Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900. George Henry Makins
and in the composition of the metals employed in their manufacture may materially alter the character of the wounds produced and revolutionise a classification founded purely on the relative weight, calibre, and degree of velocity with which each is endowed.
TABLE I
| Martini-Henry | Guedes | Lee-Metford | Lee-Enfield | Mauser | Krag-Jörgensen | |
| Calibre of rifle | .45 in. | .314 in. | .303 in. | .303 in. | .276 in. | .254 in. |
| Number of grooves | 7 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| One twist in | 22 in. to right | 9.85 in. to right | 10 in. to left | 10 in. to left | 8–11/16 in. to right | 8 in. to left |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,300 f.s. | 1,988 f.s. | 2,000 f.s. | 2,000 f.s. | 2,262 f.s. | 2,309 f.s. |
| Sighted to | 1,450 yds. | 2,600 paces | 2,800 yds. | 2,800 yds. | 2,187 yds. | 2,406 yds. |
| Weight of cartridge | 758 grains | 464.05 grains[6] | 416½ grains | 416½ grains | 384.5 grains | 372.1 grains |
| Weight of bullet | 480 grains | 244 grains | 215 grains | 215 grains | 173.3 grains | 156.4 grains |
| Length of bullet | 1.250 in. | 1.250 in. | 1.250 in. | 1.250 in. | 1 in. | 1.250 in. |
| Calibre of bullet | .450 in. | .315 in. | .309 in. | .309 in. | .280 in. | .260 in. |
| Charge of powder | 85 grains (black powder) | 20–23 (grains nitro-smokeless) | 31½ grains (cordite) | 31½ grains (cordite) | 38.0 grains (smokeless) | 36 grains (nitro-smokeless) |
| Nature of alloy used for mantle of bullet | — | Mantle: Mild steel, greased | Cupro-nickel | Cupro-nickel | Mantle: Steel with alloy of copper on surface | Mantle: Mild steel coated with copper nickel, the composition of the latter being that of the cupro-nickel of the Lee-Enfield bullet |
| Thickness of mantle | — | — | Mark II. bullet | Mark II. bullet | — | — |
| Tip | — | .031 | .036 | .036 | .031 | .022 |
| Sides .984 from tip | — | .011 | .015 | .015 | .015 | .015 |
Some particulars of the four rifles and their projectiles are collated in Table I., to which is added the corresponding information regarding the Martini-Henry for the purposes of comparison.
TABLE II.—Penetration
The penetration of the Martini-Henry and the Lee-Metford or Lee-Enfield rifle with Mark II. bullet is as follows:
| Martini-Henry | 15½ in. of 1 in. deal boards 1 in. apart | 19 in. of sand containing 15 per cent. of moisture |
| Lee-Metford {Mark II. } | 42 in. of 1 in. deal boards 1 in. apart |
60 in. of sand containing 15 per |