xxii INTRODUCTION 



I agree with Captain Mosse that the true ball-and- 

 shot gun has vaKiable properties, especially for a man 

 of light physique, in the combination it affords of a 

 large bullet with the handiness of a shot gun. I have 

 found even the old black powder Paradox a very 

 effective weapon. 



I am in doubt, after long experience of both, which 

 of the two weapons is better, (1) the heavier kind of 

 magazine high-velocity rifle, with its half-dozen shots, 

 which can be fired in fairly rapid succession, the hand 

 automatically reloading by a few easy movements 

 of the lever, leaving eye and brain free to watch the 

 quickly-moving animal ; or (2) the heavy double high- 

 velocity rifle (or Paradox for thin-skinned game), 

 with its first pair of shots delivered with lightning 

 rapidit}^ by merely slipping the finger to the second 

 trigger or by using a single trigger twice. In the case 

 of a double barrel, the first two shots, which do not 

 always stop a buffalo or lion, are probably followed 

 by fumbling in the pockets or cartridge-belt, searchings 

 of memory as to which pocket they are in, and a look 

 at the rifle to see which barrel has been already dis- 

 charged and which has to be re-loaded. Meanwhile 

 the animal has either got you, or has vanished. 



As I say, I am still absolutely in doubt as to which 

 it is best to use, a heav}^ magazine rifle of the type 

 of which the -404 and -425 are the most notable 

 examples ; or the heavy to medium double high 

 velocity rifle of -450 to '475 bore. I have found 

 the '404 not at all too heavy for markhor ground, nor 

 should the other magazine rifles named be too heavy. 

 Any one using a magazine rifle should keep a full set 



