber just large enough to hold a common percussion cap. This
chamber is conical in form, having at the bottom a small hole for com-
municating with the powder. Before inserting the cap a small brass
anvil is slipped into it. This brass anvil has a conical point and four deep
grooves extending to its base. When the cartridges are charged the caps
are below the surface of the rear end of the cartridge, out of the way of
any accidental blow. Stout steel pins, terminating in a false nipple, pass
at an angle through the body or frame of the gun, and come out opposite
to the centre of the cartridges . When the hammer descends these pins or
pistons strike the centre of the cap, which is driven on to the anvil, and
the ignited fulminate passes readily along the grooves in the anvil through
the hole in the bottom of the chamber and explodes the powder. A self-
acting steel slide draws out the exploded cartridge-cases, which may be
several times reloaded, as recapping (the great difficulty in the ordinary
APPENDIX. 105
pin cartridge-case) is effected by pushing out the exploded cap and anvil
from the front, fitting the latter into a new cap, and dropping it into
its place. This principle, which is of course applicable to every de-
scription of small arm, appears to obviate every objection to the breech-
loading system , and to leave very little to be desired."
" CLASS XI.— Among the rifles in this class, which are sure to attract
public attention, must be especially noted the newly invented and patent
Central-Fire Breech-Loading Rifle of Mr. George Daw, of Threadneedle
Street, a name as well known as the Enfield Rifle itself. Besides this
excellent rifle, Mr. Daw exhibits several Daw-Jacob ' rifles and Indian
ball guns, for either shot or ball."
" Mr. Daw's collection is on the whole the most complete of any
private individual in the class."
"We pass over one or two minor matters this week in order to give
prominence to a Gun and Cartridge on the breech-loading principle, that
is at present creating considerable interest in the sporting world. When
the original model was finished, and had passed through its ' proof
trials,' it was first introduced to public notice through the columns of
Bell's Life. The gun we allude to is the Patent Central-Fire Breech
Loader, the property of Daw, of Threadneedle Street. At the time we
first examined it, we pronounced it to be an immense advance over
anything we had seen, and cordially recommended it to our friends.
During the past eight months it has been well tested by some of the
106 APPENDIX.
keenest shots, and has sustained the opinion we expressed concerning it.
Such are the opinions we have heard from all who have seen or tried the
central-fire principle, that, without in any way wishing for one moment
to even seem to cast a shadow on the merits of other inventions, we are
only giving just currency to what we know, by publishing those opinions
in these columns. Shooting gentlemen are making Daw's
new gun a speciality of their visit."
" GREAT GUNS AND SMALL ARMs.- The plan adopted by Mr. G. H.
Daw, of Threadneedle Street, appears to be by far the best breech
loading principle in the Exhibition. . This principle, which
is of course applicable to every description of small arm, appears to
obviate every objection to the breech-loading system, and to leave very
little to be desired."
" Of all the sporting guns and rifles which the Exhibition of 1862 has
brought into use, none are so important as ' Daw's Patent Central Fire
Breech-Loader.' This valuable gun has been patented by Mr. G. H.
Daw, of Threadneedle Street, and promises to become the sportsman's
weapon par excellence. Mr. Daw's system of breech- loading is certainly
superior to any other yet brought forward, being at once correct in its
principle, simple in its application, certain in its purpose, and apparently
* * * **
incapable of getting out of order.
* ** * *
* It is needless to say Mr. Daw has ob-
tained the Prize Medal for ' improvements in breech-loading small
arms,'
APPENDIX. 107
" A similar trial of small bores, 451 gauge, with equal weights of
powder, and bullets of 530 grs ., at a range of thirty yards, gave the
following as the average of planks penetrated by the different rifles :
" Several other exhibitors show target rifles of the 451 gauge, each
having some peculiarity in the principle sufficient to establish an in-
dividuality, and each having its admirers. Those referred to, however,
are the best known, and suffice to give a general idea of the salient
features of this class ofsmall arms.
AP N 109
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" KURRACHEE,
"27th October, 1856 .
*
* " After repeated trials with Lieut. Col. Jacob, with
every description of Rifle, by nearly all the London and other makers,
your Rifles have given the greatest satisfaction. * * * * Our late
experiments here have been very successful, and the blowing up of 550
lbs. of powder at 1,800 yards, and amunition boxes at 1,200 yards was
done with your small 32- Rifle."
"PORTMADOC,
" Mr. G. H. DAW. " October 6th, 1862 .
