GOOD-BYE SERGOIT 245 



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 

 8J Ibs., 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. As a 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 



