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EVOLUTION OF THE RIFLE Here is the evolution of the rifle rifleTlic Tlic Sharpe rifle an American invention and the first of ourlrfeeth loaders Svas patented hi 1852 1852A A slide permitted the cartridge to be inserted rlilch Hvnulirai ed to cloSS the breech cut off the end of tiie cartridge exposing the powder 16 the flame of the percussion cap Plitf first type of reiieatihg rifle was the Spencer in 1800 The magazine was a tube in the butt end of the stock pushing them home with the spring arid pYnnger Up tb188B tTie military rifles were over 44caliber then the French brought out the Lebel rifle with a bore of 315 of an inch made possible by the first use of smokeless powder powderTheir Their early rifles contained eight cartridges in a fore eiiri tube tubeSince Since the present war began they have changed this to a breech magazine holding three cartridges cartridgesThe The Enneiarlfleniok its name from the British government rifle factpry at Enfield LOtk Just as ounSpriiigfleUL Run took its name from the Spring ¬ field Mass arsenal arsenalThe The JInf ield is in reality a Mauser type adopted in 1003 The original LeeEiifielsl took its name from an AmrTJcan Lee inventor of the Lee action which wjsvonibjned with the Metford rifling used in our navy as the LeeMetford and adapted by Britain in 18S8 The English had previously copied our Snldor rifls hi 1S 5 and tho Martin In ISOit ISOitPrevious Previous to the Springfield rifle our standard gim was ttw KTiigJbrgehseii standardized in 1898 1898iTlie iTlie United States onK paid a royalty on the Krag rlflo but lias never paid Germany any royalty on the United States Springfield service rifle caliber 30 model 1003 contrary to gpiile reports