"SIR,-I have been lately prevented, owing to business interfering,
from target practice, but have, notwithstanding, attended occasionally to
a little position and aiming drill. This morning, being disengaged and the
weather being suitable, I went down with another member of the corps,
both using small bores, to practice at 800 yards at regulation targets,
the marker, a Staff Serjeant, being previously instructed to keep a
diagram. We fired 10 rounds. My practice was 1. 1. 1. 2. 2. 2. 2. 2.
2. 1. = 16 10 hits =26. According to Wimbledon scoring it was
2. 2. 2. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 1.= 25 + 10 hits = 35.
110 APPENDIX.
This is quite equal to the best practice made in July last, in the
International match at Wimbledon. The position was lying down,
ammunition, “ Eleys,” 44 2 diameter bullet, 2 drachms powder, the
elevation almost exactly 8 as marked on the flap. The rifle does not
kick in the least, and is, in my opinion, a really excellent weapon. I
think you ought to be persuaded to put in six of these rifles for the small
bore competition. You must be very near, if not quite A. 1 , if you will
pay nice attention to the sighting. I believe your rifles will yet become
the most popular, they only want a fair trial by steady shots to be
approved of. I enclose you the diagram of the practice as copied from
the original.
" Believe me,
"Yours, very sincerely,
"BENJAMIN WYATT."
" MR. DAW."
Extracts from " Rifle Practice, by The late GENERAL JACOB, C.B., ofthe
Bombay Artillery." (London : Smith, Elder, & Co.)
PENETRATION.
"At Kurrachee on the 26th September, 1856, an iron-pointed ball ,
fired with a charge of 24 drachms of powder, at a distance of twenty-five
yards, penetrated clean through eighteen deal planks, each three quarters
of an inch thick, and smashed itself all to pieces against stones on the
other side."
"Present,-Colonel JACOB.
Captain SCOTT, A.D.C.
Lieutenant MACDONALD, Rev. Survey."
APPENDIX. 111
ACCURACY.
" This, however, is not he only particular in which Mr. Daw has
advanced upon his predecessors in the manufacture of pistols. He has
introduced a better form of protection to the caps after they have been
placed upon the nipple. The opening made for the purpose of adjusting
the cap is at the top, forming part of the hammer (by which it is drawn
back and replaced), and each nipple is in a separate compartment, which
APPENDIX. 113
prevents the cap from falling out, or its explosion from affecting its
neighbour. The stock or hand of the pistol is longer than in others, and
from its form and lengthened surface affords a better grasp, while
the slope of the trigger guard enables it to rest with greater ease upon the
fore-finger. Even to the ramrod, improvement is carried out, and the
fittings ofthe case are unexceptionable. We can well understand why
General Jacob, the greatest connoisseur in fire-arms of the present day,
has pronounced Mr. Daw's weapon the best and most convenient
revolver to which his attention has been directed .'
" But General Jacob has not confined his approbation of Mr. Daw's
workmanship to a mere expression. He has ordered several from the same
superior manufacturer, for his own use ; a couple of 24 and 32-gauge
double-barrelled rifles for sporting purposes, we have had the pleasure of
inspecting before their shipment for India. The directions forwarded to
Mr. Daw were the result of 25 years' experience, and at a cost of many
thousand pounds. Repeated trials with these weapons show the value of
the General's principles, and the perfection attained, which cannot be
surpassed by those of any other known rifle of the present day. The
rifles in question are, without exception, of the very best material and
workmanship that can possibly be turned out of hand. The simple but
useful improvements in the shape of stocks, locks, and finishing of these
guns, are the same as those which the maker brought out some time
back. They are quite different in style from those of other makers, and
39
have been greatly admired by some of the first sportsmen of the day.
" The sights are regulated from 100 up to 2,600 yards. The barrels
are prepared in a novel manner-that is to say, the upper part of the
barrel is roughed or filed, so as to give a more distinctly clear sight than
is obtained in ordinary rifles, and prevents the possibility of the glaring
sun acting or interfering with the sights. Each rifle is fitted with a neat
and ingenious spring at the end of the stocks, in order to take off recoil
when a large charge of powder is used. The internal arrangements of
the cases are also new, and are well adapted for hot climates.
" One of the Commissioners in Scinde, writing to the maker, says : —' I
am sure you will feel flattered, when I tell you General Jacob has select-
ed you in preference to any other celebrated maker for these particular
rifles.
" To this we may add the testimony of a Major of the Bombay Cavalry,
who says (speaking of a gun made for him by Daw) , ' I have never seen
so good a gun in my life, and I have shot with every good maker in
England and Ireland, and even Scotland. Nothing can touch my gun.
