Wild Beasts and their Ways, vol 1 | Page 6

breechloaders, brought out an Express rifle, No. 70 bore, with a
mechanically fitting two-groove solid bullet. This small projectile was
a well-pointed cone weighing exactly 200 grains, with a powder charge
of 110 grains, more than half the weight of the bullet. The extremely
high velocity of this rifle expanded the pure soft lead upon impact with
the skin and muscles of a red deer. At the same time there was no loss
of substance in the metal, as the bullet, although much disfigured,
remained intact, and continued its course of penetration, causing great
havoc by its increased surface. Nothing has surpassed this rifle in
velocity, although so many improvements have taken place since the
introduction of breechloaders, but in the days of muzzle-loaders it was
a satisfaction to myself that I was the first to commence the heavy
charge of powder with the 3 ounce bullet and 16 drams, to be followed
after many years by so high an authority as Mr. Purdey with a 200
grain bullet and 110 grains of powder, thus verifying the principle of
my earliest experience.
This principle is now universally accepted, and charges of powder are
used, as a rule, which forty years ago would have been regarded as
impossible.
The modern breechloader in the hands of a well-trained soldier should
be a most deadly weapon, nevertheless we do not find a greater
percentage of destruction among the numbers engaged than resulted
from the old Brown Bess. The reason is obvious: battles are now fought
at long ranges, whereas in the early portion of the century fire was
seldom opened at a greater distance than 200 yards, and the actual
struggle terminated at close quarters.
A long-range rifle in the excitement of a hot action has several
disadvantages. The sights may have been set for 600 or 800 yards when
the enemy was at a distance, but should that interval be decreased by an
approach at speed, the sights would require an immediate readjustment,
otherwise the bullets would fly overhead, and the nearer the enemy
advanced, the safer he would be. Troops require most careful training

with the new weapons entrusted to their care. Although a rapidity of
fire if well directed must have a terrible result, there can be no question
that it engenders a wild excitement, and that a vast amount of
ammunition is uselessly expended, which, if reserved by slower but
steady shooting, would be far more deadly.
Although the difficulty is great in preventing troops from independent
firing when their blood is up in the heat of combat, the paramount duty
of an officer should be to control all wildness, and to insist upon
volleys in sections of companies by word of command, the sights of the
rifles being carefully adjusted, and a steady aim being taken at the
knees of the enemy.
There cannot be a better example than the advice upon this subject
given by the renowned General Wolfe (who was subsequently killed at
the siege of Quebec) to the 20th Regiment, of which he was Colonel,
when England was hourly expecting an invasion by the French:--...
"There is no necessity for firing very fast; ... a cool well-levelled fire
with the pieces carefully loaded is much more destructive than the
quickest fire in confusion."--At Canterbury, 17th December 1755.
This instruction should be sternly impressed upon the minds of all
soldiers, as it is the text upon which all admonitory addresses should be
founded. It must not be forgotten that General Wolfe's advice was
given to men armed with the old muzzle-loading Brown Bess (musket),
which at that time was provided with a lock of flint and steel.
Notwithstanding the slowness of fire necessitated by this antiquated
weapon, the General cautioned his men by the assurance, "There is no
necessity for firing very fast," etc., etc.
The breechloader is valuable through the power which exists,
especially with repeating rifles, for pouring in an unremitting fire
whenever the opportunity may offer, but under ordinary circumstances
the fire should be reserved with the care suggested by the advice of
General Wolfe.
Small-bores have become the fashion of the day, and for military
purposes they are decidedly the best, as a greater amount of

ammunition can be carried by the soldier, while at the same time the
range and trajectory of his weapon are improved. The new magazine
rifle adopted by the Government is only '303, but this exceedingly
small diameter will contain 70 grains of powder with a bullet of hard
alloy weighing 216 grains.
For sporting purposes the small-bore has been universally adopted, but
I cannot help thinking that like many other fashions, it has been carried
beyond the rules of common sense.
When upon entering a gunmaker's shop the inexperienced purchaser is
perplexed by the array of rifles and