NOTES ON RIFLES AND AMMUNITION 401 



system for large bores, such as 10 and 8, and in 1891 one of 



the latter weapons when tested before the editor of ' The Field,' 



with the full charge of 10 drs. of powder, and a hardened 



conical solid bullet at 50 yards range, made the extraordinary 



diagram in six consecutive shots into a space i^ in. by 2\ ins. 



(shown in fig. 16), beating all the records of big rifles at the 



* Field ' trials. 



It should be only a matter of time for weapons made 



upon this principle to supersede large- bore rifles for big game 



shooting. Everything is in their favour. An _ 



8-bore ' Paradox ' weighs some 2 to 3 lbs. mnt^^ 



less than an 8-bore rifle, and mounts to jM W^^ 



the shoulder with the handiness of a gun. g» — 1 !^^^ 



The accuracy of the ' Paradox ' is greater U^_^||^^^ 



than that of an 8-bore rifle, the recoil less ^ ^^^^^ ^t^ 



as the bullet passes freely up the barrel, fflP^jll^BI 



iistead of having to cut its way through ||||1IILJJHBBI 



^evere rifling, the ' Paradox ' being rifled pig. ly.-Diagram of 



at the muzzle only), and the velocity or ?"^P^^ ' Paradox ' 



■' ' ■' bullet 



striking force is superior. 



Several of these weapons (8- and lo-bores) have already 

 l)een tried upon elephant, buffalo, &c., in Africa and India, 

 with the most satisfactory results. 



Small Bores for Elephant Shooting. — No doubt some sports- 

 men have been successful in bagging elephants and other big 

 game with •450-bore rifles, firing a moderate charge of about 

 1.7 drs. of powder and a long solid bullet, such rifles giving 

 -Teat penetration, but no shock to the animal unless a vital part 

 s reached. If the game be found in fairly open country, so 

 that accurate shooting can be made, this weapon may answer 

 in the hands of a good shot ; but in most parts, and in grass 

 ountry, particularly where an animal has frequently to be 

 -hot at very close quarters, and where the chances of being 

 able to make a run for it are very much restricted, one would 

 much prefer to rely upon the paralysing blow given by an 

 8- or 10-bore loaded with a heavy charge of powder and a 



11 DD 



