Appendix I

PROGRAM OF PRELIMINARY TESTS OF SELF-LOADING MAGAZINE RIFLES AND CARBINES SUBMITTED BY INVENTORS AT THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY

**********

1. The piece will be dismounted and assembled, and the times, number and kinds of tools required for each of the following operations noted”

(a) To dismount the breech and magazine mechanism with the exception of the lock

(b) To dismount the lock.

(c) To assemble the lock.

(d) To complete the assembling of the piece. The number of parts and the kinds of springs will be recorded. The number of pins and screws will also be noted.

2. PRELIMINARY FIRING – The piece will be fired as a self-loader 100 rounds into butt to observe the general behavior. No time will be taken and the firing will be deliberate enough to prevent the necessity of cooling during this test.

3. RAPIDITY WITH ACCURACY – The piece will be fired from the shoulder at a target 6’ x 2’, range 100 feet, under the following circumstances, the cartridge disposed at will upon a table.

(a) Number of shots and hits firing for one minute, using gun as a self-loader. Test begun with magazine empty.

(b) Number of shots and hits firing for one minute, using gun as a repeater. Test begun while magazine empty. Any cartridge missing fire in this or other tests will be opened to ascertain the cause of failure.

4. RAPIDITY AT WILL – The same as Test Three, except that a piece may be fired from the hip without aim into a butt at short range. Hits will not be considered.

5. DUST – With the mechanism closed, and both ends of the barrel tightly corked, the piece will be exposed in the box prepared for that purpose to blast of fine sand for two minutes and then removed. The surplus sand may be removed by blowing thereon, jarring the piece or wiping with the bare hand only. It will then be fired twenty rounds under the following condition.:

(a) Magazine empty when exposed to dust. Before firing, charge the magazine and fire as self-loader.

(b) Magazine loaded when exposed to dust. Remove and wipe cartridges, re-load and fire as above.

In case the self-loading mechanism fails to work in either tests (a) and (b) the piece will then be tried as a repeater.

6. VELOCITY – The velocity of the bullet at a distance of 53 feet from the muzzle will be determined, taking the mean of five shots.

7. ENDURANCE – The piece will then be fired deliberately 500 rounds as a self-loader for endurance, cooling the barrel after each 50 rounds.

8. EASE OF MANIPULATION – The general working of the piece will then be examined by the members of the Board.

9. DECREASED CHARGES – The piece t be fired 12 rounds as a self-loader with cartridges in which the powder charge has been decreased so that the first four fired will give pressures 25% less, the second four 15%, and the last four 10% less than the service pressure.

10. EXCESSIVE CHARGES – The piece to be fired five times as a single loader with cartridges in which the charge of powder is so increased as to produce a pressure in the chamber of 64,000 pounds per square inch.

11. PIERCED PRIMERS – The piece will be fired once with a service cartridge in which the primer has been thinned so as to insure piercing.

12. RUST – The mechanism will be thoroughly cleansed of grease, the ends of the barrel tightly corked, and the piece then placed in a solution of sal ammoniac for five minutes. After exposure to the open air for twenty-four hours, ten shots will be fired into a sand butt, using the piece as a self-loader. In case the self-loading mechanism fails to work, the piece will then be tried as a repeater.

GENERAL REMARKS – During the above tests the piece will be entirely in the hands of the Board and no alterations or repairs other than those possible on the ground will be allowed, except by special permission of the Board. If the piece fails in any test the remainder of the program may be discontinued in the discretion of the Board. Any piece which successfully passes the foregoing tests may be subjected to such supplementary tests to further determine its endurance or other qualities as may be presented by the Commanding Officer.