CHOICE OF A HUNTING RIFLE. 49 



sufficiently variable to cause trouble. There is no necessity 

 of defining this. " Bengal Sepoy's" pessimistic view of the 

 disproportion existing between the cost of cartridges and 

 weight of bullet will deceive no one. The fact is, the 

 striking energy is to the muzzle velocity as the pull is to 

 the trigger. At 335 yards I have rarely done better than 7 

 bullets into 6 long by 8 wide by 5 high, 10*^ bullets into 

 4 wide by 8 long by 9 high, and 9 bullets into 7^ round. 

 This with elongated swedge, Skimmerhorn tube and loop- 

 hole, is a beautiful weapon, because harmless in the hands 

 of the didn't-know-it-was-loaded idiot. 



A. J. & W. Folly is hardly so good for chipmunks as 

 the new U. S. Express, .11-15^-21, which paralyzes with- 

 out mutilating. The trajectory of this needs to be flattened 

 a little, however, as this species of game rarely rises over 

 100 yards. For gray squirrels .32 is much too large, .22 too 

 small; I should advise, say .23^, bullet irregular rhomboid 

 with rapidly decreasing circumference. For fox squirrels 

 .we need a .6-41-26, four turns to the inch, modified drop. 

 With due deference to "J. T.'s" knowledge and experience 

 with California rodents, I affirm that Eastern squirrels need 

 different ordnance. For deer, if I were in Florida, I 

 should, by all means, use the regular .31-64-154, as deer 

 are known to be smaller there than in Pennsylvania. In 

 North Carolina the most effective weapon would be a 

 .33-69-161, as deer there are considerably larger, having 

 more to eat. In the Northern States, east of the Rocky 

 Mountains, the well-known Blunt 8mo. .42-71-209 lightning 

 express, will 4dll cleaner than any other, if the gun is clean. 

 A mule deer, as the name implies, requires much heavier 

 ordnance to fetch him to time. If permitted, he will carry 

 away a large amount of lead and expletives. The coming 

 gun for this kind of game, elk and caribou, is the portable 

 electrical Catling, Siemens' battery, and Brush dynamo. 



