294 Appendix 



hind the rifle that counts, after the weapon has 

 reached a certain stage of perfection. One of my 

 friends invariably uses an old Government Spring 

 field, a 45-calibre, with an ounce bullet. Another 

 cares for nothing but the 40-90 Sharps , a weapon 

 for which I myself have much partiality. Another 

 uses always the old 45-calibre Sharps , and yet an 

 other the 45-calibre Remington. Two of the best 

 bear and elk hunters I know prefer the 32 and 38- 

 calibre Marlin s with long cartridges, weapons with 

 which I myself would not undertake to produce any 

 good results. Yet others prefer pieces of very large 

 calibre. 



The amount of it is that each one of these guns 

 possesses some excellence which the others lack, 

 but which is in most cases atoned for by some cor 

 responding defect. Simplicity of mechanism is very 

 important, but so is rapidity of fire ; and it is hard to 

 get both of them developed to the highest degree 

 in the same piece. In the same way, flatness of 

 trajectory, penetration, range, shock, and accuracy 

 are all qualities which must be attained; but to get 

 one in perfection usually means the sacrifice of some 

 of the rest. For instance, other things being equal, 

 the smallest calibre has the greatest penetration, but 

 gives the least shock; while a very flat trajectory, 



