The Burgess Repeating Rifle.—(Made by Whitney Arms Co., New Haven, Conn.)—1, receiver; 2, bottom tang; 3, lever; 4, breech-block; 5, top lever; 6, ejector; 7, carrier-block; 8, bottom plate; 9, bottom plate snap; 10, hammer; 11 mainspring; 12, hammer-screw; 13, side loading spring cover as seen from the back; 14, trigger.
To Take Apart.—1st, take out the bottom plate screw, and remove the plate; 2d, take out the top cover screws and slide the cover back against the hammer, having depressed the lever sufficiently to let it pass by, then pull back the hammer as far as possible and take the cover out; 3d, take out the carrier screws, there being one on each side of the upper rear portion of the receiver, and the stop screw on the upper front left hand side of the receiver, then the lever, breech-block, extractor and earner can be taken out through the top.
To Disengage the Lever from the Breech Block.—Take out, 1st, the firing pin screw; 2d, the firing pin; 3d, the ejector from the side of the breech-block; 4th, the large pin from either side. In assembling, replace the pin in exactly the same position it was when taken out.
To Assemble.—1st, place the lever, breech-block, extractor and carrier in their proper position, relatively to one another, as they were when taken out, with the projection on the breech-block inside, and under the front part of the carrier. 2d. Replace the above parts taken together in the receiver, passing the handle of the lever first through the top, put in the carrier side screws and the stop screw. 3d. cock the hammer, slide the top cover into place, the breech being left half way open, then put in the screw; 4th, close the breach and screw the bottom plate to place.
Burnside’s Breech Loading Rifle.—To clean the gun, unlatch the guard and drop the chamber; press down the small spring bolt at the guard joint with the finger nail, while the lever of the joint-bolt is turned out of place and taken from the joint. To detach the movable breech-pin from the chamber, press it back with the thumb and forefinger of the left hand; hold the bolt in this position with the thumb nail of the right hand inserted in the notch of the bolt, while with the fore finger of the same hand, the breech-pin is pushed into the chamber, and the head or button of the spring-bolt is turned from its place, when the breech-pin may be removed. Every part of the arm, except the lock is now exposed to view. Put together in reverse order of taking apart.
The Evans Magazine Rifle.—(Made by the Evans Magazine Rifle Co., Mechanics Falls, Me.; Merwin, Hulbert & Co., agents, New York City.)—To load the magazine, introduce the cartridge through the opening in the butt plate. Each complete movement of the lever forward carries the cartridge to its chamber. Repeat the motion till the magazine is full.
To use as a single loader, drop the lever to right angle with the barrel and insert the cartridge directly in the chamber.
The full motion of the lever forward discharges the empty shell, the return places the loaded cartridge in position, when the arm is ready for discharge.
Semi-Hammerless.—The American Arms Company are now producing a gun at a low price called the semi-hammerless single gun, for which the manufacturers claim that it combines the advantages of a hammerless without the danger of the self-cocking principle. To cock the gun press down the little lever on the side. The lock-plate is easily removed to get at and oil the lock. Its construction is such that no water or dirt can penetrate to the lock.