300 MY SOMALI BOOK 



he appears to hold as to high velocity increasing yet 

 at the same time reducing resistance ! Apparently he 

 would recommend the old -500 Express as more 

 effective than a -450 H.V. rifle with capped or velopex 

 bullet — so would not I, nor any man who knows. 



My opinion of the spherical ball in a 12-bore shot- 

 gun is that it is not inadequate for tiger if driven b}^ 

 a nitro charge equivalent to not less than 4 io 4| drams 

 of black powder in order to obtain the necessary 

 penetration with a bullet of soft lead : a gun strong 

 enough for this purpose would weigh fully 7| lbs., 

 which is heavier than the usual " general purpose " 

 12-bore shot-gun. With the 13-bore ball generally 

 used, Mr. Hicks' plan of wrapping it round with cloth 

 to make it fit the bore tightly should be followed, and, 

 as he points out, it m^ist not be loose in the cartridge. 

 The limit of range should be 75 yards. But to the 

 man who wants to choose a weapon a Paradox or 

 Explora gun is decidedly superior, and always to be 

 advised in preference.* 



Finally, then, so far as stopping power and general 

 bullet effectiveness are concerned, I would narrow 

 down our choice absolutely to one of two types of 

 weapon. 



(1) A 12-bore magnum double ball-and-shot gun, 

 Paradox or Explora. 



(2) A H.V. double rifle of -400 to •476-bore. 



If it be merely a question of selecting the best 

 weapon for our purpose our final choice must always 

 rest on No. (1) on account of its greater consistency of 



* The patent " Lethal " l)uUet fits the bore tightly, and is, I believe, 

 etlective, but cannot compare with the Paradox bullet for accuracy. 



