WILSON'S BREECH-LOADING RIFLE.
Most of the breech-loading tifies we have seen, have been distinguished for their ingenuity, but not at all for their simplicity : an exception is the one before us. The effort on the part of Mr. Wilson to produce a really sirnple yet effective breech-loader, is to our mind a complete success; and this result is accomplished without screws, joints, or levers. Where the barrel of the rifle ends and the breech begins is sunk a groove the -width of the diameter of the bore and its depth from the upper surface. This groove is continued to the end of the breech-piece at the slope of the stock. Fitted with great nicety into this groove is a slide, the whole length of the breeoh-pieee, having at its inner end a plug exactly the size of the bore of the rifle. To secure this slide in its place, a cotter is made to pass through the lock side of the stock, and through a staple beneath the slide, in the same manner as the barrels of guns are kept in the ribs which pass beneath them. To charge the rifle it is only neces- sary to pull out the cotter and draw back the slide; put in the cartridge, force home the slide, and push in the cotter, and then you can fire as soon as you like, and at the rate of eight or ten rounds a minute. Both cotter and slide have thumb or knob pieces at their outer extremities for their more easy adjustment.
Mr. Wilson claims among other things for his invention, "that it is being free from screws, levers, and all complications, and is not liable to be put out of order ; that it is easy of manufacture, and can be made entirely by machinery ; that an accident from careless loading is im- possible: That the breech-plug can be detached for cleaning the barrel, and replaced in a moment; and that the action is always in good order, requiring no adjustment in use. That it is adapted for sporting pur- poses, either in single or double barrel guns. And above, all that the principle,can be aPplied to all ready-made Enfield or other rifles."
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