Round the Camp Fire. 199 



(7) Before loading, be particularly careful to 



remove all oil from (i) the cartridge, (ii) the 

 bore, and (iii) the chamber, all of which, if left 

 oily, might give increased pressure. 



(8) Do not unnecessarily expose your ammunition 



to great heat, although it is a fact that cordite 

 resumes its normal condition when re-cooled. 



To sum up the matter of the Indian sportsman's battery 

 is a matter of difficulty, as among men of differing views 

 different ideas naturally prevail, and even when these are 

 sifted it is difficult to particularise. 



The result of some years' experience, however, which the 

 writer and friends whom he has consulted have had with 

 various rifles, has been examined and an average struck. 

 The weapons corning under notice have been as follows : 



8-bore rifle, ro-bore and 1 2-bore ' Paradox,' 1 2-bore rifle, 

 577 magnum (Sam. Baker pattern) rifle, -500 magnum rifle 

 (440 grain bullet), -500 express, -450 cordite (Rigby's) rifle, 

 400 cordite (Jeffery's) rifle, '303, Mauser "275, and Mann- 

 licher "256. 



From the above the consensus of opinion is that no 

 satisfactory truly all-round rifle yet exists ; after that, a 

 choice of weapons rests largely with the sportsman him- 

 self. Allowing that a smokeless propellant is in all ways 

 superior to black powder, the rest is a question of a man's 

 build and physique. If he can handle it, the bigger the 

 bore the better for close jungle work. For ponderous 

 game the medium bore cordite rifle comes in first favourite. 

 For dangerous soft-skinned game, at close ranges, the ball 

 and shot gun of the Paradox type, not smaller than 1 2-bore. 

 For long sporting range shooting at harmless game, on hill 

 or plain, the '303, as giving rather better killing power 

 than the smaller bores. In these three we have succeeded in 



