Among the first steps towards the development of the modern rifled artillery and elongated projectile we find certain improvements to have originated in the small arms pieces. In his "Report on the Art of War in Europe in 1854, 1855, and 1856" Colonel R. Delafield, U.S.A., gives the first reference of immediate importance to the subject in question. The small arms bullet was of lead which readily adapted itself to such configuration as was desired. Great contrariety of opinion existed as to the best form of ball and principle, even, by which it was caused to partake of the rifle twist of the gun barrel. The following are some of the first forms and methods adopted and are worthy of consideration:

Fig. 1

Among the French and some others the "tige principle" was employed. It consisted in forcing the base of the ball open so "as to fit the bore and rifle grooves by driving it on a projecting spike in the bottom of the gun attached to the breech, and rising through the charge of powder," as in Fig. 1. For this purpose a countersunk rammer head to fit over the head of the ball had to be used.

Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7

In the English Enfield rifle a form of ball was used consisting of a hollow cup or cone in the bored-out base of the ball (Figs. 2 and 3) the action of the powder driving this cup into the ball causing it to expand and take the rifling. Iron cups were used in the Crimea but because of occasionally cutting off and leaving in the bore a ring of lead were discarded for solid wood or papier maché cups (Fig. 4). Figs. 5 and 6 show forms of hollow base balls used by the French and Russians, in which the direct action of the powder on the base caused the sought for expansion into the rifling.

The Russians at Sebastopol employed also a fourth principle consisting of two short projections or lugs on the cylindrical part of the solid ball to engage in two grooves cut in the bore of the gun. Its proportions are illustrated by Fig. 7.

Fig. 8 Fig. 9 Fig. 10 Fig. 11 Fig. 12 Fig. 13