GOOD-BYE SERGOIT 24.5 
rifle (which is an ideal bullet) with the .350 Rigby, and the 
difference is apparent to a tyro. Instead of a big soft lead 
snout, which is forever in danger of being battered out of 
shape, as day after day it jogs about in the magazine of the 
rifle, the Mannlicher just shows the lead, neatly protected by 
a close rim of the nickel, and that is all. 
My contention then is, that the .350 Mauser bullet, 
though a heavy one, still does not penetrate in any unusual 
way the game shot with it. I have often shot kongoni 
running from me, in the rump, and never found that this 
bullet had ranged forward into the vitals. Yet, and this is 
the point, that bullet invariably goes right into a lion’s 
vitals, whether it be fired into the side or the shoulder or 
breast of a full-grown male. I have found it then a very 
serviceable weapon. Its shock is heavy. And I find I can 
shoot more accurately with it, than with any double-barrel 
rifle I possess. It does not weigh, with magazine full, quite 
8% lbs., which is not heavy for a big game rifle. And if you 
can approximately estimate your distances from game you 
desire to kill, I find it very accurate indeed. I must say, 
however, that several men I know who understand some- 
thing about rifles (and be it remembered, many a man who 
is a good shot knows little or nothing of them) have not 
found this rifle work as satisfactorily as I have. Another 
advantage of the .350 Mauser is that it is not too heavy 
to carry in the hand, even when you are forced to ride at 
top speed over rough ground. A .450 for close quarters 
will, of course, smash things up more, and so is a better 
weapon, but you have to sit right down and ride close to 
keep a lion’s company, and a heavy gun is a good deal of 
a handicap. Asa gun to fall back on at very close quarters 
there can be nothing better than a good double-barrel 
smooth bore, to the handling of which you have grown 
thoroughly accustomed. The right barrel loaded with 
ball, the left s. s. g., a good charge of powder behind 
