GUNS Magazine August 1962

thing different. Said Phillip B. Sharpe in
"The Rifle in America": "This gun was
somewhat shorter than the standard rifle,
bearing a barrel between 20" and 21". The
two cartridges (rifle and carbine) Were both
bottlenecked and are extremely rare at this
time. Indications are, both types had a
paper-patched bullet, but whether this was
purely for target purposes or military use is
not established."
Birmingham Small Arms fitted the Peabody-Martini
action with a .22 caliber barrel
and custom target stock, producing a #12
small-bore match rifle. This gun proved to be
a very accurate and efficient small-bore rifle,
one that is still popular today as a target •
and sporting arm.
The English also took a crack at improving
the Peabody-Martini. Alexander Henry
added a fancied improvement in the form of
a "not-new" rifling system, and the outcome
became known as the "Martini-Henry"­
leaving Peabody's name out entirely!
In the late 1870's and early 80's, American
military men once again attempted to
adopt a good army rifle. Despite its worldwide
acceptance, Peabody's gun still had
little chance of getting the official nod. The
customary system of selecting a rifle was to
modify and, if possible, improve a previous
arm, and this system still prevailed.
The Army brass dawdled; refusing to make
a design change for fear that a vastly superior
rifle would suddenly appear after a
commitment. Consequently, the old Springfield
Model 1860 was finally put into oblivion
and the Springfield breech-loading
rifle, Model 1873, or the old .45-70, was
selected. According to Ellis Christian Lenz,
noted gun authority lind author of "Muzzle
Flashes": "This particular rifle had a latchbreech
which popped open occasionally at
the wrong time, but since it was a fairly
accurate shooter, it was OK'd by the 'brasshats'
of the day."
One of these brass-hats jadedly declared .
in defense: "The present improved arm cannot
be rendered worthless by the introduction
of an improved weapon, because as long
as small arms are fired from the shoulder
and the propelling force is gunpowder, the
caliber of gun and dimensions of cartridge,
now regulation, will be changed and the
improvement will only consist in more rapid
manipulation and increased rapidity of fire."
This long-winded report came from the
Chief of Ordnance in 1878!
Emphasis was still on "improvement"
rather than on something new and different.
Thus, near-sighted blundering caused the
United States Army to lose what some believe
to have been the best single shot
breech-loading action of the time .•. the
Peabody rifle.
In 1920, the Peabody rifle once more
banged itself into prominence. This time,
the Swiss government employed it during an
International shooting event and the U. S.
team lost the match ingloriously.
To save face, our shooters were speedily
outfitted with rifles bearing the American­
Peabody action. But the reporters of the day
insisted they had been forced to use "foreign
guns" in self-defense. The Peabody rifle
had been away from home too long!
Henry Oliver Peabody rests today in the
local cemetery of Boxford. Buried beneath
the dust of time, he is forgotten by a nation
he might have served in its ~
time of need. ~
Progress report to handloaders from Hornady research
Hornady introduces a new and
MORE EFFICIENT BALLISTIC SHAPE
SECANT DOIVE
SPIRE POINT
With maximum accuracy,
greater retained velocity, and
deadly dependable expansion
As you see from tb,e bullet illustration
anddiagram above, ourformerlystraight
spire point now has a slight curve. This
curve is drawn with- a secant radiustwice
the length of the tangent radius
(used in spitzer bullet design).
Hornady Bullets with straight spire
points have long been famous for their
deadly long range accuracy. So ...
Whychangeanalreadygoodbullet?
Only to make it better. Continuous improvement
is policy at Hornady's. In
our modern, fully equipped ballistics
laboratory and 200-yard underground
testing range, we are developing much
significant ballistics research, resulting
in better bullets for better shooting.
How long the point ofa bullet?
The longer and sharper the point, the
less the air resistance to its flight and
the better the retained velocity and
energy at long range. But if too long,
the bullet loses stability and accuracy.
To shoot accurately, a bullet must
also have an adequateamount of straight
bearing surface against the rifle barrel
-long an outstanding advantage of
Hornady spire point bullets.
So point length is precisely calculated
to provide the longest point that will
:-,:
BULLETS IN ALL POPULAR
30 caliber, 150 grain
shown twice actual size
maintain maximum accuracy.
Sharper points with the secant
The secant ogive spire shape enables
us to produce bullets with sharper
points for more retained velocity than
bullets of other design. Itmakes possible
both a more efficient point shape and
maximum bearing surface for deadly
accuracy at long range.
We made and
fired innumerable
test bullets with
slight variations
in point length
and shape to arrive
at this optimum
profile-and
a more handsome
one, too.
The shooting proves the point
This test target is only one of many
offering conclusive proof of the fine accuracy
achieved. This accuracy combined
with more retained velocity and
energy assures exceptional hunting results.Performanceongame
is impressive.
Hornady spire point bullets are now
being made with the new secant ogive
point shape-and your shooting will
prove our point. .
H e>::r:.1o,d. Y
B"U"LLET&
CALIBERS-SEND FOR LIST
HORN4DY MFG. COMPANY. DEPT. G • BOX 906 • GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA
GUNS AUGUST 1962 41