It is greatly admired .' ”
I
114 APPENDIX .
" SIR,
"My attention has just been drawn to a letter in the Gazette
of the 12th inst., signed by · Telegraph,' asking for information relating
to the Jacob rifle. In answer to the inquiry whether I think it neces-
sary to have such a cartload of wood and iron as a 15lbs. rifle to get a
range of 2,000 yards,' I say it is not. My rifles, on General Jacob's
principle, of much less weight, have proved it beyond doubt ; and it is
with no small amount of pleasure I see the principles I have for the last
ten years advocated and brought to perfection at last believed in and
found to be correct, though cleverly disguised and re-christened by
certain imitators, who have received no end of praise and the help of the
public purse. Whatever they presented to the public was considered
wonderful, while other valuable and more simple productions were dis-
carded . Now, if those who wish to bestow honour where honour is due,
would carefully examine the alterations the famous imitators have from
time to time made in their arms and projectiles during the last few years,
it will be found they closely resemble a system generously offered to the
public by the great General Jacob, and all attempts to evade these
valuable productions have proved a waste of time, and only profitable to
the scientific schemers who had not the honesty to acknowledge the
excellence of a perfect system. Dispite the good practice my rifles have
made at long distances, I have been told by several in my trade that the
weapons were too short and thick in the barrels, the twist in the rifling
too great, the bullet was too sharp in the point and too thick and heavy
behind, besides a variety of other not over- wise remarks. Now that the
subject is better understood, those who have given it attention are at
last realizing the fact that General Jacob was no idle theorist. It is to
be regretted that it takes so many years to get fair play in one's own
country on a subject of such importance to the nation . If our Govern-
ment is anxious to adopt the most simple and perfect rifle and ammuni-
tion for our Army, and will give the Jacob system a fair trial, they will
find it the most accurate and deadly weapon that can be placed in the hands
of our troops. Having devoted eighteen years to the study of rifles and
projectiles, and conducted a vast number of experiments to test the merits
APPENDIX . 115
I2
116 APPENDIX.
" After I got the gun from you last June twelvemonth, when I
used it rabbit shooting, it pleased me so much in every particular that
I wrote a letter testifying my approval ; but now that I have had a
full season's trial of it, I am more convinced than ever of its merits, both
in principle and hard shooting powers, the former very far exceeds in
the Breech-loading way any that has been brought out, and though I
have had guns made by Purday, John Manton, Lancaster, and Westley
Richards, all first- rate, to none will yours yield the palm for hard
shooting.
"From all the expense and anxiety you have taken to bring such a
gun before the Sporting world, you deserve to be patronised, and I
wish your new Central-fire Breech-loaders may make you a rapid
fortune.
"With my best wishes, believe me, &c.,
"JOHN WESTROPP."
APPENDIX. 119
original green ones, which you have now replaced by better, and more-
over it was one of my own filling, at a time when I was new to the
operation, and it is very likely I had given it too hard a squeeze in
turning down the edge. The tube came out quite easily.
"You may rely on my taking every opportunity of recommending
your gun to my acquaintances, and heartily wishing you success in your
manufacture,
" I remain, &c.,
"J. S. BROOKING."
“ The gun cannot be fired unless the barrels are dead locked, without
this qualification no breech-loader is safe.
"During three years I shot with a pin-cartridge breech-loader, and I
am entirely of opinion, that any system of breech-loading which embraces
the use of a pin-cartridge, or any other cartridge which admits the
escape of gas, is a step in the wrong direction.
" I remain, &c.,
"F. LE MESURIER."
6
122 APPENDIX.
" I have shot with it regularly throughout the season, and find it works
admirably, and shoots remarkably strong. My own opinion is, that the
Central-fire Breech-loaders will entirely supersede the others, as they
are so much less liable to get bent at the breech.
"I find your cartridges reload extremely well and without difficulty,
mine I have all used regularly twice this season, and many I find will
do three times. A little improvement in the cardboard would, I have
no doubt, allow of their being fired four times.
" I am, &c.,
"F. WALKER."
"I have received the gun safely, and have every reason for being
perfectly satisfied with the way in which you have executed my com-
mission.
"I am very much obliged to you for having sent the gun so expe-
ditiously."
APPENDIX. 123
Letter received 20th April, 1864, from J GIBBS, Esq., H.M. Bombay
Civil Service.
[APPENDIX NOTE. ]
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
JOHN KING, & Co. , Printers, 63, Queen Street, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
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